The Catholic Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, Most Rev. John Bonaventure Kwofie, has urged members of the St Francis of Assisi Catholic Community at Tseaddo to actively protect the environment and oppose practices that destroy the country’s natural resources.

He said the environmental destruction witnessed across Ghana, including the pollution of water bodies and the degradation of arable land, posed serious risks to human life and should concern everyone, particularly those who identify with St Francis of Assisi.

Archbishop Kwofie made the call during his homily on a pastoral visit to the community, where he also confirmed 24 people into the Catholic faith.

Reflecting on the life of St Francis, the Archbishop said the saint’s deep respect for creation should serve as a model for Christians at a time when Ghana continues to grapple with environmental degradation, including illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

“You know about Francis, his care for creation and his care for the environment. He loved the created order. Creation was our God’s masterpiece of art,” he said.

He referred to St Francis’ Canticle of the Sun, in which the saint describes the earth as mother, the sun as brother and the moon as sister, to illustrate the spiritual connection between humanity and creation.

Archbishop Kwofie said environmental destruction had consequences beyond the loss of natural resources, particularly when polluted water and degraded farmlands affected people’s health and livelihoods.

“Our environment in this country is constantly under attack. Our water bodies are polluted, our arable lands are being destroyed, and we live under constant health risks from what we consume,” he said.

He urged members of the St Francis community to regard environmental protection as part of their Christian responsibility.

“If you attend the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, you want to be a lover of the environment. You stand against injustice done to the environment,” he told the congregation.

The Archbishop also stressed that commitment to the Christian faith must translate into action, urging the faithful to embrace generosity and support initiatives that benefit their community.

“Following Jesus is not easy. It is not a part-time job. To be His disciples is to follow Him wholly and entirely. It is demanding and requires total commitment,” he said.

The pastoral visit comes as the St Francis community works to acquire land for a permanent place of worship after eight years of relying on temporary structures.

The community’s chairperson, Emmanuel Ani Acquah, told the Archbishop that its journey had been sustained by the sacrifices of members, priests and a host family that had supported the church.

He said the absence of a permanent place of worship had created difficulties, particularly during the rainy season.

“Worshipping under canopies leaves us at the mercy of the weather. During this year’s rainy season, we missed Sunday Mass for three consecutive weeks,” Mr Acquah said.

He described the Archbishop’s visit as an important milestone but noted that the community still had work to do to secure land and construct a church.

“Today may feel like a climax, but it is far from it. It is only the beginning of our journey to acquire land and build our church in this community we all love,” he said.

Acquah thanked Archbishop Kwofie for the pastoral visit, describing his presence as a sign that the community’s prayers and efforts had been recognised.

In concluding his homily, the Archbishop encouraged the faithful to respond to life’s challenges with prayer and trust rather than fear.

He urged them to allow truth, honour, purity and justice to guide their conduct while rejecting falsehood, dishonour and injustice.