Ghana archbishop makes 'daring' suggestion that 'power of the keys' could allow remarriage

February 25, 2015

An archbishop from Ghana suggested that the Church might explore using “the power of the keys” to release spouses from their marital vows, in an interview with Aleteia.

“It is daring to say what I’m saying,” acknowledged Archbishop Charles Palmer-Buckle of Accra. But he suggested that the October meeting of the Synod of Bishops might explore the possibility that the Church could allow couples to remarry without an annulment. He did not specify how such a proposal could be reconciled with the Church’s teaching on the permanence of marriage, and conceded that the Church could not contradict that teaching.

Archbishop Palmer-Buckle said that African bishops must minister to many people who lived in polygamous relationships before accepting the faith. This creates special challenges for the Church, he said.

The Ghanaian bishop observed that Africans have generally been hostile toward homosexuals, and suggested that the Church there should learn from Europeans the need to welcome homosexuals into the community.

Archbishop Palmer-Buckle said that he had “absolutely no doubt about it” that the Synod would clearly uphold Catholic teaching on the integrity of marriage. “My worry,” he said, “ is that many like to make the ‘voice of the media’ the ‘voice of the Church.’"

 

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Further information:

• African Archbishop Lays Down "Daring" Challenge for Synod on the Family (Aleteia)