On April 3, 2025, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Tamale, the Most Rev. Philip Naameh, in a letter, suspended Rev. Fr. Kelvin Minnow, a Priest of the Archdiocese for various reasons.
The letter signed by Archbishop Naameh and addressed to Fr. Minnow said: “Having made several fruitless attempts through admonishment, fraternal corrections and other means stipulated in canons 1339 and 1341 of the revised Book VI of the Code of Canon Law to get you reform your ways and avoid scandal to the community in the conduct of your life and ministry;
Having summoned you fruitlessly to an administrative process to give you the opportunity to defend yourself, particularly on the many allegations levelled against you especially your vacation of post for some time now (since January, 2025) without due recourse to your parish priest or to me, which is a grave violation of law as stipulated in canon 1396: “A person who gravely violates the obligation of residence to which he is bound by reason of an ecclesiastical office is to be punished with a just penalty, not excluding, after a warning, deprivation of the office”;
Having observed from all these attempts and proceedings that you are still adamant to my instructions and chosen to do what pleases you thereby manifesting your gross disrespect, disregard and disobedience to me, your competent and legitimate superior, which are clear external manifestations of a deliberate attempt to disobey me, which are considered grave and punishable; I hereby SUSPEND you IMMEDIATELY and INDETERMINATELY.”
In this regard, the letter stated that “the penalties mentioned in canon 1333 I & 2 of the revised Book VI of the Code of Canon Law are hereby applied on you until you return to the diocese and manifest clear evidence of reform.”
Below is the brief canonical commentary by Rev. Fr Albert Kyei Danso, Chaplain, Ghanaian Catholic Community, Italy
Beloved in Christ, it’s unfortunate to see this publication of sanction by the Archbishop of Tamale.
In matters of Church governance,
1.A Local Ordinary (Bishop/Archbishop) and Superiors of Congregations have in fullness the three arms of governance: legislative power (make new laws, norms and statutes), judiciary power (sit on all kinds of cases either by themselves or through a delegate who sits on them on their behalf in their Episcopal powers), executive: running the administration of the Diocese.
So, the Bishop/Archbishop has all the powers in his jurisdiction to sanction any of his subjects.
2.By Church law, there are two main offenses that lead to a punishment:
Laetae Sententiae and Ferendae Sententiae.
3.For the Laetentae Sententiae, is “ipso facto”: once the GRAVE crime is committed, the sanction is automatic, so it follows without TRYING the offender.
Eg: Deliberate desecration or Spillage of the Eucharistic Species, etc…
4.For Ferendae Sententiae, when there is a diffusion of the crime, the Bishop is obliged to hear the side of the story of the offender after the fact of the matter has been established to be judged guilty or innocent whether thru administrative process or judiciary process! Then the sanction follows based on the gravity of the Crime.
5.From the decree of the Archbishop, He has stated emphatically clear the offences of the Priest: Having left the place of post and residence since January without due permission of his Pastor and His Archbishop. As Priests, this is one way or the other, a total neglect of his Priestly Office and duty and Having moved from the mission house with no trace of his whereabout. That too is against the code that, the Pastor as well as the Curate/Assistant must live in the mission house by Church law.
It’s only the Pastoral Collaborator is not obliged to this residence law.
And the third offence is gross disrespect and disobedience to his Archbishop.
So, the offences are three and that is what has evoked the severe sanction from his Archbishop.
6.In fact, Church sanction even though penal but is medicinal, expiatory and reformative. It’s to help him have a change of heart and mind and once demonstrated sincerely to his Archbishop, it would be removed.
7.In the Catholic Church, Bishops do not sanction their subject overnight, but they do as the last resort after several warnings, admonitions, fraternal correction have failed.
All these have been followed, and it worries the Chief Shepherd that his Priest is not listening to him.
8.Lastly, even though is not common to see sanctions of Priests and religious published, the Code of Canon Law permits that such acts and decrees be published on the website of the Diocese and in Catholic Communication Journals for the good of the laity to know the withdrawn faculty and also pray for and sympathise the Priest.
9.To have the Archbishop give a six-month ultimatum that if he doesn’t show return to the Archdiocese and place of post, he may eventually dismiss him from the Clerical States tells you how grave and very serious the issue.
However, as Jesus showed the adulterous woman mercy today in the Gospel, let’s pray for Father to make a U-turn, exhibit his remorsefulness and ask for pardon from his Chief Shepherd to be forgiven and continue his Priestly ministry as we all pray for him.
I’m sure Psychologists and Psychiatrists have been employed to assist our brother as well.
Mary, Mother of Priests, Pray for us.
By: Rev. Fr Albert Kyei Danso, (Chaplain, Ghanaian Catholic Community, Italy
