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The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has announced plans to meet with Honourable Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, Member of Parliament for Effutu and Minority Leader, following his recent statement claiming he is both a Catholic and a Freemason.
The Conference, in response to an open letter from Fr. Ebenezer Hanson on the issue of Freemasonry and Catholicism, reaffirmed the Church’s position that the two are incompatible. Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference and Bishop of Sunyani, stated that the delegation would make it “unambiguously clear” to Afenyo-Markin that he must choose between the two.
Afenyo-Markin’s remarks, made during a parliamentary vetting session, have caused unease among Catholic faithful, particularly the youth. The Church has reiterated its historical stance, emphasizing that Freemasonry’s principles fundamentally conflict with Christian teachings.
In his letter, Bishop Gyamfi explained the theological divide between Catholicism and Freemasonry. “Freemasonry is a religion with doctrines that contradict core Christian beliefs. Its teachings on God, Christ, the denial of grace and Christ’s role in salvation, morality, and eschatology are irreconcilable with Christian doctrine,” he wrote.
The Bishop compared Freemasonry to other non-Christian religions, stating, “One cannot simultaneously be a Catholic and a Freemason, just as one cannot be a Catholic and Muslim, Hindu, Shintoist, or practitioner of African Traditional Religion. A choice must be made between Christianity and Freemasonry.”
While acknowledging the philanthropic nature of many Freemasons, the Church maintains that its members cannot join Masonic associations. “Membership in Freemasonry remains forbidden for Catholics,” Bishop Gyamfi emphasized, citing the Church’s consistent opposition to Freemasonry since the 18th century.
