Archbishop John Bonaventure Kwofie of Accra warns rectors and formators about a growing ‘gay culture’ in West African Catholic seminaries, reaffirming Vatican instructions on priestly formation
Newsroom (16/01/2026 Gaudium Press ) Archbishop John Bonaventure Kwofie of the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra has expressed concern over what he describes as a growing influence of homosexuality and gay culture within Catholic seminaries across West Africa. Speaking at the opening of the 12th Regional Episcopal Conference of West Africa (RECOWA) Rectors’ Conference, he urged seminary formators to uphold the Catholic Church’s teachings on chastity and priestly formation.
Addressing rectors and spiritual directors gathered on January 14 at St. Paul’s Catholic Seminary in Sowutuom, Accra, Archbishop Kwofie warned that lax scrutiny during the discernment of priestly vocations risks fostering practices incompatible with the demands of Catholic priesthood.
“I am going to talk about one thing that is growing up like a monster in the seminaries,” the archbishop warned. “Please do your best to weed out people of such orientation from our seminaries because it is not only an abomination to priestly attitude but also does not make the gifts of celibacy worth living. It is homosexuality and gay culture.”
The Ghanaian prelate, a member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans), emphasized that the priestly vocation demands rigorous formation grounded in Church teaching. “We are men; going for women doesn’t go well for us. But men going for men!” he exclaimed, underscoring what he views as a distortion of the Church’s vision of celibate life.
Archbishop Kwofie reiterated that the Catholic Church’s position on homosexuality has not changed, remaining rooted in the coherence of the Magisterium. He cited the Vatican’s 2005 Instruction Concerning the Criteria for the Discernment of Vocations with Regard to Persons with Homosexual Tendencies, issued by the Dicastery for Culture and Education. The document states that “those who practice homosexuality, present deep-seated homosexual tendencies, or support the so-called ‘gay culture’” cannot be admitted to seminaries or ordained to the priesthood.
The Vatican text warns that ordaining individuals with such tendencies could have “negative consequences,” noting that these dispositions can “gravely hinder” correct relationships with men and women. The instruction was reaffirmed in the Dicastery for the Clergy’s 2016 document The Gift of the Priestly Vocation (Ratio Fundamentalis Institutionis Sacerdotalis), which maintains that the criteria for priestly formation remain unchanged.
At the conference—held under the theme “Building on a Rock: A Solid and Holistic Formation” and continuing through January 17—Archbishop Kwofie commended rectors and seminary formators for their demanding role in shaping future priests. “My dear people, you as rectors in West Africa, you are given a responsibility in forming future priests. This is an onerous task. We are behind you,” he affirmed.
The archbishop’s remarks come amid broader global conversations about inclusion and discipline in seminary life, highlighting tensions between societal change and the Catholic Church’s long-standing doctrinal stance on homosexuality.
- Raju Hasmukh with files form ACI Africa
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