By Okey Alozie
A mild drama is said to have played out in a Catholic Church at Imo Housing Estate Umuguma, New Owerri, Imo State last Sunday.
The story has it that the priest incharge of the said Catholic Church at New Owerri warned all church members to stop coming to Sunday mass late but many could not adhere to his instruction.
Last Sunday, luck ran out on one of the parishioners who came for Thanksgiving and was late to church. The Priest noticed that the woman’s Husband who was supposed to join the wife for the procession to usher in the new born Baby for the proper Dedication into the House of God was not around to perform his legitimate job coupled with other things that the Priest observed that were not pleasant to him. Therefore, the Thanksgiving items were flatly rejected by the Priest.
The priest whose name is withheld for obvious reasons raised eye brows over the late coming to church by members especially on thanksgiving days. During his homily, he announced that he will never accept the Thanksgiving items from those who came late to church on the ground that people should take God very serious to avoid destruction, adding that he is not interested in the physical gifts of the world but salvation of church members.
The priest incharge as Trumpeta gathered did the same thing to others who came late to church in the past.
Information also revealed that the gate of the church was always lucked on Sundays whenever the priest started his homily. No matter your position in the society the church warders will never allow you inside the church premises until the major parts of the church service was observed.
One of the women who forced herself and children inside the church compound was immediately asked to go out by the priest and she respected herself.
The celebrant later confessed that he did wrong and promised not to come late again to church.
When interviewed many of the parishioners confessed that the parish priest actually changed their behaviour to things of God. “We now come to church very early” Catholic women organization leader submitted.
The youths and Christian men organization of the church also declared that the parish priest have made them to turn a new leaf, adding that he is there spiritual father and director.
Some of the parishioners who used to go to night club have confessed that they have changed for good since the started obeying the rules of the church and listened to the homily of the parish priest.
Our reporter observed that the goat that was made for thanksgiving later ran away but the church warders did everything possible to catch it.
Some people suggested that the rejected thanksgiving item should be taken to the motherless Babies home since it was not accepted in the church.
