Catholic Bishop in Cameroon Cautions Newly Ordained Priests against “the seven deadly sins”

Buea, 08 April, 2024 / 9:00 PM

The Catholic Bishop of Buea Diocese in Cameroon has called upon the eight newly ordained Priests to be prudent, vigilant, and avoid temptations. 

In his homily during the April 5 Priestly ordination, Bishop Michael Miabesue Bibi cautioned the new Priests against the seven deadly sins, which include pride, greed, lust, gluttony, envy, wrath, and sloth.

“In the Priesthood, we should be aware of the seven deadly sins,” Bishop Bibi said, and added, “The fact that you are ordained a Priest does not mean that you'll be free from temptations.”

He called for prudence and vigilance, saying, “I advise you to be prudent. I will advise you to stay strong and be vigilant. Make sure that you avoid circumstances and opportunities that may make you fall into temptations.”

The Cameroonian Catholic Bishop highlighted pride as a deadly sin, and cautioned, “Be aware of pride, or pride will lead you to think that because you are ordained, you are better than others. Pride will make you think that because you are a priest, you cannot listen again to the elderly members of the Christian community,”

“Pride will make you think that because you are a Priest you can do it all and you don't need others,” he said during the ordination event at the Divine Mercy Co-cathedral Parish, Molyko, in the south-western region of Cameroon.

“We should kill our pride,” Bishop Bibi said, and added, “You will be tempted to think that this particular assignment or that other assignment that has been given to you has been given as punishment or bad will.”

He cautioned the Priests-elect against greed, the excessive desire for material possessions, usually at the expense of others, and lust that is characterized by intense and inappropriate sexual desire. 

“You will be tempted to follow material things. You will be tempted to become wealthy. You will be tempted to be lazy,” he said, and added, “Women would throw themselves at you from left to right and you would think that you are a star. But before you discover, you would have fallen and fallen very badly.”

“Know that only Jesus Christ is the star,” the Cameroonian Catholic Bishop, who started his Episcopal Ministry in March 2017 as Auxiliary Bishop of Cameroon’s Bamenda Archdiocese has been barraged with criticisms and attacks, including social media posts said.

The Bishop of Buea Diocese since December 2019, first as Apostolic Administrator, and  since February 2021, as the Local Ordinary went on to highlight of Priestly solidarity in his Episcopal See as importance.

“I urge you, my brother Priests who are already in the ministry to welcome these young men into the Presbyterium with love. These men are your brothers. Treat them as such,” he said.

Bishop Bibi emphasized, “I am entrusting these new Priests to you who are already in the ministry as your brothers that you should take care of them.”

“The Priesthood; it's not an easy endeavour. That is why we need to hold each other close. We need to support each other and help each other to be the best Priest that we can be,” he said.

He called on the people of God “not to relent” in praying the Deacons he was about to ordain Priests. 

The eight Deacons, who were ordained Priests included Nathaniel Ogochukwu, Elvis-Philip Sojah Foncham, Edwin Yohzemo, Ireneus Emeka, Benjamin Fon, Nyamnjo Kesbine, Francis Mokolo and Princely Ngole Ngole.