By Nwafor Okafor
Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Calistus Onaga, has ordered Catholics to stop attending Reverend Father Ajike Mbaka’s Adoration Ministry until further notice.
The development followed a comment by the controversial cleric wherein he called the former Anambra State Governor and the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party( LP), Mr Peter Obi, a stingy man that would not be president of Nigeria during a church service earlier in the week.
In a letter, the bishop personally signed and addressed to all the clergy, religious and lay faithful in the diocese of Enugu’, he banned them from having anything to do with the Adoration Ministry.
Onaga in the letter, said Mbaka had refused to heed to the church’s persistent directives, adding “And in fulfillment of my pastoral duties as the chief shepherd, I hereby prohibit all Catholics (clergy, religious and lay faithful) henceforth from attending all religious and liturgical activities of the Catholic Adoration Ministry until the due canonical process initiated by the Diocese”.
The Bishop also said that his decision was based on the fact that some the teachings of Mbaka were not consistent with the teachings and faith of the Catholic Church ,and called on the church to continue to pray for the priest and the diocese.
The bishop’s letter read partly,“In the light of the happenings in the Catholic Adoration Ministry Chaplaincy Enugu: capable of undermining the Catholic faith and teachings; and after several fraternal corrections and admonitions to Fr. Camillus Ejike Mbaka, the Chaplain of the Ministry: and after having given him pastoral directives and guidelines for the Ministry Chaplaincy, which he persistently violated; and in fulfilment of my pastoral duties as the Chief Shepherd with the obligation to promote and safeguard the Catholic faith and morals in Enugu Diocese, I hereby prohibit all Catholics (clergy, religious and lay faithful) henceforth from attending all religious and liturgical activities of the Adoration Ministry until the due canonical process initiated by the Diocese is concluded.
“My decision is based on the fact that some of the teachings and utterances of Fr Camillus Ejike Mbaka at the Catholic Adoration Ministry are not consistent with the teachings and faith of the Catholic Church.
“I enjoin all the Christian Faithful to keep praying for Fr. Mbaka and the Catholic Diocese of Enugu as I entrust him and the Diocese to the maternal care and protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of the Apostles.”
The RAZOR NEWS had reported that Mbaka had apologised to the LP presidential candidate and his supporters over his comment, wishing them well in the 2023 polls, while Obi had promised to meet the maverick priest on his(Obi’s) return from Egypt, where he went to understudy some sectors of the ancient country.
Meanwhile, The RAZOR NEWS monitor showed that there was jubilation across the state and beyond over the Catholic Church’s sanction against the controversial priest who predicted the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2015 presidential poll against the then incumbent president of the country, Goodluck Jonathan.
