'Don't force boys to be Catholic priests if they don't want to' - Monsignor Roger Abotiyuure

Monsignor Roger Abotiyuure, a Catholic Priest of many decades in the Upper East Region, has advised against the tendency of encouraging boys to be Catholic Priests against their will.

Monsignor Abotiyuure is of the firm belief that a catholic priest who does not love his priesthood would eventually end up as bad priests.

Monsignor Abotiyuure who was speaking in an interview with journalist Samuel Mbura, noted that boys must be allowed to make the decision of being priests without coercion or undue encouragement from others since without intrinsic motivation for the priesthood, the priest will fail to live up to expectation.

“Look, if you’re a priest and you don’t love your priesthood, you’re going to be a bad priest…Boys should not be encouraged to become priests when they don’t want it. If you don’t want to be a Priest, live with dignity. But don’t live a double life,” he said.

There have been reports of boys losing interest in recent times in becoming priests. But Monsignor Abotiyuure thinks that no one must become a Priest if they don’t really to be.

The Catholic Church bars priests from marriage and demands that they remain celibate for life. Calls for reforms from certain quarters regarding allowing priests to marry and raise families are yet to receive a favourable response from the Catholic establishment.

Monsignor Abotiyuure is one of the most respected priests in the Upper East Region and the throughout the Catholic church in the country.