Bishop sacks five Anambra Catholic priests, accuses them of insubordination

Five priests of the St Martin of Tours, Ihiala, have been sacked from their posts by the Bishop of Nnewi Catholic Diocese in Anambra State, Jonas Benson Okoye.

Okoye was said to have sent the priests packing over alleged insubordination

The priests were said to be having a running battle with the bishop over their residency in the parish.

The bishop had ejected the priests from the parsonage of the church following an administrative rearrangement aimed to create a new parish in the area

The priests who claimed that their order had been in possession of the parish for over 100 years refused the order of the bishop for them to vacate the parish for new priests sent to man the church.

As a consequence, the bishop had to withdraw their canonical faculties (authorities to perform acts or function in the parish)

A former director of communication of Nnewi diocese, Reverend Father Hyginus Aghaulo, disclosed the development to journalists on Tuesday.

He said, “The Spiritans claim that Archbishop Heerey gave it ( parish) to them in 1967. That was under 1917 Code but canon 6 of 1983 Code abrogated 1917 Code unless such matters are renewed in 1983 Code but there is no evidence that such happened. Thirdly, 1983 Code abolished making a moral person now juridic person a pastor. Now to be appointed a pastor, the person must be a physical person and be in priesthood.

“Even if a parish is given to a juridic person even in solidum, the diocesan Bishop must appoint one of them the proper pastor. Fourthly, under 1917 Code when such grant was instituted, there was an express need for apostolic indult in order to have the character of perpetuity.

“The 1983 Code gives the discretion and right of free conferral on diocesan bishops and those equivalent to them in law in line with canons. 368 and 381, in the spiritual task of appointing pastors.

“Thus, the diocesan can freely appoint and freely fire. He can freely create and freely suppress parishes without recourse to existing customs, grants and centennial or immemorial bequests and grants.”

He said In the Ihiala case, “Bishop Jonas Benson Okoye is a successor of Archbishop Heerey and so has power to interpret or alter the perpetuity clause in such a convention because “salvation of souls is the supreme law.”