Catholic Bishop in Nigeria Warns of Sanctions against Priests Engaging in Liturgical Abuses

Kafanchan, 10 September, 2024 / 5:01 PM

The Local Ordinary of Nigeria's Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan has cautioned the Clergy in his Episcopal See against engaging in Liturgical abuses, noting that those who violate the traditions of the church will be punished.

In a statement obtained by ACI Africa on Tuesday, September 10, Bishop Julius Yakubu Kundi also said that Priests who engage in private ministries will also face sanctions.

Bishop Kundi was making reference to the rising number of private ministries led by wayward Catholic Priests as well as the Liturgical abuses that members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) have condemned in recent statements.

For the Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan in particular, Bishop Kundi issued a set of directives to Priests, adding that anyone found violating them would be punished.

The directives touch on Church collections, handling of the Blessed Sacraments, and private ministries that project the images of personalities instead of Jesus Christ.

He said the directives had acquired “the status of norms” in the Diocese, and added, “Any violation of them (directives) will attract the necessary ecclesiastical sanctions.”

In the set of directives, Bishop Kundi emphasizes that no one should mount any “ministry”, association, or institutions that bear the name “Catholic” in Kafanchan Diocese without his permission.

On Church collections, the Nigerian Catholic Bishop says, “There should be no excessive monetary collections during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.”

Additionally, no Priest in the Diocese of Kafanchan is allowed to alter the words and elements of the Sacraments “at will”, the Local Ordinary of the Nigeran Catholic Diocese since his Episcopal Consecration in February 2020 says in the statement dated September 4.

In the statement, he has also directed that Priests desist from exposing the Blessed Sacrament “as if it were an instrument of magical and theatrical display.”

He further says that “recommended silence and decorum” during Eucharistic Celebration be observed.

Bishop Kundi says that structures are already in place to ensure that the guidelines are adhered to.

“I have by this act mandated the Vicar Foranes and the Chaplains of pious associations and societies to keep vigilance and should report any violation to me,” he says.

The Catholic Church leader laments that despite his numerous past warnings about the growth of private ministries, the trend has been on the rise in his Episcopal See. 

He observes, in particular, the introduction of what he terms as “auto-referential and reactionary spirituality” and “unnecessary theatrics”, which he warns may in the long run lead to “self-destruction” and the erosion of order and harmony that he says are characteristics of Catholic Sacred Liturgy.

The Nigerian Catholic Bishop recognizes the importance of charisms in the Church, adding that proper structures and guidelines should be adhered to in exercising the charisms.

“We recognize and appreciate the various charisms that are deposited in some of our Priests and Laity, and we are aware that these charisms are meant to be exercise for the growth of the Church but when such charisms are exercised without proper guidance can only cause injury and disunity to the Body of Christ,” says Bishop Kundi. 

Sabrine Amboka contributed to the writing of this story.