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The Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Callistus Onaga, has banned Catholic faithful from attending activities at the Adoration Ministry, in Enugu, Enugu State.
Mbaka is the spiritual director of the ministry.
Onaga, who announced the temporary ban in a statement on Friday, said the ban was because of Mbaka’s refusal to heed several “fraternal corrections and admonitions” extended to him by the diocesan leadership.
“In fulfillment of my pastoral duties as chief shepherd with obligation to promote and safeguard the Catholic faith and morals in Enugu Diocese, 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 process initiated by the diocese is concluded,” Onaga said in the statement.
The bishop said the recent happenings at the ministry was capable of undermining the Catholic faith and teachings.
He accused Mbaka of “persistently violating” his pastoral directives and guidelines for the operation of the ministry.
“My decision is based on the fact that some of the teachings and utterances of Fr. Camillus Ejike Mbaka at the Catholic Adoration Ministry are not consistent with the teachings and faith of the Catholic Church,” Onaga said.
He enjoined Christian faithful to keep praying for the cleric and the diocese.
The bishop’s decision is believed to be connected to the recent comments by Mbaka against the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi.
Mbaka, during his weekly ministration service on Wednesday, said Obi would not be president of Nigeria in 2023 because he is a “stingy man who does not give out money to people”.
He also said unless Obi returned to his Adoration Ministry to apologise for refusing to make donation to the ministry when he was asked to do so, his ambition to become president of Nigeria would be fruitless.
Many Nigerians, including the diocese, criticised Mbaka over his comment on Obi.
The cleric later apologised to the former governor and his supporters, saying his intent was not to malign the LP presidential candidate.
The ban comes hours after Mbaka’s apology for the outburst.
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