Department of Church and Society, CSN

Members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) are concerned about the increasing number of private “ministries” that a section of Priests and Laity have established in the West African nation.

In their communiqué at the end of their August 22-30 second Plenary Assembly, CBCN members lament that these ministries foster “unorthodox practices,” which they say cause scandal and disrupt the unity of the Church.

“The proliferation of private ‘ministries’ by some Priests and lay faithful in our Church is a matter of great concern,” the Catholic Bishops say in the communiqué following their nine-day Plenary Assembly in Nigeria’s Auchi Catholic Diocese.

They add in the communiqué following the event that concluded on Friday, August 30, 

“Many of the Priests involved in this trend become too distracted from their primary duty as pastors of souls,” they say, adding that the only legitimate ministry is that of Jesus Christ, which is “entrusted to and safeguarded by the Holy Mother Church”.

They emphasize that charisms are meant to build up the body of Christ; they are not for personal glorification.

“As pastors vested with the oversight function over the pastoral life of the Church, we call on all who want to use their charisms for the Church and not against her, to submit themselves to the competent authority, abiding by the rules and regulations established by the Church and Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria in this regard,” CBCN members say.

In their communiqué following their second Plenary Assembly in 2024, which concluded on August 30, Catholic Bishops in Nigeria called upon the faithful to be vigilant of “those who, while claiming to be Catholics, set up ‘ministries’ that are not under the pastoral or spiritual guidance of any competent ecclesiastical authority.”

They caution the faithful against individuals claiming to be Catholic while establishing ministries that lack the pastoral or spiritual guidance of any competent ecclesiastical authority.

No ministry, association, or institution may bear the name “Catholic” without the express permission of the competent authority, they say in the statement that CBCN president, Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji and secretary, Bishop Donatus A. Ogun, co-signed.

Nigeria’s Catholic Church leaders also echo their August 15 statement in which they condemned, in “strongest terms”, abuses during Liturgical celebrations in the West African nation, urging Priests and Bishops to take “immediate action” to restore the dignity and sanctity of worship.

In their statement following their Plenary Assembly, they express concern about deviations in liturgical practices, including “unduly lengthy Eucharistic celebrations, excessive monetary collections, and a lack of silence and decorum” during public worship.

Referring to Canon 846 and the February 2024 note on the validity of the Sacraments, Gestis Verbisque, CBCN members lament about “the unfortunate incident of altering the words and elements of the Sacraments at will at the risk of invalidating the Sacraments.”

They condemn the misuse of the exposed Blessed Sacrament during adoration, where they say it is sometimes treated as “an instrument for magical or theatrical display.”

They further criticize the “inappropriate manner of dressing by some priests and lay faithful” during liturgical celebrations, which they term “a direct affront” to the sanctity of the liturgy and a cause of scandal.

“As Bishops, who have the primary responsibility of safeguarding the decorum of the sacred liturgy, we shall intensify our vigilance, to ensure that the liturgy is celebrated according to the approved norms of the Church,” CBCN members say.

They go on to “call on Priests, our closest collaborators, to take the responsibility of celebrating the liturgy with utmost seriousness, shun arbitrariness, and not allow for a personal interpretation of the laid down norms.”

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