Buea, 04 January, 2024 / 9:00 pm (ACI Africa).
The Bishop of Cameroon's Catholic Diocese of Buea has faulted members of the Clergy in the diocese for not wearing clerical attire while undertaking their pastoral activities.
In his letter to all Priests in the Cameroonian Diocese shared with ACI Africa on Thursday, January 4, Bishop Michael Miabesue Bibi said that the clerical attire identifies Priests and sets them apart from the secular world.
“For some time now, I have shared with you my observation that lots of you dear brothers prefer to go about town during business hours without your clerical attires: neither cassock, soutane nor clerical shirt,” Bishop Bibi said, and added, “This observation, as you well know, concerns me greatly.”
“In our very secular world of today where the sense of the sacred is so weakened, it is ever so important for us priests to be visible signs of Christ's presence. Thus, our clerical attires become the immediately recognizable sign of our vocation and ministry,” he said.
Referring to Canon 284, the Cameroonian Bishop continued, “Clerics are to wear suitable ecclesiastical garb according to the norms issued by the conference of bishops and according to legitimate local customs.”
