‘Stingy’ Comment: Pope Francis Condemns Attack on Enugu Bishop, Issues Strong Warning to Mbaka’s Followers
- The Pope has weighed in on the attack on Bishop of Enugu Catholic Diocese, Most Rev. Callistus Onaga by Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka's followers
- Pope Francis through his representative in Nigeria, condemned the attack on the Bishop and noted it is unacceptable
- The Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria (AMEN), urged adoration members to stop castigating Bishop Onaga and Catholic Church in Enugu
Pope Francis has condemned the social media attack on Bishop of Enugu Catholic Diocese, Most Rev. Callistus Onaga by followers of controversial priest and Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry, Enugu, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, The Nation reports.
The attack on the bishop followed the directive to Catholics in the Diocese to stop attending Mbaka’s Adoration Ministry in Enugu.
Source: Facebook
Mbaka's ministry shuts down
Mbaka shut the adoration ground until further notice after the ban, resulting to protests by the members of the Adoration, who insulted the bishop for prohibiting Catholics from the Ministry.
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One of the protesters, who identified himself as Elijah, in a viral video openly threatened to kill the Bishop anywhere he finds him.
Pope Francis reacts
But speaking through his representative in Nigeria, Papal Nuncio, Antonio Guido Filipazzi, during the installation of Most Rev. Lucius Ugorji as the new metropolitan Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province in Owerri the Imo state capital, Pope Francis condemned the protest at the Adoration ground, citing an online video of the death threat on Bishop Onaga, describing it as unacceptable.
Filipazzi, who spoke in a homily at the Maria Assumpta Cathedral, Owerri, condemned what he called growing divisive tendencies and other forms of trouble fomented by members of the church, stressing that these were lowering the growth of the family, education and economy, among others.
Filipazzi said:
“I must warn the people of God against disobedience to the church’s constituted authorities. You must not take the laws into their hands as followers of Jesus Christ.
“This brings to mind the protest that took place at the Adoration Ministry Enugu. I was surprised to see an online video where a protester threatened to kill Bishop Callistus Onaga, Bishop of Enugu. This is unacceptable in the church of God.
“The people of God must be mindful of the abuse of the social media to cause the church scandals. You must bear in mind that the Church is One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic and not a place where people take laws into their hands.”
Pope Francis sends message to Catholic faithful
He urged the Catholic faithful to be conscious of their relationship with their Bishop and respect the laws of the church.
He urged the Catholic clergy to always proclaim the undiluted gospel and stand by the doctrine of the church.
Finally, Enugu catholic diocese opens up on Mbaka’s suspension
The Catholic Diocese of Enugu has finally broken the silence on why it shut down religious activities at the Adoration Ministry of Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka.
According to the Enugu Catholic Diocese, the church was shut down on the premise of frequent disobedience to canonical laws by the priest.
Recall that Legit.ng reported that Father Mbaka's ministry was on Saturday, June 18 shut down by the leadership of the Catholic Church in Enugu state.
Bianca Ojukwu reacts to Mbaka's comment calling Peter Obi "stingy"
Meanwhile, a former Ambassador of Nigeria to Spain has given a heartwarming detail of how Peter Obi sowed a seed of hope in the lives of three households.
The ex-beauty queen said the Labour Party candidate's kind of stinginess is worthy of emulation by all for the sake of humanity.
According to her, any progressive nation measures an individual by his values and not his vaults as seen in the world today.
Source: Legit.ng
