Peter Appiah Cardinal Turkson, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, says prophecy is not quite the same as simply foretelling the future.

He explained that prophecy has to do with knowing the commandants of God and the consequences of disobeying it. Therefore, prophets always come to warn mankind about the consequences that befall us in not obeying God’s command.

“The prophetic ministry is not simply a blind prediction of the future or anything like that. It is…..About how God is dealing with humanity and the world, and from there….To predict what this will be, based on what God has done before…”, Cardinal Turkson said.

Cardinal Turkson who spoke to Asaase Radio's Kwaku Sakyi-Addo added that human beings could have learnt from what was happening in China and prepare towards it.

“That’s where human responsibility lies,” he added.

“…Taking things seriously, respecting what the scientists and doctors are saying…these, if you want, are the prophets of such issues, they’re the ones to be listened to, not anybody who thinks that from the sleep, in a dream, whatever, can come out with anything. Those are not credible,” Cardinal Turkson, once a former Archbishop of Cape Coast and a lecturer at the University of Cape Coast, explained further.

The Ghanaian priest explained that before the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus, worship in the Catholic Church always included online or virtual worship because the sick and the aged are always assisted to worship using a TV.

“The fact that one is not able to physically go to church may not necessarily diminish one's worship,” the prelate added.

Cardinal Turkson noted that it was unthinkable for pastors or religious leaders to take tithes, offerings or collections via Momo or bank accounts.

“People don’t come to church to be tithed. People come to church to see God and worship God and if they need to support the priest or pastor for rendering service they do, but it is not a money extortion type of business,” he stressed.