As the Easter tide ushers us unto a new plane of life, I deem it auspicious to write you at this time on the stalled inauguration of Most Rev Peter Okpaleke as the Bishop of Ahiara Catholic Diocese. I am directing my contribution on this subject to you rather than the laity of the diocese because I consider the body of priests the principal opponents of the Bishop’s appointment. While some sections of the laity leadership have at one point or the other also expressed strong reservations on the appointment, the fact remains that by virtue of their ministerial office and public esteem, the overwhelming majority of Catholics defer to priests. Though a misnomer, the local expression, uka fada, stemmed from the perceived considerable power and responsibility of the priesthood. Bearing this in mind, it would be unhelpful to the resolution of the Ahiara bishopric question to continue to give the impression that the ‘activist’ priests involved in the matter are only giving vent to the resolution of the laity. You, our beloved priests, are central to restoration of the Church’s truncated mission in Ahiara Diocese.
It has not ceased to amaze some of us that in pushing your argument that the choice of Bishop is made from the rank of indigenous priests of the Diocese, you have not placed your trust in God’s justice through prayers. By resisting the appointment of Bishop Peter Okpaleke through denunciations, threats, shutdown of the Cathedral and other disagreeable physical means either directly or by condoning these measures, are you not relying on the power of man rather than God? Why would the efficacy of prayers that you preach so fervently in your homilies lose its potency in this particular instance? Would the same almighty God that never changes; that parted the waters of the Red Sea; saved Susanna from the death sentence swindle of lusting men; and answered the distress call of countless Biblical figures ignore the prayer of his ‘wronged’ priests? What happened to the oft – quoted passage to seek and you will find; ask and you will receive; knock and it will be opened to you? This question is made more pertinent by the fact of your privileged relationship to God: at the altar of consecration you ‘command’ Christ and He obeys you, transubstantiating bread and wine into His body and blood.
Could it be the case that the influence of worldly standards is one of the major impediments to the resumption of Ahiara bishopric? Geographical cum ethnic balancing would be politically correct policy in the secular estate but a misapplication in the Church. The Church is a divine institution ordained by Christ with the mandate to preach the Good News to all nations, converting and baptizing in the name of the most holy Trinity. The Church and secular society profess contrasting civilizations. They equally operate at differing realms. Modern civilization is founded on reason alone whereas religion is built on both reason and faith. It would be unrealistic to expect the Church governed by sacred laws of God and sacred traditions of over 2000 years to suddenly be bound by external social and civil conventions. The appointment of a bishop is an internal affair of the Church; so why should this ecclesiastical function be subjected to the competitiveness and undue pressures that characterize secular offices?
The process of choosing a bishop in the Catholic Church is known to all priests as well as the process of seeking a review where mistakes are thought to have been made in any selection. Where many of us disagree with you, beloved priests of the Catholic Church, is on confrontation against the Church’s hierarchy as a means of seeking perceived redress. The authority of the Pope and the Bishops pronounced by Christ himself is a central pillar on which the tradition of the Catholic Church has run. Neither the eleventh century schism between the East and West of the Church nor the Protestant Reformation was able to erode this institution. It is therefore a matter of deep regret that the directives and pleas of The Holy Father, the Papal Nuncio to Nigeria, the Nigerian Conference of Bishops and the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese, John cardinal Onayekan to you to respect the appointment of Bishop Peter Okpaleke has gone unheeded by many of you.
The issue is not about enforcement of rights; for every right is hinged on certain qualifications. But even if viewed as denial of participation in the selection process, is your present challenge the appropriate response? Are you satisfied with the unease that continues to hover over the diocese? Is your claim to recognition and status of greater importance than the health of Christ’s Church? On what ground can we shun the example of the Lord himself? Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant…he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross[Philippians 2:6].
Each of you is supposedly in authority either as parish priest or in some other level of diocesan responsibility. How do you fare in the parishes and other stations of duty with regard to the exercise of your offices? Do those you have responsibility over them accept your authority or reject it? If and when they oppose your leadership for their own preferences, do you feel distressed? Do you capitulate at such times? Perhaps, it is more likely the case that your parishioners generally prove docile to your leadership. Do you suppose that this submission necessarily translates to endorsement of your decisions? The reality is that parishioners sometimes find reason to disagree with their pastors but the injunction of obedience often weighs in favour of compliance. In the light of the standard that to whom much is given, much is expected, should priests not be in the lead in rallying behind the Church? Our Lord spoke literally when he told his disciples to receive the kingdom of God with the mind of little children [Luke 18:17].
The Church was instituted to continue Christ’s mission on earth after his ascension to heaven. Thus, there can be no over – emphasizing the special role of those commissioned to work in God’s vineyard. We see a measure of God’s regard for His servants in Christ’s promised reward for every support extended to the work of his messengers. Whoever welcomes you welcomes me…Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward…and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple – truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward [Matthew 10:40]. In the light of the above, it does not require repetition that those entrusted with overseeing the work of the Church deserve the respect, cooperation and encouragement of all the faithful.
The issue of who serves as the Bishop of any Diocese is a transient one. Bishops come and go but the Church remains. The words of the El Salvadoran martyr, Archbishop Oscar Romero, who predicted his assassination in 1980, leave us enough food for thought. ‘I have been threatened many times with death. If they kill me, I will resurrect in the Salvadoran people. ..A bishop will die but the Church of God which is the people will never perish.’ Okpaleke will not be the last Bishop of Ahiara Diocese, so why bring things to a standstill on account of his selection?
Upon announcement of result of the American presidential election of November 18, 1960, Richard Nixon the Republican candidate contemplated contesting J. F. Kennedy’s victory in court. The poll ranked as the closest presidential election since 1916 with J. F. Kennedy scoring 49.7 percent to Nixon’s 49.6. But having won in 26 states as against Kennedy’s 22 states, Nixon felt he had greater claim to the Presidency than Kennedy. Nixon later decided to drop the legal challenge in order not to rock the system and preserve the stability of America’s democracy. And here, we are talking about the appointment of a Bishop which is the prerogative of the Vatican to make. Christianity is about sacrificial love. Christ died that we may live. Can we not make sacrifices for the flourishing of the body of Christ? Is it asking too much to request us to put aside our sense of activism; affirmative action; feeling of hurt; marginalization and personal ego for the sake of the Church instituted by Christ our saviour? What is gained with the Diocese left in a lurch; in limitations and missed opportunities? Could we not find more charitable hearts and courageous voices recognizing the wounds of Christ in the bruises of the Church? For the sake of fifty righteous persons, God was prepared to recant the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. For the sake of a mere five righteous men, He was still willing to jettison His just anger and let the cities be [Genesis18: 24]. Could you, dear priests, for the love of God, for the sake of the Church’s mission, could you not discontinue this resistance to the Church’s authority?
Many of us are hurt by the strained relations between the pro and anti Okpaleke priests within and beyond the Diocese. We seek a return to the full brotherhood that characterizes the priesthood; that fraternal bond that Servant of God, Fulton Sheen described so powerfully in his autobiography, Treasure In Clay. Even soldiers have their spirit de corps.
Satan tempted Christ, tempted Peter, tempted Judas and that means none of us is immune to the lobby of his endless plots. But it is characteristically sophistry at its best; clever and persuasive reasoning that is nevertheless false. Satan does not come frontally with his designs against God. His subversive plans are camouflaged with plausible logic; inverted truths; popular good intentions and seemingly harmless steps. On the face of it, the argument presented to Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit, was brilliant, but as we all know, deceptive and loaded with fatal consequences. We all need to be ever vigilant. And it is the soldiers of Christ that Satan perseveres in scheming for their downfall both as a means of diminishing God’s kingdom and denying more souls the heavenly bliss.
The death and resurrection of Christ refreshes us with the great mercy of God. Struggling with our various weaknesses, Easter offers us a new beginning in the difficult journey to consummate our salvation. It is our sincere prayer that you, beloved priests, lead the reconciliation so urgently needed in your Diocese. As the light of the Resurrection dispels the darkness of a neo – pagan age, may you see the need to take a second look at the nature of the Ahiara problem? And may the power of the Resurrection avail you the uncommon courage to break with whatever other considerations that have helped to fuel the crisis.
Afuba is of St Kevin’s Catholic Church, Nimo, Anambra State.
