By chijioke hilary
Despite the appointment of Cardinal Onaiyekan as the administrator of Ahiara Catholic Diocese rejection of Bishop-elect, Most Rev Peter Okpaleke is still attracting reactions in public circle, especially in the Catholic Church, discontent views still pervade the Diocese which is yet to get a substantive Bishop.
It would be recalled that strong opposition greeted the appointment of Most Rev Peter Ebelechukwu Okpaleke as Bishop-elect of Ahiara. The rejection forced the Church to hold his bishopric consecration outside Mbaise Diocese and appointment of Cardinal Onaiyekan as administrator.
However, peeved by the approach of some Catholic priests who objected to the coming of Okpaleke, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has come hard on the agitating priests that resisted Okpaleke from entering the pastoral center, in Ahiara.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the second plenary meeting of CBCN at Double K Resort, GRA, Otukpo Benue State, Sept 5 13, 2013, the Bishops while affirming commitment to consistently pledge their unalloyed loyalty and obedience to the Holy Father, stated “We regret and condemn the attitude of those priests in Ahiara Diocese who rejected their new Bishop. We consider their attitude an affront to the Holy Father who has the sole prerogative of appointing Bishops”.
In the statement signed by Most Rev Ignatius Kaigama, Archbishop of Jos, and Most Rev William Avenya, Bishop of Gboko, President and Secretary respectively, the Bishops further added that “We call on the priests to review their position, recant and accept in love their shepherd, Most Rev Peter Ebele Chukwu Okpaleke. We urge members of Christ’s faithful, priests, religious and lay, never to relent in Catholic piety, especially loyalty to the Holy Father and Bishops who are his immediate collaborators in work of shepherding the church”.
Their regular conference was attended by Catholic Bishops in Nigeria were common issues affecting the Church and Nigeria was discussed.
