The Archbishop of Cape Coast, Most Rev. Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle, has urged the youth to be mindful of their social media consumption to ensure their time is used productively.
He expressed concern that many young people have become addicted to social media, wasting valuable time on unnecessary trends and pages that contribute to noise and unproductiveness.
Archbishop Palmer-Buckle shared this advice while addressing thousands of young people at the Cape Coast Archdiocesan Youth Rally of the Roman Catholic Church in Assin Fosu, Central Region, over the weekend.
“Social media, especially TikTok, has made most youth idle, as they spend much time there instead of making productive use of the time.
“Use your social media profitably, use it to learn new skills, search for valuable information instead of following unnecessary trends online,” Archbishop Palmer-Buckle advised during the “Time with the Archbishop” segment of the youth rally.
The Archbishop of Cape Coast explained that the youth are exposed to excessive noise these days, contributing to many of their health issues.
“The youth are exposed to so much noise all around which results in most health issues they are battling with. It is high time they restricted and sieved the level of noise they expose themselves to,” Archbishop Palmer-Buckle said.
He emphasized that the youth are the future of both the church and the country, and thus the church should be concerned not only with their spiritual well-being but also with their health, as they are gifts from God.
Most Rev. Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle also urged the youth to remain focused on God during Holy Mass and not be distracted, highlighting that such focus is a form of discipline in the house of God.
The four-day 2024 Cape Coast Archdiocesan Youth Rally brought together approximately 2,000 youths from 11 deaneries in the Central Region. The participants engaged in prayer sessions and social activities throughout the event.
At the opening ceremony, the Deputy Minister of Education, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, who is also the Member of Parliament for Assin South, urged the youth to remain committed to their responsibilities to both the church and the country.
Rev. Ntim Fordjour emphasized that every talent is valuable to the church and the nation. He encouraged the youth not to undervalue their abilities or believe that success can only be achieved abroad.
“Create your opportunities and make it lucrative for others to benefit from. No man is talentless, the MP stated.