Bishop Callistus Onaga of Enugu Diocese bans Catholics from attending events and masses at the Father Ejike Mbaka Adoration Ministry.
The ban is the first sanction from the Enugu Catholic Diocese to tame the priest for persistently disobeying his Bishop.
Bishop Onaga personally endorsed a statement today implying that other sanction may follow the ban. The Church has initiated a legal process to deal with the challenge.
Bishop Onaga gave three reasons for bringing down the hammer on Fr Mbaka and the Ministry. According to the statement:
- The Ministry promotes actions “capable of undermining the Catholic faith and teachings.”
- Enugu Diocese on several occasions corrected and admonished Father Mbaka on his actions.
- However, Mbaka persistently violates the many directives and guidelines from his Bishop.
“…in fulfillment of my pastoral duties as the Chief Shepherd, I hereby prohibit all Catholics (clergy, religious and lay faithful) henceforth from attending all religious and liturgical activities of the Catholic Adoration Ministry until the due canonical process initiated by the Diocese is concluded.”
“My decision is based on the fact that some of the teachings and utterances of Fr. Camillus Ejike Mbaka at the Catholic Adoration Ministry are not consistent with the teachings and faith of the Catholic Church.
Bishop Onaga however invited Christians to pray for the priest and for the Diocese of Enugu.
“I enjoin all the Christian faithful to keep praying for Father Mbaka and the Catholic Diocese of Enugu, as I entrust him and the Diocese to the maternal care and protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of the Apostles,” he added.
Mbaka ignores directives
Enugu Metro had exclusively the downgrading of Adoration Ministry from a quasi-parish to a Chaplaincy in June 2021.
Mbaka was asked to avoid active engagement in partisan politics and “prophetic naming of candidates for positions of power.”
The Bishop also reminded him that it was unlawful to “harm illegitimately the good reputation which a person possesses.”
The 2021 directive emphasized that chaplaincies must “remain catholic in its life and teaching,” avoid creating a cult of personality, and remain focused on “the blessed sacrament as the Centre of worship.”
“Use dialogue and prayer rather than revenge or exchange of words” to deal with challenges and difficulties, he was told.
“Efforts must be made to nourish the spiritual and moral life of the attendees and not just their mundane desires.”
Mbaka Bishop bans Catholics from attending adoration events
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