Glory of God Prayer Group, St. Cecilia Parish, Wa Diocese, Ghana - Let Your Light Shine

Saint of the Day

Come unto me all ye that labor

I have read in Plato and Cicero sayings that are wise and very beautiful; but I have never read in either of them: Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden. Saint Augustine

God judged it better

God judged it better to bring good out of evil than to suffer no evil to exist. Saint Augustine

God dispenses beauty even to the wicked

Beauty is indeed a good gift of God; but that the good may not think it a great good, God dispenses it even to the wicked. Saint Augustine

if you love until it hurts

I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love. Mother Teresa

He that is jealous is not in love

He that is jealous is not in love. Saint Augustine

The souls of the righteous are immortal …

All men's souls are immortal, but the souls of the righteous are immortal and divine. Socrates

Forsaken by sin

To abstain from sin when one can no longer sin is to be forsaken by sin, not to forsake it. Saint Augustine

Be faithful in small things

Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies. Mother Teresa

Pride of a false knowledge

Don't be proud of a false knowledge that there is no God when you are not God.   Felix Dordaa Mahama

He that is evil is a slave

He that is kind is free, though he is a slave; he that is evil is a slave, though he be a king. Saint Augustine

Improve yourself by other men's wri…

Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings, so that you shall gain easily what others have labored hard for. Socrates

Pride of wealth

If a man is proud of his wealth, he should not be praised until it is known how he employs it. Socrates

Meaning of the universe

If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning: just as, if there were no light in the universe and therefore no creatures with eyes, we should never know it was dark. Dark would be without meaning. C. S. Lewis

In season at all times

Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand. Mother Teresa

Charity and wisdom

Where there is charity and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance. Francis of Assisi

Seeking without that wert within

I found thee not, O Lord, without, because I erred in seeking thee without that wert within. Saint Augustine

Perfection of a man

This is the very perfection of a man, to find out his own imperfections. Saint Augustine

There is God

I would rather live my life as if there is a God and die to find out there isn't, than live my life as if there isn't and die to find out there is. Albert Camus

Spread love everywhere

Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier. Mother Teresa

Don't bother about originality

Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it. C. S. Lewis

Report of the Catholic Church's position on baptism of transgender people

Recently, there has been a report claiming that the Catholic Church has decided to permit transgender people to be baptized and become godparents. I first read the report on graphic online website, titled "Trans people can be baptised in Catholic church and be godparents, says Vatican," through a link posted on WhatsApp. Though I have not read the original document supposedly released by the Vatican, an online search at the time of writing this article, reveals that various news outlets, such as washington post, bbc, reuters, the guardian, cbs news, nbc news, ap news, ny times, and k24tv.co.ke, among others, have reported on this development. With the assumption that the report is true and accurate (until I read the original document), I would like to share my thoughts on this development.

Teaching of the Catholic Church about sin and salvation

As to whether transgender people should be baptized and allowed to be godparents is a dicey question to answer. I'll attempt to share my opinion based of the teachings of the Catholic Church and my own reasoning.

One of the central and fundamental Christian beliefs is that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God - Romans 3:23, which is the reason for the very existence of Christianity - Jesus becoming man and sacrificing himself for mankind. The Catholic Church also teaches that every human being is born with original sin - Catechism of the Catholic church 396-406, which is cleansed through baptism. It is also taught that Jesus Christ came and sacrificed himself so that those who believe in him would be saved from death caused by sin. The Catholic Church teaches that remission of sin is accomplished through believing in Jesus Christ, baptism and onging repentance and participation in the sacrament of reconciliation. Jesus came for everyone, not a single person on earth excluded. Original sin can only be cleasned through baptism. Personal sin is cleansed through both baptism and the sacrament of reconciliation. Therefore, both forms of cleansing of sin rely on baptism. The unbaptized are not allowed to participate in the sacrament of reconciliation (except when they are about to be baptized, as far as I know).

Effect of prohibiting baptism of transgender people in the Catholic Church

From the foregoing, it stands to reason that if transgender people are not permitted to be baptized, they can never receive forgiveness of sins (according to Catholic belief, teaching and practice), and, therefore, are eternally condemned, with no hope of salvation. Should anybody be prohibited from participating in the salvation offer of God? No.

The problem with permitting baptism of transgender people in the Catholic Church

However, allowing transgender people to be baptized also poses a problem. It might lead to a false belief that there is nothing wrong with transgender practice, and,  thereofore, encourage people to do it with impunity, without seeking psychological and spiritual help to overcome what I believe is a disorder.

What is my personal opinion about the baptism of transgenger people in the Catholic Church?

From the foregoing analysis, it can be seen that there are both pros and cons for permitting the baptism of transgender people in the Catholic Church.

My opinion is that transgender people should be baptized, but on a condition.

Transgender people should be baptized if, and only if, they repent of their transgender alignment (i.e. accept that transgender is a sin, and they would reverse it if they could, or they would never do it if they could turn back the hands of time). This is the normal requirement in the Church since forgiveness, which is secured through baptism and the sacrament of reconciliation, requires total renunciation of ALL sins. As long as the transgender person repents of their transgender sin and all other sins, there's no reason to not baptize them.

While other sins do not cause a permanent change to a person's body, transgender transformation does. A little googling informs me that transgender transformation is reversible. I suggest that those transgender people who have repented, and who have the means to have their transgender status reversed without medical complications, should do so to prove their repentance, before they are baptized. For those who do not have the means to have their transgender status reversed, or whose attempt at reversal may result in medical complications, they should be baptised based on their verbal confession. I know that with the verbal confession, people can lie, but we should leave that to God. In any case, they were headed for eternal damnation anyway, without the intervention of the baptism and subsequently the sacrament of reconciliation. So if they lie, it just proves where they belong, and it's a judgement for God to make.

Should transgender people be godparents in the Catholic Church?

 It is my opinion that transgender people should not be godparents in the Catholic Church. My reasoning include:

  1. Preventing transgender people from being godparents will reinforce the message of the Church that transgender is not an acceptable practice. This is to somehow mitigate the possible negative effect caused by baptizing "repentant" transgender people.
  2. There are far far more "straight" people than transgender people, so it should not be a problem finding a "straight" person to be a godparent.
  3. It would limit the opportunity for transgender people who could pretend to repent but with the intention of infiltrating the Church to pollute others with their ideology.

In summary, I think transgender people should be baptized if they repent, but should not be allowed to be godparents. This position should be explained clearly and unequivocally by the Church.

Marriage Software

This is what a guy wrote to a Systems Analyst -(Marriage Software Div); Dear Systems Analyst, I am desperate for some help! I recently upgraded my program from Girlfriend 7.0 to Wife 1.0 and found that the new program began unexpected Child Processing and also took up a lot of space and valuable resources. This wasn't mentioned in the product brochure. In addition Wife 1.0 installs itself into all other programs and launches during systems initialization and then it monitors all other system... Read more>>>

My soul belongs to Yahweh

Oh, satan, I pity you. I've just been reminded that my soul belongs to Yahweh, so u can't touch it. You are indeed a great loser.   Read more>>>

What does God say about your problems?

A personal reflection on 23rd July 2011{bib=2 Kings 19:1-37} (start at {bib=2 Kings 18:13}) OR {bib=Isaiah 36, 37} {bib=2 Kings 19:3} – When you are in grief, do you pick a boyfriend/girlfriend for help; do you consult another god, do you start looking for a way to extort other people, do you throw your hands up in despair?               – When you are in shame do you show your enemies? {bib=2 Kings 19:6} – What are you going through now? Sickness, joblessness, underpayment, frustration... Read more>>>

Respect dignities

When we despise dominion and speak evil of dignities we break the divine pattern and bring a tide of curse upon ourselves and those under our care. As those under our authority behold how we treat those in authority over us, they will become fuelled by the same spirit and start to treat us in a similar manner. Once this spirit enters into a community, that community will burst apart at some point fracturing along personality lines. This is the... Read more>>>

Prevailing prayers

Greetings My dear brothers and sisters, I greet you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith and the sustainer of all living beings. Today I want us to look at the subject of prayer and its place in the life of a believer. What is prayer? Prayer is a communication, and the kind that takes place between God and the believer. In fact prayer is the meeting point between divinity and... Read more>>>

The Lord's prayer

Our Father, who is in heaven, holy is your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. OR Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give... Read more>>>

It's a hoax: NASA finds message fro…

This message has been circulating on the internet and elsewhere about the discovery of a message from God by NASA. This is part of the story: The original message "NASA announced today that its Curiosity Rover has found an unambiguous message from God written on tablets in a Martian cave. According to an official press release two giant stone slabs the size of small elephants were located deep inside a cavern abutting Aeolis Mons, a large mountain. Upon one tablet is a copy of the Ten... Read more>>>

Auto-panic

It is as if most human beings are configured to be automatically  afraid whenever there are challenges. This auto-panic device makes even some Holy Spirit filled Christians to cry out, complain and wish for a return to their former ways of life when they go through a test.  In fact, when this auto-panic device is activated, it automatically uninstalls any faith application. Therefore, at this stage, anxiety, fear, worry, hopelessness, dejection etc. begin to control such a person. The people of... Read more>>>

Short memory

One of the most painful things in this world is when people you helped in the past later decide to work against you. So many people have vowed never to do anything to help others again because of the ungratefulness of some people they once helped. Our world is really full of people with selective short memory. They only remember the bad you once did against them but quickly forget the good you did for them. Joseph was a man God... Read more>>>

The Father

I begin my day not knowing what went into the night as I slept.I wake up every morning to see the clear beautiful bright sky.I hear the birds of the air sing and fly stylishly across the sky.I see trees wave their leaves in the air.I see animals of all kind around the land.I see people like me doing one thing or the other.I wonder and ponder over it … The FATHER’S love.   Oh yes!  The FATHER’S love:So great, so steep,So... Read more>>>

The agenda is on - The six stages of soc…

Social Deception very often is a process by which wrong becomes right, and right becomes wrong. It’s a complete paradigm shift of opinions, standards and morals that is achieved softly, subtly and often takes a generation to entrench into society. Those who engineer it are very deliberate and structured in their approach.   If you want to know what I am talking about, find out your mother’s views on things like sexuality and marriage and compare them with yours. The contrast in... Read more>>>

The art of quiet time: prayer

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I greet you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. May the grace and peace of God be in your heart. Friends, in {bib=Luke 22:39-46}, Jesus admonished us to keep watch and pray so as to avoid trial. Beloved, there will at some point in your life be a moment of trial, but at those times you need strength from above just as in the case of Jesus. ({bib=Luke 22:43}) Importance of prayer Dear friends, prayer... Read more>>>

Knowing the God you serve: God will forg…

Teacher: Felix Dordaa Mahama Text: {bib=Judith 5:17-21} What if I were God? Would I be able to forgive the many wrongs that people do, even after they confess? When I examine my own thoughts and emotions and when I listen to contributions to the Friday morning toaster programme, I wonder what would happen to us if God were a human; He is so full of mercy and compassion, sometimes I wonder if I were God I would be able to forgive some of... Read more>>>

Reckoning my past as loss for the sake o…

Three days fasting and prayers -28th - 30th May, 2008Teacher: Felix Dordaa Mahama Text: {bib=Philippians 3:7-9} Background of St. Paul St. Paul was a Pharisee. He was a scholar well respected. He had the right to be called a Jew and to be hailed by his own people and by other people. Everyone loves uniqueness and the Israelites were unique; and St. Paul could choose to hold on to this uniqueness without caring about the rest of the world.  He could choose to stick to... Read more>>>

The unconditional love of Jesus Christ w…

{bib=Matthew 13:44-46} Have you ever fallen in love? Do you remember when the phone rang and he or she was on the other end? Your heart fluttered with excitement. You couldn’t wait to see your loved one again. However, the romantic attraction you’ve ever had is nothing compared to the way Jesus loves you. You’re always on his mind. To him, you are the “pearl of great price” ({bib=Matthew 13:46}). He gave up everything for your salvation. If only this would... Read more>>>

There is hope

There is hope for a tree that has been cut down; it can come back to life and sprout. Even though its roots grow old, and its stump dies in the ground, with water it will sprout like a young plant. ({bib=Job14:7-9}). Take heart, the Lord of Hosts is still able, the mighty God of wonders is still at work, the rock of ages is gracious and Jehovah Jire is still providing our needs according to his riches in glory in... Read more>>>

Who has more followers: God or satan?

Please finish reading before you do anything else right now; read this to the end. My name is God. I know you will give your time to me. I love you and always bless you. I am always with you. I need you to spend 30 minutes of your time with me today. Don't pray. Just praise. Today I want this message across the world. Will you help? Please drop everything & pass it on. Tell the devil you are... Read more>>>

Glory be to the Father ...

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end. Amen.   Read more>>>

I have decided

There is nothing we go through that God does not know. He sees, He feels, He hears and He knows. God knows all the challenges, difficulties and problems His children go through. He is not unconcerned. He is not indecisive about your situation. In fact, God has made a decision to deliver you and He will do it! When the people of Israel were in captivity, it looked as if the Lord had abandoned them. They were in need of deliverance... Read more>>>

In your presence: prayer

Lord Jesus I need your presence in my life. Your presence is so sweet because you are a sweet Lord. When I rose from bed this morning, I felt so lonely, I felt so fearful because of all the difficulties I faced yesterday. I felt so uncertain about what was going to happen today. Review of previous day's events Early in the morning Ok, Lord, let’s review some of the things that happened yesterday. When I woke up in the morning, my children... Read more>>>