Controversial sermon: Catholic Secretariat disowns Mbaka, asks Enugu Bishop to warn him

As reactions continue to trail the recent comment made by eastern-based Roman Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, that President Goodluck Jonathan has over stayed his welcome at the Aso Rock, the Secretary-General of Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, CSN, Rev Fr. Ralph Madu has called on the Enugu Bishop to call the preacher to order. Mbaka has been in the news following his New Year controversial message where he asked President Goodluck Jonathan, to quietly resign from office or face humiliation. Reacting to Mbaka’s assertion, Madu called on the Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Bishop Callistus Onaga, to caution the priest, saying that the cleric’s comment was uncalled for. CSN said Mbaka’s statement were his personal opinion and not that of the Catholic Church. Madu told Punch that there were better ways for Mbaka to pass his message across “considering the explosive nature of this country.” He said, “With the way the Catholic Church operates, he (Mbaka) belongs to a Diocese and it is the responsibility of his Bishop to draw his attention to that; the name of the Bishop of Enugu Diocese is Bishop Callistus Onaga. The Bishop of Enugu Diocese should draw his attention to it; the (Catholic) Church doesn’t ignore such excesses because there is a procedure. “If I get a vision to go and kill somebody, will I go and kill? That is what I am telling you, that people like him (Mbaka) have many followers and all over the world, they are the same. When they claim that the spirit is telling them something, who are you to question the spirit? But if the Holy Spirit is telling you something, you must say it in a manner that will forestall confusion and trouble. That is how things are done, it is not the Catholic Church that is speaking; it is just an individual, just one priest. I think if it is taken that way, it will be properly understood.” According to him, some charismatic leaders “say so many things and most times, they claim they are getting their inspiration from the Holy Spirit or from God.” He added, “Fr. Mbaka is a popular guy and not like the rest of us and what makes him popular are these prophecies and that is why people are following them. So, I think his Bishop can draw his attention to it. “You know people like him have many followers and they celebrate them and they visit them for healing and many other spiritual pilgrimages. That is why they attract such type of crowd. Even though he doesn’t make much noise like us, they are the people who have their own followers, and that is why everybody is concerned.” Nigeria has no business being in its present state – Obasanjo He said, “People get messages in visions but if you are talking of the sensitivity of what you are saying, that is the issue. Most times, even when people have the truth, you don’t open your mouth wide. You can be saying something that is true, but there are some ways of passing across that message in a way that it will be acceptable, considering the explosive nature of this country and many other factors.”