Accra Catholic Archdiocese Holds 7th Edition of Conversations in the Cathedral

The Catholic Archdiocese of Accra held the 7th edition of Conversations in the Cathedral at the Holy Spirit Cathedral, Adabraka, Accra, with Christian leaders calling on believers to rediscover the deeper meaning of Christmas through faith, hope, dignity of work, responsible fatherhood, and sacrificial love.

Held on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, under the auspices of Most Rev. John Bonaventure Kwoffie, CSSp, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, the forum was organised on the theme, “Is that not the carpenter’s son?”, drawing reflections from clergy and church leaders across denominations on the life of Jesus Christ and its relevance to contemporary society.

Delivering a deeply reflective address, Most Rev. John Opoku-Agyepong, Bishop of Konongo-Mampong Diocese, centered his message on the theme, describing it as both a question of doubt and an unconscious tribute to Christ’s moral perfection.

“They could not accuse Jesus of wrongdoing. They could not fault his character. All they could do was to downplay his background,” Bishop Opoku-Agyepong noted. “That question, ‘Is this not the carpenter’s son?’, tells more in his favour than against him.”

He stressed that fatherhood goes beyond biology, describing it as a vocation rooted in guidance, affirmation, and emotional availability.

“In societies where fatherlessness is increasing, families, churches, communities, and even nations suffer,” he warned. “A good father is present, physically and emotionally.”

Speaking as a panellist, Rev. Apostle Emmanuel Tettey, General Secretary of the Ghana Pentecostal & Charismatic Council (GPCC), challenged society’s tendency to look down on certain professions, stressing that all honest work has dignity in the sight of God.

He recalled how Jesus was dismissed by people of his hometown because he was known as the son of a carpenter, noting that such attitudes persist today.

“God puts a premium on work. Anyone who does not work must not eat. Carpentry was work, and there is hope in every vocation and every profession,” Rev. Tettey said.

Rev. Sr. Dr Alice Matilda Nsiah, Senior Lecturer at the University of Cape Coast, has cautioned Christians against living hurried lives that ignore God’s voice, warning that impatience often leads people into deception, material loss, and spiritual ruin.

“If you are in a hurry to gain, you will always have problems,” she said, drawing attention to the growing menace of phone scams and fraudulent schemes that prey on people’s desire for quick wealth.

Adding to the discussion, Rev. Enoch Thompson, Vice Chairman of the Christian Council of Ghana (CCG) and Executive President of the Ghana Baptist Convention, reflected on the humble birth of Jesus Christ, noting that the Saviour of the world entered humanity quietly and without earthly glamour.

“He was born in a manger, among animals, without a bed, yet He rose to become the Saviour of the world,” Rev. Thompson said.

He encouraged people facing hardship, poverty, or rejection not to lose hope, reminding them that God can transform the most unlikely circumstances.

“You may look like a nobody today, but if you trust God, you never know what your life will become tomorrow,” he added.

The Conversations in the Cathedral series serves as an ecumenical platform for dialogue, reflection, and spiritual formation, bringing Christian leaders and the faithful together to address faith, family, and societal values in contemporary Ghana.

By Theresa Kpordzo