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Tag: Catholic Church

  • My late wife is irreplaceable, says Oshiomhole

    My late wife is irreplaceable, says Oshiomhole

    Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has said his new wife, Iara is not a replacement for his late wife, Clara whom he said is irreplaceable.

    He spoke at his marriage Thanksgiving Mass held at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Auchi on Sunday.

    Oshiomhole appealed to the congregation to keep supporting him and his new wife in prayer saying “ It is not easy.”

    ” I lost my first wife and it is not possible to replace her. Yes, I have married another but it is not a replacement. You cannot replace a wife especially one you married when you were young and you were anonymous.

    ” Nobody knew you from anywhere, you had nothing, no car, no house; now, that you can never replace but I understand that under the Catholic doctrine I am entitled to have another wife which is what I am trying to do.

    “Thank you for your prayers, support and blessings that you have always showered on me and the one you conveyed this morning on me and my new wife and we ask for more and more prayers that this marriage will be my last and that God will help us, to unite us and bond us together with the blood of Jesus,” he said.

    Oshiomhole debunked reports that his wife is a ‘top model’ saying the speculation might have been generated from her poise and beauty.
    “When I read newspaper stories and they say that Comrade has married a ‘top model’ I’m like maybe it’s another person.

    “The lady that God has directed to my path and heart to marry is not and was not a model. Of course, she looks beautiful and I understand that is why people assume that this kind of a lady must be a model but of course, she is a model in my heart and we hope and pray that we will be models in the heart of our God and I think that is the most important thing”.

    In a homily entitled, “Communicate the truth in Christ”, the Parish Priest of the Immaculate Concpetion Cathedral, Auchi, Rev.

    r. Valentine Anavbeokhai urged Christians to eschew misrepresenting or twisting the truth in their daily communication saying we all have a duty and obligation to speak the truth, live the truth and if the need arises, to die for the truth.

    He also used the opportunity to congratulate the Comrade Governor and his new wife on the success of their marriage and prayed for God’s peace and blessing on them.

  • Catholic Church slams Jonathan over calls for Jega’s removal

    Through  its Justice, Development and Peace Centre (JDPC), the Catholic Church yesterday called for the total independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). It urged that the electoral umpire be detached from the apron-strings of serving politicians by fully implementing the recommendations of the Justice Muhammed Uwais Commission.

    The commission had recommended among other things that the Chairman of INEC should be appointed by the judiciary rather than the President.

    The JDPC gave the recommendation  at a press conference in Lagos.

    Its Executive Director, Rev. Fr. Raymond Anoliefo, who spoke under the theme: “State of the Nation: Political Logjam Trails Nigeria’s ‘First’ Election in the Fourth Republic”, frowned at the call by members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its supporters for the sack of INEC chair, Prof. Attahiru Jega for asserting the independence of the commission.

    He said the call for the removal of an electoral chief was neither new nor strange, as “there had never been one since 1960 who was not handed a quit notice by politicians and their followers”.

    But, the strange thing about the call for Jega’s removal, he explained, “is that the calls are coming from the ruling party”.

    The JDPC director noted that the call from the employers of the INEC chief was the first of its kind in the nation’s political history.

    Anoliefo said it was curious that unlike in Ghana, Sierra Leone and South Africa, that in Nigeria, an electoral chief must be obedient, pliant public servant, who must bend the rules to favour his employers or paymasters. (Continued on Page 2)

  • Catholic knights, ladies rally against abortion in Warri

    Catholic leaders under the auspices of Knights and Ladies of Saint Mulumba last weekend held an anti-abortion rally round major streets of Effurun, Warri, Delta State .

    They said the rally was aimed at creating awareness on the need to stop abortion and needless killing of unborn babies in the country.

    The Pro-life rally was organized by Knight and Ladies of Saint Mulumba, Effurun sub-council in Effurun in commemoration of the celebration of the feast of Annunciation.

    The Knights and Ladies of Saint Mulumba celebrate the event annually in a bid to stop abortion nationwide. The theme of this year’s rally is “Capital Punishment, Anti Thesis of Civilization”

    Leaders of the group, including Sub-council Physician, Bro Felix Abuah; Supreme Physician, Bro Enomah Bazuaye and Metro Grand Knight, Bro Moses Iyasere, urged Nigerians to give unborn babies the chance to live and achieve their potentials.

    The Anti-abortion rally went around major streets of Effurun and was used to educate the people that abortion has killed more unborn babies than HIV/AIDS had killed children and adults.

    They said people have been agitating for human and animal rights all over the world, wondering why nobody is talking about the rights of the conceived and unborn child.

    They went ahead to say that it was high time people prevented cruelty against the conceived child, adding that nobody has the rights to terminated life whether born or unborn.

    “We prevent cruelty against animals. Why don’t we have rights for the conceived and unborn child. We prevent cruelty against animals. It is time to prevent cruelty against the conceived child. The fight is on against capital punishment. Why not fight against the killing of the unborn child,” they said.

  • Catholic Church warns politicians against disturbing peace

    THE Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria has warned politicians against disturbing the people’s peace during and after campaigns for the general election.

    Its Executive Secretary, Father Evaristus Bassey, who gave the warning in Calabar yesterday, emphasised that the church must be involved in politics, though not partisan, to ensure the right thing is done.

    Bassey spoke after a procession for peace by the Queen of Angels Catholic Church’s congregation in Edim Otop.

    The cleric, who is also the executive secretary of the Justice Development and Peace Commission, said Nigerians need to take the country’s ownership from politicians, who hold on to power without caring for peace.

    “We Nigerians would not sit back and watch politicians destroy our country. The politicians should not determine our fate. We should rather determine theirs,” he said.

    The World Day of Peace, a Catholic event that takes place every new year day, was also celebrated yesterday.

    Bassey said the day is different from the International Day of Peace celebrated on September 21, as declared by the United Nations (UN).

     His words: “At last, we have crossed into 2015 – the year that could be named as the Year of Apprehension, going by the varied predictions and projections about Nigeria. The security challenges, the coming elections and the dwindling economy make 2015 a contentious year.

    “The greatest tragedy of exploitation that we experience in Nigeria today is the rape of the treasury by politicians and high class civil servants,” he said.

    He also decried the “attendant breakdown of national unity as collateral damage; the selfishness of politicians, in their mad quest to amass the resources of this country through a desperate opportunism bestowed by power.”

    According to him, “the primary motivation for political office in Nigeria remains primitive personal amassment of national resources and never service to the people. This must stop.

    “We the ordinary citizens will not sit back and watch our country destroyed by desperate power mongers. Nigerian citizens are encouraged to do the following: they should publicly embarrass any politician who wants to use them as instruments of violence;

    “Come February 2015, we should go out en mass and vote, otherwise it gives room for politicians to thumb-print ballot papers; and

    “We should wait outside the perimeter and witness the public counting of votes at our polling units and keep a record of the results.”

  • Ebola and Catholic Church

    SIR: We understand why the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) in its wisdom recently issued certain directives concerning the practice and observance of the Church’s liturgy and worship. The outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in West Africa nay Nigeria necessitated that individuals, governments, groups and organisations, including faith-based bodies, needed to be on top of the situation by adopting certain preventive and pre-cautionary measures to check the spread of the killer and highly deadly disease.

    The Catholic Church especially in the Archdiocese of Lagos, was one of those that suspended the practice of handshake during Masses. Many faithful were so surprised about the negative impact such discontinuation would have on both the Faith and faithful. Some Catholics say the measure slightly distorted the Liturgy and Order of the Mass. However, no much fuss was made concerning the shaking or non-shaking of hands by the faithful. It was understandable that EVD could be contacted via shaking of hands; after all, even our politicians and leaders starting the practice of elbow-raising in lieu of handshaking.

    However, one decision that now appears fatally  flawed and blowing ill-wind within the Catholic Faith in Nigeria is the so called “interim”  approval of reception of Holy Communion by hand by both Tom, Dick and Harry. The interim approval by CBCN was reportedly announced via a letter read to the faithful recently in masses in the Archdiocese of Lagos. The letter was said to have been signed by Archbishop Alfred Olawale Martins, who is in charge of the Metropolitan See of Lagos. In the letter, the faithful have been given options. They are to choose between Holy Communion by hand or through the usual method, reception of the Holy Viaticum/specie on the tongue. Although, the fear of Ebola Virus has led to this development, it seems that the real end is here. The Church, the last hope of the ordinary people for succour and salvation, is now being bombarded by force of darkness, although her founder and guidance, Lord Jesus Christ, made it succinctly clear that the gates of Hell shall never prevail against the Church.

    Without mincing words, communion by hand remains sacrilegious and any serious lay catholic that resorts to it perhaps is either an agent of the devil or doing so wittingly or unwittingly to imperil his/her salvation.

    Concerning the “interim” reception of the Holy Communion by hand, this is the highest blunder the Church in Africa/Nigeria will make. Now, attack on the Holy Eucharist, is tantamount to taking away whatever/the only thing that remains in the Catholic Church. The rest is killing, feasting, dancing, rollicking parties, hollow rituals, and money-making through the worldly-propelled and organized harvests and bazaars. My late father-in-law, so devout, always used to say that, even if the Pope/papacy made mistakes (which is quite uncommon), he himself, would never make mistake as to holy observance, piety and practice of the Faith. Upholding the faith should be the stand of true christians.

    So, why are priests afraid of Ebola? One thing concerning the end-time occurrences which have long been predicted is massive loss of faith. The Evil One has perhaps thrown up Ebola and the faithful including ministers of God are crashing irretrievably.

    Apostasy is a deadlier disease than Ebola, HIV/AIDS, Boko Haram insurgents, kidnappers, armed robbers, etc. Apostasy is spreading; it is contagious, millions have already contacted it, but the remnants will never get the virus because Jesus, Mary and Joseph will be for them and with them till they all make it to Heaven.

    We wish and pray that CBCN would immediately revise the “interim” order on Holy Communion, since those who will die will definitely die and since we will all die at the end, Ebola or no Ebola. Why should priests doubt the potency of the Holy Communion which they hold over all evil and viruses? Why should some young, able-bodied priests now find it difficult to hear confessions or distribute Holy Communion? These are perhaps some of the manifestations of the end of this age.

    • Ifeanyi Alia,

  • Catholic Church clears Ngige on slap allegation

    The Catholic Church in Anambra State yesterday described the allegation levelled against the All Progressives Congress’ (APC’s) governorship candidate, Senator Chris Ngige, of slapping a priest, as political.

    The church said no such thing happened during the funeral of the mother of the Bishop of Awka last weekend.

    It said the attack never took place because three policemen, who pushed the gate at the funeral of the Archbishop’s mother, were not even the policemen attached to Ngige.

    Addressing reporters at St. Patrick Catholic Diocese premises in Awka, the Chancellor, Rev. (Dr.) Chudi Peter Akaenyi, said neither the church nor any priest granted an interview to anyone on the matter, adding that it was politically- motivated to malign Ngige.

  • Ministers of Bling

    Ministers of Bling

    Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio as Archbishop of Buenos Aires was a simple pastor. He lived an austere life. Shunning the official mansion of the Archbishop of a diocese of more than three million inhabitants, Father Bergoglio lived in an apartment and prepared his own super throughout the 15 years of his episcopal ministry in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

    He was a man of the people; the people’s Bishop, so to speak. He was one and part of them. “ My people are poor and I am one of them”, he said on several occasions to explain his simple lifestyle. He travelled by bus and underground train when he could have used any limousine of his choosing which the Catholic Church could readily afford and would have gladly provided.

    The son of Italian immigrants, Jorge’s father Mario was an accountant employed by the Railways in Argentina while his mother Regina was a full time housewife devoted to raising their five children. He came from a humble background and never forgot that even when he was moving up the ladder in the Catholic Church. He remained faithful to the common man and was always empathetic to them. He felt what they were feeling.

    When he was created Cardinal by Pope John Paul II on 21 February 2001, he told the faithful back home in Argentina not to travel to Rome to celebrate his elevation but to donate whatever they would have spent on the journey to the poor and needy. They were always in his thoughts and he told his fellow priests in Argentina to do the same.

    God probably was watching him and preparing him for a future role as head of the Catholic Church worldwide. His people were also watching so also were his fellow priests, the Cardinals who converged in Rome in March this year and elected him the 266th Head of the Catholic Church. For his official title, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the Archbishop of Buenos Aires until March 13, 2013 chose Pope Francis I.

    Though born of Italian parents, the first Pope from the Americas never forgot his humble South American background and his passion for the poor when he arrived in Rome. Typical of him, he declined to live in the Vatican opulent Papal mansion and chose a less grandeur place. He shunned all forms of flamboyance and seemed to have defined his papacy as being for the poor.

    And to demonstrate his zero tolerance for any ostentatious living, the Pope Thursday last week suspended the flamboyant Bishop of the Diocese of Limburg in Germany, Bishop Franz-Peter Tebart-van Elst for spending a whooping N43 million to renovate his official residence.

    Bishop Deluxe or Bishop of Bling as Father Tabart-van Elst is known in Germany has been in trouble with his congregation for some time now following his extravagance. Series of petitions from his diocese had been sent to Rome complaining about him, demonstrations against Holywood like lifestyle had taken place a couple of times outside his official residence. Some of his fellow priests in Germany were also getting concerned about his lifestyle. So, what did the Vatican do?

    Pope Francis invited him to Rome and after a few hours of discussion sent him on immediate suspension and ordered investigation. Another priest has been put in charge of Limburg Diocese temporarily. Decisiveness! Character! Firmness! Walking the talk! Call it whatever, this is leadership.

    Now come back home.

    Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was an anonymous civil servant or private person somewhere in Port Harcourt Rivers State ekeing out a living for himself and family before patience and fate brought him good luck and thrust him into limelight via politics.

    Born into an Ijaw family from Otuoke in Bayelsa State, Jonathan had a humble or shall we say poor background and, according to him, had no shoes when he was growing up. He knew poverty and poverty also knew him, if I could use that expression. He struggled to go to school and made it through just by His grace. His grass to grace story you all know.

    Like Pope Francis he wasn’t born into affluence, but unlike the Head of the Catholic Church he has embraced affluence clutching tenaciously on to it. He speaks out against corruption but doesn’t seem ready or capable of fighting it. Some members of his inner circle are strongly suspected of being neck deep in corruption yet he still goes about with them.

    Just like the German Bishop of Bling, one of Jonathan’s ministers is known to be not just flamboyant but extravagantly so. He has a Minister of Petroleum Resources who goes about with a handbag whose cost could build a modest primary school somewhere there for some of the millions of our school age kids running about the streets naked. In spite of public outcry against her ostentatious lifestyle Madam Untouchable remain unbothered and Mr President unwilling unable, incapable or may be powerless to either remove or call her to order.

    Some of his ministers and buddies either own private jets or fly about in one at the tax payers expense. Some even do so without shame and to the neglect of their duties. University teachers are in the fourth month of a strike that has kept our children at home and yet his coordinating Minister of Education was busy for most of last week coordinating the burial of the mother of the First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan in Rivers State, spending our money on a purely private matter. He is busy fighting the governor of his state instead of fighting to get lecturers back at work and our children back in school

    The latest of Jonathan’s numerous Ministers of Bling is the one in charge of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah. I am sure by now you all know her story, the two BMW armoured cars that she caused the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to buy for her at 1.6million USD. The Naira equivalent in price I don’t know because I don’t know which exchange rate to use; CBN’s or the one from the parallel market? Both are unstable.

    In spite of the public outcry, President Goodluck Jonathan is still dragging his feet, unsure of what to do or unwilling to do anything to punish Madam Stella for this flagrant abuse of public resources verging on corruption. It is over two weeks since the scandal broke out now and all our president could do was set up an administrative panel to look into the case. Meanwhile Princess Stella Oduah, another of the untouchables in Jonathan’s government stays in office as if nothing happened. It is business as usual for her. She even accompanied Mr President on a pilgrimage to Israel, the first by a sitting Nigerian leader. What kind of leadership is this?

    When Bishop Franz-Peter Tebart-van Elst spent 46 million USD to renovate his official residence, Pope Francis didn’t wait for any administrative panel before sending him on suspension even if temporary. And if Vatican’s investigation exonerates him, I am sure he’d get back his position. The Pope acted first to protect the integrity of the Church as a against that of the Bishop. He has, by that prompt action, sent the message out that the Church, particularly his papacy will not tolerate that kind of behavior particularly from his priests.

    By keeping Stella Oduah in office while the three ‘wise’ men look into the bullet proof cars scandal, what message is President Jonathan sending out? If truly he harbors no tolerance for corruption as he often says and he remembers that sometime in the past, not too long ago, he had no shoes, and therefore luckly to be where he is today, then he should not be keeping the likes of Stella Oduah and other Ministers of Bling in his cabinet; those who care less whether the rest of us have shoes or not as long as their comfort is guaranteed.

    I do not know whether the president is a Catholic, but whether he is or not, he should draw inspiration from what Pope Francis did and suspend Stella Oduah immediately, while investigation continues. If she’s found not guilty, she returns to the cabinet.

    This culture of some “animals are more equal than others” in Jonathan’s cabinet will not only not help him but also further erode the thin integrity of his government and Nigeria’s standing in the eyes of the watching world.

    If another Minister other than Oduah, Madueke, Wike and any other member of the kitchen cabinet, has this kind of credibility problem hanging on his or her neck, will President Jonathan be this protective?

    President Goodluck Jonathan should remember where he is coming from and protect the interests of millions of Nigerians who had no shoes like him when they started but have worked hard to create the wealth he and some of his ministers and friends are now enjoying. They should spend our money responsibly and on things that would benefit us. The Ministers of Bling in his cabinet should be thrown out; enough of this irresponsible leadership. Pope Francis has shown how to be a responsible leader. It’s over to Jonathan.

  • Let them marry

    It’s high time the Catholic Church revisited the issue of celibacy for its priests

    Modern ideas may eventually sway the soul of Catholicism regarding celibacy among priests. This issue is at the heart of  a long and strong controversy, which may still not go away whether the Catholic Church eventually reviews its official position or not. So, the news that the Vatican may unprecedentedly allow formal discussion of a possible re-examination of   its age-long thinking on the subject, though welcome, should not result in any premature celebration of change.

    However, it is interesting that Archbishop Pietro Parolin, the incoming Number Two leader in the Catholic Church when he becomes secretary of state next month, reportedly declared that priestly vow of celibacy derived from an age-old rule but was not Catholic dogma. “It’s not a dogma of the Church and it can be discussed because it’s an ecclesiastical tradition,” Archbishop Parolin told El Universal in Venezuela, where he is completing his term as Papal Nuncio.

    Such development, even though not concrete, has long been awaited by champions of change, and it could open a fresh chapter. For centuries, Catholic Church tradition has required celibacy from priests. The Canon Law of the Church states, “Clerics are obliged to observe perfect and perpetual continence for the sake of the kingdom of heaven, and therefore are bound to celibacy, which is a special gift of God by which sacred ministers can adhere more easily to Christ with an undivided heart and are able to dedicate themselves more freely to the service of God and humanity.”

    This logic is what may be upturned, but most likely not without resistance from purists. Not surprisingly, Archbishop Parolin’s remark has been interpreted to mean that the Church under reform-minded Pope Francis I would welcome married priesthood if most Catholics so desire. There is no doubt, however, that it is still a long walk to change, and there will be tough challenges on the way.

    Why should priests be celibate? Why not?  While there are pros and cons, it is hoped that such debate will not only be open, but that it will also respect the dominant wishes of the 1.2 billion members of the world’s largest Christian church. It is pertinent to note that the number of Catholic priests has allegedly been declining steadily partly because of the rule on celibacy. In the United States alone, about 30,000 priests have reportedly left because they wanted to pursue a relationship. Furthermore, in recent decades the Church has faced harsh criticism for its doctrines concerning sexual issues as well as for its handling of sexual abuse cases.

    Indeed, it is generally believed that the crisis of homosexuality which has intensified among the clergy in the Church in recent times is basically connected with its rigid rejection of new ideas on celibate priesthood. Related to the gay question are paedophilia and other deviant sexual practices, which have not only soiled the image of the Church, but have also resulted in widespread alarm over its future. Interestingly, at issue is the concept of “natural order” and what it means. In an increasingly permissive world, the Catholic Church will need to frankly contemplate the implications of celibacy for natural sexual impulse and the biological need for an outlet for sexual feelings.

    It is a moot point whether celibacy actually enhances spiritual acuity, and clearly such position is fast becoming a hard sell for the Church. In the face of dwindling attraction, it would appear to be in the interest of the Church to tone down its stance in order to draw more people to priesthood. It is noteworthy that the possibility of moderation on this issue was highlighted by Archbishop Parolin’s clarification that the idea of celibacy among the clergy was a mere convention and lacked the irreversibility of an ironclad belief. Indeed, some theologians claim that celibate priesthood only achieved popularity from the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries.

    It is significant that a major apprehension on the part of traditionalists is the possible demystification of married priests. However, in this respect it is important to ponder whether priesthood is supposed to imply human perfection, and whether it is realistic or helpful to promote such fallacy. Priests are human, after all. It is instructive that Pope Francis I said of himself in a recent interview, “I am a sinner.”

    It is strikingly ironic that the Catholic Church, which is rated among the oldest institutions in the world and credited with an influential role in the history of Western civilisation, inspiring art, culture and philosophy, has found itself in a web of old-fashioned thinking.  It is absolutely imperative that the Church should chart a “New Way”; and Pope Francis I, who represents a breath of fresh air, is perhaps correctly positioned for reformation.

    This unusual Pope, who said he couldn’t “judge” homosexuals, and stated that atheists should be left to follow their “informed conscience”, has brought a new imagination to the papacy, and he may yet be the pathfinder in the maze. It would appear to be in character if he lent his weighty voice to the campaign to let priests marry. Obviously, if the status quo is changed, it would affect Nigeria where, according to a 2005 estimate, there are 19 million baptised Catholics.

  • 70 Catholic Churches burnt in Benue crises – official

    The Catholic Church in Benue says 70 of its Churches have been destroyed in the crises that rocked Benue in the past few months.

    Rev. Felix Apine, Coordinator, Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), an outreach arm of the Church, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Makurdi that the destroyed Churches were outreach arms of the Diocese.

    “Thirty Churches, mostly outreach stations in Gwer West Local Government were either burnt or completely destroyed, while the parishioners had fled to other villages for safety.

    “The remaining 40 are in Guma Local Government Area,’’ he said.

    The cleric said that primary and secondary schools belonging to the Diocese in the affected areas had also been destroyed.

    The Secretary to the Catholic Bishop of Makurdi Diocese, Rev. Fr. Moses Mbachie, who also spoke to NAN, confirmed that “more than 70 Churches” had been destroyed and described the situation as “very sad’’.

    The Director, Information and Communication of the Diocese, Rev. Dr Moses Iorapuu, also spoke on the issue and said that the development was indeed saddening.

    “The situation is very bad; in fact, you can go to the affected parishes to physically ascertain the damage yourself,’’ he said.

    Archbishop Yiman Orkwar, Benue Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), who also confirmed the destruction of Churches and schools, however, said that CAN was still taking inventory of the total number of Churches destroyed.

    Reacting to the claims, Mr Daniel Ezeala, Public Relations Officer, Benue Police Command said that the command was not aware of such destruction.

    Ezeala told NAN that the command had not been informed of such destruction and alleged that people were just coming up with “all kinds of speculations about things that never happened.”

    NAN reports that the state had been turned into a theatre of various types of crises allegedly between herdsmen and Tiv farmers mostly in the hinterlands.