Catholic Archbishop in Nigeria Cautions against Excessive Fundraising in Church

In his homily, the Nigerian Archbishop further urged members of the Clergy and Men and Women Religious in the West African country to discipline their bodies and control their desire for worldly things “so that after we have preached to others, we ourselves will not be disqualified.”

“We need to stay alert to avoid falling victim to cancerous careerism in our priesthood, which makes even the choice of Bishops or the appointment of parish Priests a clannish or political affair,” he said at the event which was held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Udi, Enugu.

On the misuse of faith, the Catholic Church Leader warned the Priests against conducting the Holy Mass in a way that does not align with the traditions of the Catholic Church in the name of “creativity” or “ministries” that are contrary to church teachings.

“Any leader of a ministry that excludes himself from the authority and communion of the Church is likely to innovate alien practices to our Church,” he said, 

The Archbishop called on the people of God to beware ministers who withdraw into strange practices to gain popularity, saying, “Some of their strange utterances and practices are why sometimes Catholicism is portrayed in derogatory light, and priests and religious ridiculed, especially on social media,” the Archbishop said at the Priestly Silver Jubilee Mass of Bishop Obodo and those he was ordained with.

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Archbishop Kaigama expressed his wish to the Jubilarians, saying, “As you celebrate this milestone, may the Lord renew your strength, deepen your joy, and continue to use you as vessels of His mercy and beacons of hope to all entrusted to your care.”

During the Silver Jubilee event, the Catholic Archbishop urged the people of God to dedicate themselves to supporting the missions of the servants of God through not only applause but also prayers, understanding, and collaboration despite their flaws.

“Do not look for faults or opportunities to bring them down. Instead, encourage them and pray for them,” he said in his July 26 homily, and added, “Priests are not superhuman; they are fragile, human too, with emotions, challenges, and vulnerabilities, just like everyone else.”

Archbishop Kaigama said that Priests “carry their own wounds while still attending to the wounded,” adding, “They too suffer from depression, anxiety, and burnout, just like Elijah, the great prophet, once despaired and prayed for death, and even Jesus, in His agony, felt overwhelmed to the point of sorrow.”

Recalling Pope Leo XIV’s recent address to the Italian Bishops, Archbishop Kaigama highlighted the importance of the servants of God in “being close to the people, from sharing life, from walking with the least, from serving the poor.”

“We call on Bishops and priests to be closer to the people, and to “smell like the sheep,” Archbishop Kaigama said, calling on the political leaders to also care for the needs of the people of God in Nigeria.

“Ensure that the resources of this nation are equitably distributed and also to ensure a fair representation in government, letting no section of the nation become marginalized for whatever reason. Injustice is the root of many of our crises and the cause of the slow march to progress. Political leaders should ensure honesty, transparency and accountability in the leadership of our country,” he explained.

He urged the leaders in the West African nation to fulfill the expectations of the people such as performing the “corporal works of mercy: to feed the hungry, give good water to the thirsty, care for the sick, care for the homeless, educate the street children, care for prisoners, poor, pensioners; build and maintain the roads, keep our schools/ hospitals open and not only when strikes have caused casualties; be concerned with the people first before your personal comfort.”

“While we demand good governance from those voted into authority, we demand equally a change of mentality on the part of those Nigerians who see government resources as available to be used with reckless abandon,” he said.

Sabrine Amboka is a Kenyan journalist with a passion for Catholic church communication. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communication from St. Paul's University in Kenya.