Fresh facts have emerged on reasons why the newly consecrated Bishop of Ahiara Diocese, Bishop Peter Okpaleke will not step into Mater Ecclesiae (Mother of the Church) Cathedral, premises located in Nnarambia in Ahiazu Mbaise LGA of Imo State.
Mater Ecclesiae Cathedral which serves as the pastoral centre is the abode and operational headquarters of the Ahiara Catholic Diocese were the presiding Bishop operates from.
Despite his Episcopal ordination on Tuesday at the Seat of Wisdom Seminary, Ulakwo, Owerri North, LGA out side the jurisdiction of Mbaise Catholic Church, Bishop Okpaleke cannot step his toes into the place for now,
Competent sources revealed that the unwanted Bishop may continue to function outside Mbaise land until certain religious cleansing and spiritual observations are conducted within the Bishop’s court and mother Cathedral at Ahiara. Prior to the ordination, there have been persistent protests against the appointment and seeming imposition of Okpalake on the Mbaise Catholics leading to certain acts that are not in conformity church obligations and dogma.
The source, a ranking priest who does not want to be mentioned disclosed that there would be several prayers and novena masses to not only assuage the minds of the people but also spiritually cleanse the Diocese. It would be recalled that apart from the locking of the Cathedral gates by protesting youths of the area, protest prayers and processions were organized against Bishop Okpaleke by the indigenous priests and laity. Worse still, a mock coffin was stationed at the gate of the Diocese headquarters. These supposed schismatic tendencies prompted the Catholic hierarchy to put a stop to taking the new Bishop to Ahiara after the ordination.
“There is no way our Lord Bishop, Peter Okpaleke will be taken to Ahiara Diocese after his consecration because the protesting clergy and laity have desecrated the Cathedral and Bishops abode by engaging in protest prayers against the decision of the Holy Father whose is all and all in affairs of the Church. The dropping of a mock coffin at the Church gate is an anti-Christ act which prayers and Novena can only cleanse before the Bishop sets in”, the cleric disclosed.
