Over 3,000 members of Ahiara Diocese of the Catholic Church on Saturday gathered at the Mater Ecclesiae cathedral, Mbaise, Imo State, for a rally to insist on the removal of embattled Bishop Peter Ebele Okpaleke.
Okpaleke was anointed and consecrated Bishop of the diocese by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012 but both the Laity Council and the Priests in the diocese rejected his appointed on the grounds that he is not an indigene of the area, among other reasons.
Punch reports that the diocesan youth, who put on black attire, chanted solidarity songs to reject the Pope’s choice.
Other Catholic men and women who dressed in different church uniforms, also participated in the rally, which started with a rosary procession round the cathedral.
Addressing the congregation inside the cathedral, the President of the Diocesan Laity Council, Gerald Anyanwu maintained that the people of Mbaise were not against the Supreme Pontiff, Pope Francis I, but that they were against the irregularities and injustices allegedly perfected against the people of the diocese in the selection of the bishop.
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Anyanwu insisted that Okpaleke was forced on them, and that he was not a priest “incardinated in the Ahiara Presbyterian.”
He said, “There was no time we insisted that the bishop of the diocese must be an Mbaise son, but the prelate must be a priest incardinated in the diocese. We shall accept any bishop whether an Hausa man or a Yoruba man as far as he is incardinated in Ahiara Diocese.”
He frowned against the activities of the Nigeria representatives of the church in Rome and urged them (cardinals) in the Vatican city to urgently look into the case of the Ahiara Diocese.
Also addressing the gathering, the Provincial Ambassador, Laity Council of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province, Lawrence Opara, dismissed as propaganda, reports that the Mbaise priests would be sanctioned by the Pope if the agitation continued.
Opara, who is also the Secretary, Ahiara Diocese Laity Council wondered why the case was different and difficult to resolve since it started in 2012.
He said, “This is time of propaganda but the truth must be told. They gave us a bishop by hook and crook means. We cannot accept him.
“It is biblical that if a priest is given to a people of God and he is rejected, he should go and be assigned to another people, who will accept him.”
Opara described the rumour that the Mbaise priests would be sanctioned as false, maintaining that no priest had been derobed without his bishop’s consent and approval.
The traditional ruler of Okirika-Ama, Umuokirika in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area, HRH Eze Dominic Okoro (75) also faulted the claims that some traditional rulers from Mbaise visited the Pope in the Vatican.
He said, “Those people they said went to Rome to see the Pope were not our true representatives. Those who went from Nigeria deceived the Pope by telling him that they were the representatives of the Diocese.
“I am a traditional ruler and in the way we conduct our traditional institution, no royal father would leave for the Vatican City without all the Ezes knowing.
“We are not in any way against the authority of the Pope, but what we are fighting is injustice, corruption and evil among other vices in the Catholic Church.”
I do not understand the fraction of laity and presbyters that claim that the are not against the Holy Father Pope Francis but rejected his appointment of Bishop Peter Okpaleke!! The two statements cannot concur. You are simply sycophant by the foregoing claim.
I have following the various rebellious writings of Dr. Azubugo on the pre and post installation of Most Revered Dr. Peter Okpaleke as the Bishop of Ahiara Diocese. I am compelled by the fallacies and myopic positions canvassed by the infidels with serious concern:
These group of people ipso facto questioning the supremacy and authority of Pope in episcopal installation.
Both Pope emeritus his holiness benedict XVI and Pope Francis endorsed and approved the installation of Bishop Okpaleke. Some of erudite of Mbaise have called the humble Bishop a candidate when he appointed and consecrated . I see hydra headed jealousy. All the theories espoused by these renegades are simply misleading. In some of the recent writing; they said Catholic Church is not a universal church by their call for indigenization and incardination policy as the primary criteria for appointment of a bishop. If that is the case it means my good people of Mbaise will only be opportuned to be a bishop in Mbaise alone. Such position should be rejected! What is a primary function of a bishop. A bishop should be a good teacher. His sermon must be inspiring and loyalty to the church total. A good teacher can come from any area of the universe. In similar understanding,a good bishop can come from anywhere. Some of the Mbaise scholars also averred that they have more academically intimidating candidates for bishopric status but failed to see that Bishop has served five bishops and the experiences obtained in that process cannot be equaled to Ph.D as far as handling church matters is concerned. It is in fact a blessing for Bishop Okpaleke to be appointed for Ahira Diocese because his wealthy of experiences can be exploited upon in settle possible myriad of disputes in the diocese. The evidence is the countless petitions written by the same Mbaise people against their own brothers recommended by late Bishop Chikwe. These petitions are the rudimentary reasons why we are in the conflict today.
From another perspective, one of the eloquent and polished academic
Dr. Azubogu is said to be professor of New Testament. We all know the central message in the New Testament is the love for one another which our Lord Jesus Christ gave us as the greatest law. If this is a truism, a professor of the new testament should be championing reconciliation, love and unity. Dr. Azubogu and his cohorts instead is asking the pope through the catholic hierarchy in Nigeria to revised pope appointment of Bishop Okpaleke as Bishop of Ahiara Diocese. Such ranting is similar to the call from Jews to Pilate to change the inscription written on the Cross INRI to state that Jesus said he is a king of Jews as opposed to JESUS IS THE KING OF JESUS. Pilate reply is suitable for opposition group in this situation. Pilate reply was what I have written I have Witten and that stands. Let these obstructionist know that they cannot change that Most Reverend Dr. Peter Ebele Okpakeke has be consecrated as a bishop and If they are questioning the decision of pope,
Probably they are referred to the following documents:
1. Dei Verbum—Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation
2. Lumen Gentium—Dogmatic Constitution on the Church
3. Sacrosanctum Concilium—Constitution on Sacred Liturgy
According to Presbyterorum Ordinis—Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests. Saint Cyprian of Carthage, in the middle of the third century, stated: “The Church rests on the bishops, and all her conduct follows the direction of those same rulers”.[1] Communion, unity and cooperation with the presbyterate will be a safeguard against the seeds of division and will assist you in listening together to the Holy Spirit. He will lead you on the right path (cf. Ps 22:3).
The Synod recalled that “the Church is a communion that gives rise to an organic pastoral solidarity. The bishops, in communion with the Bishop of Rome, are the first promoters of communion and cooperation in the Church’s apostolate.”[2] The national and regional Bishops’ Conferences are charged with the mission of consolidating that ecclesial communion and promoting this pastoral solidarity. This why the catholic Bishop conference of Nigeria will not change their position
.
Some of the oppositionist like Dr. Azubogu , claim the title Agu-na-eche mba of Mbaise and are living in the US? They should go and live in mbaise to assume the title. Let me say this loud and clear the group that are opposing Bishop Okpaleke have sealed their name in the history as rebellion of highest order and the people that championed some laity to disobey the holy father and called names to reputable cardinals.
For the presbyters among the oppositionist; they main reason for rejecting Bishop Okpaleke is that you all have skeletons in your wall robes that would be exposed by Bishop Okpaleke who did not come from such crooked group. Some of you have built houses and bought landed property that could not be justified. You also know that a good bishop will not allow it. In your ordination you took vows of obedience to your bishop and those that would replace him as well as vow of poverty and chastity. You can see you all have violated one or all of vows and need confession. Therefore, your rejection of Bishop Okpaleke is not on grounds of convenience and alignment of pastoral ministry but on the fear of being exposed of wrong doings. If what I said is not true prove it.
Congregation for Bishops, Directory for the Pastoral Ministry of Bishops Apostolorum Successores (22 February 2004), 33-48; Enchiridion Vaticanum 22, Nos. 1650-1676