The lingering crisis over the appointment of Bishop Peter
Okpalaeke, as the new Catholic Bishop of Ahiara, Mbaise
Diocese, deepened yesterday, as some priests and laity
refused to obey the Papacy.
The Vatican Secretary of State, Pietro Cardinal Parolin,
had in a letter addressed to the laity and clergy of Ahiara
Catholic Diocese, urged the people to respect the Papal
appointment.
The letter, which was delivered and read by the Papal
Envoy, who doubled as the President, Pontifical Council
for Justice and Peace, Peter Cardinal K. Appiah Turkson,
explained that he was at Mbaise “as a personal delegate
of the Pope.”
Addressing the clergy and laity, Cardinal Turkson said:
“Sincerely speaking, this drama in Ahiara Diocese would
have been taken care of long before now. If the Pope
appointed your Bishop, the first thing to do was to first
accept him and complain later.
“You can’t despise a leader and still expect him to
exercise his leadership potentials over your needs. You
must learn to allow the Holy Father to exercise his
office.”
While calling on the people to respond to the letter from
the Secretary, the visiting Cardinal also opined that “the
present situation, to me, is a sad situation”.
After taking some time to explain how bishops of the
Catholic Church were appointed, the papal envoy also
promised that he would investigate if due process was
not followed in Bishop Okpalaeke’s case.
“If the Pope calls for another appointment, what is the
guarantee that the new appointment would be accepted?
Give due respect to the Pope and then complain later,”
the envoy said.
But the drama followed when the priest, who acted as
the master of ceremony, called specific people to speak
and shut out the pro-Bishop Okpalaeke group.
Addressing the congregation, Eze Julius Amaefule said
what the people wanted was justice, claiming there was
injustice in Okpalaeke’s appointment.
“Due process was not taken in the appointment of the
Bishop. His Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan came and
instead of solving the problem, he scattered the priests.
We have seminarians who are due for ordination but he
didn’t do it. Those who were due for confirmation were
abandoned. Under no condition shall we receive
Okpalaeke in Ahiara.”
While Dr. Festus Nguma said the people had in the past
two years, rejected Okpalaeke, the Chairman, Laity
Council, Sir Gerald Anyanwu, said there were 74 parishes
and more than 80 per cent were against Okpalaeke’s
appointment.
“Something can happen tomorrow and people will turn
round and say that Mbaise people have killed him. We
do not want him,” Nguma said.
Also, President of the Catholic Women Organisation,
CWO, Mrs. Felicia Nwogu, urged the Church to listen to
the cry of the mothers, saying, “a lot has happened here.
The church should listen to the cry of mothers. We are
speaking with one voice. To bring Bishop Okpalaeke here
is to destroy lives.”

source:
www.vanguardngr.com/2014/12/crisis-ahiara-bishop-deepens-clergy-laity-disobey-vatican/

dis one na sit don dey look

mbaise has d largest number of catholics and Rev Fr in Igboland. This behaviour is not expected from a highly educated and politically aware pple like mbaise.

There r better ways of handling the matter not resorting to gutter tactics like motor park touts.

Mbaise pple r well known for petition writing, they can use that option.

This their recalcitrant behaviour is stagnating them and the Holy Catholic church

this show of shame is un - catholic. can you imagine politics in church? God have mercy.

it use to be "d pope must hear this".

If u want to be obeyed u hav to obey first. this is a business that concerns all stakeholders. i think mismanagement of this company is too much it is time for it to be listed (IPO)