{"id":1281,"date":"2018-09-07T10:35:45","date_gmt":"2018-09-07T10:35:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.writersghana.com\/?p=1281"},"modified":"2018-09-07T10:58:32","modified_gmt":"2018-09-07T10:58:32","slug":"i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/index.php\/2018\/09\/07\/i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018#I STAND WITH OTABIL\u2019 AND OTHER CURRENT RESPONSES TO CHURCH SCANDALS."},"content":{"rendered":"<p>By Isaac Ato MENSAH<\/p>\n<p>Accra- 7 September, 2018.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1297\" src=\"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/vatican-5.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"285\" height=\"177\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Scandals have been present throughout human history.<\/p>\n<p>Church scandals and surviving church scandals is as old as the church itself. But the church has always had all the resources for self-reform.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1296\" src=\"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/DESALES-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"194\" height=\"259\" \/><\/p>\n<div>&#8216;Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections&#8217; &#8211; St Francis De Sales<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<p>A good example is St Francis De Sales, leader of the Counter Reformation (1567-1622) and \u2018patron saint of Catholic writers and the Catholic press\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>Francis De Sales combined the secular culture of the Reformation era with the church&#8217;s need to propagate church doctrine.<\/p>\n<p>The Catholic Church is currently facing a sex abuse scandal involving young people who were molested by priests and an ensuing cover up involving important officials of the church hierarchy&#8230;.sadly even based in the Vatican.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1291\" src=\"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/POPE-F.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"275\" height=\"183\" srcset=\"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/POPE-F.jpg 275w, https:\/\/writersghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/POPE-F-272x182.jpg 272w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 275px) 100vw, 275px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The Holy Father has made several passionate apologies and pleas for forgiveness.<\/p>\n<p>The situation in Ireland where Catholic hospitals and educational institutions where used to suppress young boys and girls who had been raped, molested and denied therapy is particularly heart wrenching.<\/p>\n<p>With Irish Catholics coming out openly to confront abuse, Holy Mass attendance has dropped from about 80 percent on Sundays to 35 percent.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018I won\u2019t say a word,\u2019 Pope Francis said, refusing to respond directly to allegations that he knew of the US based cleric Theodore McCarrick\u2019s alleged crimes.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1292\" src=\"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/THEO.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"259\" height=\"195\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Theodore McCarrick is the former archbishop of Washington forced to resign by His Holiness Francis I.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1294\" src=\"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/VIGANO-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"275\" height=\"184\" srcset=\"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/VIGANO-3.jpg 275w, https:\/\/writersghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/VIGANO-3-272x182.jpg 272w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 275px) 100vw, 275px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Archbishop Carlo Maria\u00a0Vigano claims in an 11-page document that Pope Francis has been aware of Theodore McCarrick\u2019s sexual abuse scandal since 2013 and that in fact he Vigano and the Holy Father had discussed the allegations.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1290\" src=\"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/POPE-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"259\" height=\"194\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The Supreme Pontiff said Archbishop Vigano\u2019s document \u2018Speaks for itself\u2026.It\u2019s an act of trust\u2026.I won\u2019t say a word about it\u2019, reports <a href=\"https:\/\/nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.independent.co.uk&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7C244ba22f055041fd982808d612a03a96%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636716876713649031&amp;sdata=ip4w3blFZHucrv4dpO0XIWQesMO6%2FYL%2F02d0rnZL6cY%3D&amp;reserved=0\"> www.independent.co.uk<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&#8216;Pope Francis must be the first to set a good example for cardinals and bishops who covered up McCarrick\u2019s abuses, and resign along with all of them,&#8217; the Independent quoted Vigano, the retired Vatican diplomat to the United States.<\/p>\n<p>In both the US case and Ireland, allegations have been made that the top Vatican hierarchy had been involved in cover ups of sexual abuse crimes.<\/p>\n<p>In the case of McCarrick, even priests and seminarians claim that he abused them.<\/p>\n<p>The Independent reports that there are \u2018calls for heads to roll and for a full Vatican investigation into who knew what and when about McCarrick\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>It is indeed the season of truths.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1289\" src=\"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ICGC2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ICGC2.jpg 225w, https:\/\/writersghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/ICGC2-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\u2018God is good\u2019, Pastor Mensa Otabil of International Central Gospel Church, Ghana (ICGC), told his congregation to use those words in response\u00a0every time they are asked about\u00a0his involvement in a GH\u00a2620million (US$120 million) banking scandal .<\/p>\n<p>And the Amen Corner gave the usual yell of approval.<\/p>\n<p>Here in Ghana, Otabil has been trolled and has received a tongue lashing for comments he made that he was \u2018not involved in the day to day running\u2019 of Capital Bank as board chairman.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1288\" src=\"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/otabil-5.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/otabil-5.jpg 225w, https:\/\/writersghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/otabil-5-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>There are videos circulating of Otabil\u2019s previous sermons when he told\u00a0 a &#8220;gullible&#8221; audience that being board chairman of a bank was no job; that anybody could do it so long as one knew \u2018simple addition and subtraction\u2019.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1287\" src=\"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/otabil-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/otabil-2.jpg 225w, https:\/\/writersghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/otabil-2-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Otabil\u2019s church members have mounted a vigorous media campaign with the hashtag \u2018I STAND WITH OTABIL\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams of Action Chapel International came to the defence of his colleague charismatic priest saying <em>specifically<\/em> to Christians, \u2019Shut your big mouths up\u2019 .<\/p>\n<p>But Kevin Taylor of the Friday Editorial, a social media production, in the spirit of the season of truths told Duncan-Williams, nicknamed by charismatic Christians as &#8216;The pope of Africa&#8217; emphatically, \u2018Papa, shut up and sit down\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>Those of us who have been monitoring Duncan-Williams&#8217; sermons over the years are surprised that some Ghanaians are surprised.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1284\" src=\"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/DW.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"182\" height=\"277\" \/><\/p>\n<p>His Grace Nicholas Duncan-Williams already has some regular lines on the matter at hand including, \u2018I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, says the Lord\u2026.Who are you to judge God\u2019s anointed\u2026.Touch not My anointed\u2026.Aaron and Miriam spoke against God\u2019s servant Moses and Yahweh punished them with leprosy\u2026.. Even though Moses had done the wrong thing, Aaron and Miriam had no right to speak against the man God had chosen\u2019.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1286\" src=\"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/PALMER-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"231\" height=\"218\" \/><\/p>\n<p>His Grace Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle, Archbishop of Cape Coast, Ghana&#8230;&#8230;..once edited the <em>Catholic Standard. <\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>How then should media practitioners, working within and or aligned with the Catholic Church and the ICGC in particular, respond to the current scandals engulfing both institutions?<\/p>\n<p>It will appear that their efforts should be directed at answering these questions.<\/p>\n<p>1. \u2018Truth is quiet, truth is silent,\u2019 says Pope Francis, referencing Thucydides, in response to accusatory remarks about his conduct with reference to the current Catholic priests&#8217; sex abuse scandal.\u00a0 When should we speak and when should we be silent?<\/p>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li>As a local priest, evangelist or catechist using social media, your group friends or church members may ask your views on a platform or after church. How should you respond?<\/li>\n<li>How should media men and media women employees of church media houses respond?<\/li>\n<li>How should church media practitioners working in secular media houses respond?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ol start=\"5\">\n<li>How should media men and media women across board respond to these church scandals in the face of lobbying which is a legally recognised public relations activity, when the Ghana Journalists Association and other media Code of Ethics say, \u2018Your obligation is to the truth\u2019?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ol start=\"6\">\n<li>Should professionally trained journalists honour their obligation to the truth while \u00a0lay journalists have not sworn to any obligation?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ol start=\"7\">\n<li>How should journalists envisage their role in resolving the global Catholic Church sex scandals and the Ghana banking scandal; are these scandals any different compared with other equally important events in modern human history such as the Rwandan Genocide, Myanmar (Rohingya) troubles, the Nazi Holocaust Trials, the Palestinian crisis\u00a0 and the overarching call of patriotism\/loyalty to your country or church or religion?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Feedback; <a href=\"mailto:ato@writersghana.com\"> ato@writersghana.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p><em>Writers and Shakespeares Ghana Limited exists to be a moral and intellectual guide to the best practice of public relations and integrated communications around the world, beginning with Ghana.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Isaac Ato MENSAH Accra- 7 September, 2018. Scandals have been present throughout human history. Church scandals and surviving church scandals is as old as the church itself. But the church has always had all the resources for self-reform. &#8216;Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections&#8217; &#8211; St Francis De Sales A good example is St Francis De Sales, leader of the Counter Reformation (1567-1622) and \u2018patron saint of Catholic writers and the Catholic press\u2019. Francis De Sales combined the secular culture of the Reformation era with the church&#8217;s need to propagate church doctrine. The Catholic Church is currently facing a sex abuse<a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/index.php\/2018\/09\/07\/i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals\/\">Read More &rarr;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["entry","author-atowritersghana-com","post-1281","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>\u2018#I STAND WITH OTABIL\u2019 AND OTHER CURRENT RESPONSES TO CHURCH SCANDALS. - Writers &amp; Shakespeares Ghana Limited<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/index.php\/2018\/09\/07\/i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\u2018#I STAND WITH OTABIL\u2019 AND OTHER CURRENT RESPONSES TO CHURCH SCANDALS. - Writers &amp; Shakespeares Ghana Limited\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Isaac Ato MENSAH Accra- 7 September, 2018. Scandals have been present throughout human history. Church scandals and surviving church scandals is as old as the church itself. But the church has always had all the resources for self-reform. &#8216;Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections&#8217; &#8211; St Francis De Sales A good example is St Francis De Sales, leader of the Counter Reformation (1567-1622) and \u2018patron saint of Catholic writers and the Catholic press\u2019. Francis De Sales combined the secular culture of the Reformation era with the church&#8217;s need to propagate church doctrine. The Catholic Church is currently facing a sex abuseRead More &rarr;\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/index.php\/2018\/09\/07\/i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Writers &amp; Shakespeares Ghana Limited\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"http:\/\/facebook.com\/writersghana\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-09-07T10:35:45+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2018-09-07T10:58:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/vatican-5.png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Isaac Ato Mensah\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Atomens\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Isaac Ato Mensah\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\\\/index.php\\\/2018\\\/09\\\/07\\\/i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\\\/index.php\\\/2018\\\/09\\\/07\\\/i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Isaac Ato Mensah\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/6d5e06f2d13570449d710057ff8ad663\"},\"headline\":\"\u2018#I STAND WITH OTABIL\u2019 AND OTHER CURRENT RESPONSES TO CHURCH SCANDALS.\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-09-07T10:35:45+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2018-09-07T10:58:32+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\\\/index.php\\\/2018\\\/09\\\/07\\\/i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1033,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\\\/index.php\\\/2018\\\/09\\\/07\\\/i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/09\\\/vatican-5.png\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\\\/index.php\\\/2018\\\/09\\\/07\\\/i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\\\/index.php\\\/2018\\\/09\\\/07\\\/i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals\\\/\",\"name\":\"\u2018#I STAND WITH OTABIL\u2019 AND OTHER CURRENT RESPONSES TO CHURCH SCANDALS. - Writers &amp; Shakespeares Ghana Limited\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\\\/index.php\\\/2018\\\/09\\\/07\\\/i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\\\/index.php\\\/2018\\\/09\\\/07\\\/i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/09\\\/vatican-5.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-09-07T10:35:45+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2018-09-07T10:58:32+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\\\/index.php\\\/2018\\\/09\\\/07\\\/i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\\\/index.php\\\/2018\\\/09\\\/07\\\/i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\\\/index.php\\\/2018\\\/09\\\/07\\\/i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/09\\\/vatican-5.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/09\\\/vatican-5.png\",\"width\":285,\"height\":177},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\\\/index.php\\\/2018\\\/09\\\/07\\\/i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"\u2018#I STAND WITH OTABIL\u2019 AND OTHER CURRENT RESPONSES TO CHURCH SCANDALS.\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Writers &amp; Shakespeares Ghana Limited\",\"description\":\"Clarity and Precision!\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Writers and Shakespeares Ghana\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i1.wp.com\\\/www.writersghana.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2019\\\/02\\\/download.png?fit=275%2C183&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i1.wp.com\\\/www.writersghana.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2019\\\/02\\\/download.png?fit=275%2C183&ssl=1\",\"width\":275,\"height\":183,\"caption\":\"Writers and Shakespeares Ghana\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/facebook.com\\\/writersghana\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/6d5e06f2d13570449d710057ff8ad663\",\"name\":\"Isaac Ato Mensah\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/8e6fa59387ec3ecd186f59a4a9c38aaa995012abe4380aa8263e020254e6a301?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/8e6fa59387ec3ecd186f59a4a9c38aaa995012abe4380aa8263e020254e6a301?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/8e6fa59387ec3ecd186f59a4a9c38aaa995012abe4380aa8263e020254e6a301?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Isaac Ato Mensah\"},\"description\":\"Isaac Ato Mensah has honed his skills in the following services: speechwriting; copywriting; news writing; editorial and proofreading services; branding, image and identity building; management advisory; and media management. He uses the lessons imbibed from mentorship to offer a moral and intellectual guide to the best practice of PR and integrated communications around the world, beginning with Ghana.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/Atomens\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersghana.com\\\/index.php\\\/author\\\/atowritersghana-com\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"\u2018#I STAND WITH OTABIL\u2019 AND OTHER CURRENT RESPONSES TO CHURCH SCANDALS. - Writers &amp; Shakespeares Ghana Limited","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/index.php\/2018\/09\/07\/i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"\u2018#I STAND WITH OTABIL\u2019 AND OTHER CURRENT RESPONSES TO CHURCH SCANDALS. - Writers &amp; Shakespeares Ghana Limited","og_description":"By Isaac Ato MENSAH Accra- 7 September, 2018. Scandals have been present throughout human history. Church scandals and surviving church scandals is as old as the church itself. But the church has always had all the resources for self-reform. &#8216;Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections&#8217; &#8211; St Francis De Sales A good example is St Francis De Sales, leader of the Counter Reformation (1567-1622) and \u2018patron saint of Catholic writers and the Catholic press\u2019. Francis De Sales combined the secular culture of the Reformation era with the church&#8217;s need to propagate church doctrine. The Catholic Church is currently facing a sex abuseRead More &rarr;","og_url":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/index.php\/2018\/09\/07\/i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals\/","og_site_name":"Writers &amp; Shakespeares Ghana Limited","article_publisher":"http:\/\/facebook.com\/writersghana","article_published_time":"2018-09-07T10:35:45+00:00","article_modified_time":"2018-09-07T10:58:32+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/vatican-5.png","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"author":"Isaac Ato Mensah","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@Atomens","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Isaac Ato Mensah","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/index.php\/2018\/09\/07\/i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/index.php\/2018\/09\/07\/i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals\/"},"author":{"name":"Isaac Ato Mensah","@id":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/#\/schema\/person\/6d5e06f2d13570449d710057ff8ad663"},"headline":"\u2018#I STAND WITH OTABIL\u2019 AND OTHER CURRENT RESPONSES TO CHURCH SCANDALS.","datePublished":"2018-09-07T10:35:45+00:00","dateModified":"2018-09-07T10:58:32+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/index.php\/2018\/09\/07\/i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals\/"},"wordCount":1033,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/index.php\/2018\/09\/07\/i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/vatican-5.png","inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/index.php\/2018\/09\/07\/i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals\/","url":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/index.php\/2018\/09\/07\/i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals\/","name":"\u2018#I STAND WITH OTABIL\u2019 AND OTHER CURRENT RESPONSES TO CHURCH SCANDALS. - Writers &amp; Shakespeares Ghana Limited","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/index.php\/2018\/09\/07\/i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/index.php\/2018\/09\/07\/i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/vatican-5.png","datePublished":"2018-09-07T10:35:45+00:00","dateModified":"2018-09-07T10:58:32+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/index.php\/2018\/09\/07\/i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/writersghana.com\/index.php\/2018\/09\/07\/i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/index.php\/2018\/09\/07\/i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/vatican-5.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/vatican-5.png","width":285,"height":177},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/index.php\/2018\/09\/07\/i-stand-with-otabil-and-other-current-responses-to-church-scandals\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"\u2018#I STAND WITH OTABIL\u2019 AND OTHER CURRENT RESPONSES TO CHURCH SCANDALS."}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/","name":"Writers &amp; Shakespeares Ghana Limited","description":"Clarity and Precision!","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/#organization","name":"Writers and Shakespeares Ghana","url":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.writersghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/download.png?fit=275%2C183&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.writersghana.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/download.png?fit=275%2C183&ssl=1","width":275,"height":183,"caption":"Writers and Shakespeares Ghana"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/facebook.com\/writersghana"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/#\/schema\/person\/6d5e06f2d13570449d710057ff8ad663","name":"Isaac Ato Mensah","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8e6fa59387ec3ecd186f59a4a9c38aaa995012abe4380aa8263e020254e6a301?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8e6fa59387ec3ecd186f59a4a9c38aaa995012abe4380aa8263e020254e6a301?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8e6fa59387ec3ecd186f59a4a9c38aaa995012abe4380aa8263e020254e6a301?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Isaac Ato Mensah"},"description":"Isaac Ato Mensah has honed his skills in the following services: speechwriting; copywriting; news writing; editorial and proofreading services; branding, image and identity building; management advisory; and media management. He uses the lessons imbibed from mentorship to offer a moral and intellectual guide to the best practice of PR and integrated communications around the world, beginning with Ghana.","sameAs":["https:\/\/writersghana.com","https:\/\/x.com\/Atomens"],"url":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/index.php\/author\/atowritersghana-com\/"}]}},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1281","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1281"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1281\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1309,"href":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1281\/revisions\/1309"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1281"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1281"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writersghana.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1281"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}