The Leadership of the Catholic Church in Nigeria has explained the
reason behind the recent transfer of controversial Catholic priest,
Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka from Enugu to Emene. According to the
Secretary-General of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Reverend
Father Ralph Madu, Mbaka's transfer was to make him more useful in
his service. He refuted claims by Mbaka that his transfer was a
punishment and a calculated move to make him suffer.
"Mbaka’s transfer is not an exception; the Bishop has the right to
post any priest wherever he feels his service would be more useful to
the church.
His posting should have been a privilege, not a
punishment which the Bishop can do because he has the power. If he says
it’s a punishment, then it’s open for further investigation. Posting is a
regular thing, a priest can be transferred after two, three, four, or
more years. It depends on the discretion of the Bishop. That ministry
(Adoration Ministry) is his private ministry. It does not belong to the
church. Overseeing a parish is a full time job. Overseeing a ministry is
a bigger task. If the church decides to take him somewhere where he’ll
have more time to carry out his ministry, how is it punitive? That
should not be the language.”he said
Madu said Mbaka had done things that were unacceptable to the church in the past but received no punishments for them.
“He is supposed to be a missionary. What if the Bishop had closed down
the ministry , which is within his power to do? Sometimes, transfers can
be for the good of the priest as something can be going wrong which he
might not be aware of. The Bishop is free to move any priest at any
time, it is his prerogative.”
Fr Mbaka is to resume immediately at his new post at the Our Lady
Parish, Emene. The priest, who is as fiery as he is controversial, had
described his re-posting by the church as a “calculated move” to make
him suffer.”
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