ACCRA, MAY 12 2020 (CISA) -Archbishop John Bonaventure Kwofie, of the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra has advised proper delegation of duties according to ability and competence for the growth of the Church.
In his homily at the Sunday May 10 Mass at the Holy Spirit Cathedral, Adabraka-Accra, the Archbishop noted that it is bad for church leaders to take on all duties upon themselves leaving the rest of the body of Christ without roles to play.
“We as Apostles shall devote ourselves to praying and preaching the word of God, and we will leave other things to other people to do. The Catholic Church in its social teachings has always taught of what is called the principal of solidarity. It is wrong to take from individuals what they can accomplish, what they can do through their own initiative and industry and assign it to a higher authority. So it is in the reverse to take from the greater organization, the high authority what they can do and assign it to lesser ones what is not within their capacity, what is not within their competence, so that everyone performs a function that is proper to him or her,” he said.
He advised that the principle of delegation in church should be upheld as done by the Apostles during the time when the church was growing rapidly and hence increase of duties.
“About this time, when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenists made a complaint against the Hebrews: in the daily distribution their own widows were being overlooked. So the Twelve called a full meeting of the disciples and addressed them, ‘It would not be right for us to neglect the word of God so as to give out food; you, brothers, must select from among yourselves seven men of good reputation, filled with the Spirit and with wisdom, to whom we can hand over this duty. We ourselves will continue to devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the word,” he said in reference Acts 6:1-7.
The prelate noted that this principle cuts across all sectors including politics, civil life, church life and work places.
“Too much centralization and interference is not good. This principle of subsidiarity recognizes that everyone has something to offer no matter her or his social standard…What our lay people can do in the church, we as priests must allow them to do,” he said.
