In some parts of Ghana, and probably most parts of Africa, aged women are often labeled as witches by their children, other family members and for the most part, by the communities they belong to. They are castigated, out-casted within their communities with all kinds of derogatory or abusive words used against them, and worse still, they are even ridiculed in public. The least instance of misfortune that occurs in the family or in the community is attributed to them. Sometimes, they are even exiled from their homes, family and communities.
Such elderly women, labelled as witches in their communities, are usually defenseless and abandoned. They “feel stabbed in the back” by their own children whom they raised, cared for and sacrificed so much to protect. This sense of betrayal and abandonment by family, in some cases, leads to mental breakdown and suicidal attempts for most of them.
The Catholic Church today fits in the above description as a “witch” due to anti-Catholic sentiments against the Church by other Christian denominations and even by some disgruntled Catholics.
The Catholic Church (also referred to as “Mother Church”) is feminine by nature and very old or advanced in age. Being the first Church founded on the Apostles, by the declaration of our Lord to St. Peter (see, Mt. 16:18a “And so I say to you, you are Peter (meaning, Rock), and upon this rock I will build my church”). For most non-Catholics, the Church has over lived her usefulness, and therefore fits the category of a “witch.”
Most Christian denominations (and even some Catholics) castigate, draw up defamatory and derogatory remarks against the Catholic Church as: “she is not a Christian Church;” “her leaders stem from the beast, (referred to in the Book of Revelation), whose marks are 666;” and that “the Catholic Church is Anti-Christ or a satanic Church.”
The heartbreaking part of the story is that old women, who are branded witches are principally not traumatized by outsiders who call them witches, but by their own “children and grandchildren” whom they have given their best and all. If you ask me, a woman who gives birth and raises her child to adulthood and is later branded a witch, must and should be considered rather a “good witch.”
In the same vain, if the Catholic Church, is considered “a witch” by some, despite having her foundation built upon the Apostle Peter (as her first Pope), grown all these years; propagating the same Gospel values as Christ instructed, then the Catholic Church is a “good witch.”
For instance, the Catholic Church has most certainly made her stance very clear on such moral and social issues as, abortion, the use of contraceptives, homosexuality, in-vitro-maturation (IVM) and euthanasia (assisted suicide by lethal injection). For the Catholic Church, human life is Sacred and the dignity of the human person is the foundation for moral vision for a healthy society. Yet still, she continues to be attacked as a “witch.” If this perspective held by some Christian denominations and people is not borne out of ignorance, then it is certainly a belligerent absurdity for anyone to consider the Church founded directly by Christ, through his apostles, a “satanic church.”
Sometimes, on social media, when Catholic issues pop up, one will be baffled at some of the comments from “Fellow Christian denominations” and even some Catholics condemning it as not scripturally based.
Unequivocally, having patiently studied scripture myself, I can attest, that greater part of Catholic Teachings or Catechesis and way of worship (the Liturgy) are biblically based.
It is needless to point out that even St. John in his Gospel, said that there are a lot that are not written and if everything were to be written, the bible couldn’t have been able to contain all that. The also have other sources where she base her teachings: the magisterium and traditions.
In addition, Jesus in John’s Gospel said I am going away and I’ll send the Advocate who will come and continue to teach and help you understand all that I had taught you.
One of the reasons Christianity is not making much impact in society, especially in Africa is because Christians turn to outstrip one another; creating unhealthy competition among believers with such notions as, “my church is better than yours,” or “my pastor is more powerful than yours,” or that “my pastor is the Lord’s anointed and the truth is found in my church.” We have left the real enemy (the devil and evil around us) are rather castigating one another. Why won’t the devil gain weight and evil abound? This is exactly what the devil wants and continues to dance when Christians behave in such a manner.
Truth be told, if I do not understand somebody’s way of doing things that should not be taken to mean that the person is wrong or satanic. The sad part is that most of the people who speak ill of the Catholic Church have never even set a foot in a catholic Church, most of what they ‘know’ about The Church are based on hearsay.
Take a frequently asked question by some non-Catholics and even by some Catholics like, Why do Catholics worship Mary? This type of question presupposes that you know Catholics worship Mary.
Another popular question: Is praying the Rosary found in the bible? Interestingly other equivalent questions one can ask are: is the internet which we use as an aid today to help us propagate the Word of God found in the bible? Are the use of mobile phones and laptop which aid us today to be close to the Word of God found in the bible? For the record, the Catholic Church is willing to teach and indeed is open to share relevant instruction with anyone seeking to understand her doctrines and practices.
The unhealthy competition among Christian denominations in Ghana; and for that matter, Africa, has given room for a lot of fake Christian Churches, pastors, priests, bishops, and prophets who are milking people, especially in these hard times, all in the name of Christ.
Unfortunately, this has also created a huge dilemma in the minds of a lot of genuine men of God, who now turn to imitate what these self-made fake pastors and false prophets are doing; their fake preaching and false prophecies have become the yardstick for today’s “preaching of the gospel.”
There had been calls from different sectors of the country’s population, asking the government, through the ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, to partner with the Christian Council and Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference to find measures to sanitize and rid the country of these religious extortionists, who are certainly broad daylight criminals in disguise.
Moving forward, respect and tolerance are two watchwords, which can strengthen Christian unity. The Lord Jesus, in Jn. 17: 21 prayed for unity among His disciples: “Father may they be one as you are in me and I in you.” This desire of our Lord for us to be one is not a matter of divine magic that makes it happen. Rather, HE desires that we, out of fervent faith and goodwill, may make deliberate efforts on our parts to cooperate with HIS grace in order to make that oneness happen with us. We may not have the same way of worship or profess the exact words of Creed. Nevertheless, there is a lot that can bind us together in Christ. I may not be a Catholic or worship like Catholics do. Yet, that does not make the Catholic Church a “satanic Church.”
One other interesting part of the elderly women branded as witches is that, even though they brood over the pain meted out to them, they are still proud to be mothers; proud of their children and grandchildren.
Mother Church will forever be proud of being a mother and continue to teach her children for posterity the way of Christ, our LORD.
Nicholas Nibetol Aazine, SVD
(Coordinator for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation, Ghana-Liberia Province)
Divine Word Missionaries: A Catholic Missionary Society serving God through His Creation.
justiceandpeaceint@gmail.com or nicholasbetol@gmail.com
