Pope demands apology from defiant Nigerian Priests

Pope Francis

• Issues warning against tribalism
• Gives 30 days ultimatum

The Pope of the Roman Catholic Church has demanded an apology from defiant priest of Ahiara diocese and warned against tribalism in the church.
The directive is coming on the heels of the discrimination against Bishop Okpaleke who was appointed Bishop of Ahiara in 2012 by then-Pope Benedict XVI but has been unable to take control of the diocese because of protests by the majority of priests.

The priests argue that Okpaleke, a native of Anambra state, was made a bishop of Ahiara, a suburb of Mbaise, a predominantly Catholic region of Imo State.

The Vatican  has, however, given an ultimatum of 30 days, which expires July 9, to  the dissenting  priests to write an apology letter, promising obedience to authority and accept the bishop appointed for their diocese.

The Pope was quoted as saying, “I think that, in this case, we are not dealing with tribalism, but with an attempted taking of the vineyard of the Lord.”

Fides, news agency of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, reports that Pope also referred to “the parable of the murderous tenants” in Matthew 21:33-44.

“Whoever was opposed to Bishop Okpaleke taking possession of the diocese wants to destroy the Church. This is forbidden,” ​he ​warned.

Francis said he even had considered “suppressing the diocese, but then I thought that the Church is a mother and cannot abandon her many children.”

He insisted that every priest of the diocese, whether residing in Nigeria or abroad, must write a letter addressed to him asking for forgiveness because “we all must share this common sorrow”.

The Vatican issued a terse communiqué on the meeting, describing the situation in the diocese as “unacceptable.”

“The Holy Father, after a careful evaluation, spoke of the unacceptable situation in Ahiara and reserved the right to take appropriate measures,” the Vatican said.

“Each letter must clearly manifest total obedience to the Pope” and indicate a willingness “to accept the bishop whom the Pope sends and has appointed”.

“The letter must be sent within 30 days, from today to July 9, 2017. Whoever does not do this will be ipso facto suspended ‘a divinis’ and will lose his current office.

“This seems very hard, but why must the Pope do this?” Pope Francis asked.