CATHOLICS NOT HAPPY

The hierarchy of the Catholic Church feels snubbed by President Rawlings.

President Rawlings was conspicuously absent during sunday's ordination of five new bishops of the Church. Rt. reverend Gabriel Akwasi ababio (Jasikan Diocese); Rt. Rev.Monsignor Anthony Adanuty (Keta-Akatsi diocese); Rt. Rev. Philip Naameh (Damongo Diocese); Rt. Rev. Joseph Osei-Bonsu (Konongo-Mampong Diocese) and Rt. Rev. Monsignor Thomas Kwaku Mensah for Obuasi.

Although the brochure for the occasion had listed President Rawlings as the Guest of Honour, it was Veep Arkaah who stood in for him.

It is not unusual for the President to delegate his Veep or in some cases even members of the Council of State to represent him, but our sources say the Catholic Church takes his absence as a snub.

President rawlings has had an uneasy relationship with the Catholic Church, although all his children are baptised Catholics.

President Rawlings has not only gone on record as referring to Catholics bishops as a "donkey" but last year accused the Catholic Church of atrocities in the past when he addressed a National Thanksgiving Convention organised by the Pentecostal Churches.

The President seems to be more comfortable with these Pentecostal churches and have graced their conventions and also attended festivals of the muslims but somehow always finds a reason to distance himself from the Catholic Church.

About four years ago he delegated Captain Tsikata to represent him at a conference of Bishops in Cape Coast.

In another development, our sources say that local Ghanaian Bishops are not pleased with the manner in which the Apostolic Nuncio, the Most reverend Andre Dupey, the Vatican's ambassador to Ghana ignored local Bishops and arranged for the Prefect of the Congregation for Evangelisation of Peoples at the Holy See- Cardinal Josef Tomko to call on President Rawlings at the Castle last Friday.

Not even the Archbishop of Accra, Rt. Rev. Dominic Andoh was invited to accompany the Cardinal as protocol demands.