The Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Calistus Onaga, has imposed a ban on Rev. Fr. Mbaka’s Adoration Ministry.
This is coming on the heels of Mbaka’s outburst against Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
In a letter he personally signed and addressed to ‘All the Clery, Religious and Lay Faithful in the Catholic Diocese of Enugu’, Onaga banned worshippers from having anything to do with the Adoration Ministry.
He said in the letter that Mbaka having refused to heed to the Church’s persistent directives “and in fulfilment of my pastoral duties as the Chief Shepherd, I hereby prohibit all Catholics (clergy, religious and lay faithful) henceforth from attending all religious and liturgical activities of the Catholic Adoration Ministry until the due canonical process initiated by the Diocese is concluded.”
According to Daily Post, the bishop noted that the decision was taken because Mbaka’s teaching and utterances were not consistent with the teachings of the Catholic Church. He, therefore, enjoined “all Christian faithful to keep praying for Fr. Mbaka.”
Background story
Mbaka during his weekly service in his church said Obi’s stingy nature will not make him emerge as president.
“This hunger that is disturbing people and you said you want him? A stingy man, that cannot give people his money. You want to die of hunger?
“It is now that Atiku (Abubakar) is contesting for president. Now that he is contesting without Peter Obi, it is now that he is serious. We want somebody that is serious. Unless Peter Obi comes here to kneel, if he becomes President, I will close down this ministry. He is going nowhere, “Mr Mbaka said, according to a clip posted by BBC Igbo.
Reacting to Mbaka’s remark, the Catholic Diocese of Enugu in a statement, accused Mbaka of breaching canon 220 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law, which prohibits anyone from illegitimately harming the good name of a person.
“In an effort to keep him united to the Body of Christ, we enjoin him to refrain from making further provocative prophecies or utterances capable of heating up the polity. We assure the people of God and the general public that the Catholic Diocese of Enugu is taking the due canonical process.
“Finally, we urge all the People of God to continue to pray for peaceful elections and to discharge their civic responsibilities by getting their Permanent Voter Cards and casting their votes in order to elect the right candidates,” the statement partly read.
Mbaka later apologised to Obi and his supporters, saying he meant no harm.