AFRICA/NIGERIA - Bishops' Conference: Priests should not enter politics without proper authorization

Wednesday, 2 October 2024 local churches bishops priests politics

NIGERIA

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Abuja (Agenzia Fides) - Priests should not enter politics. This was confirmed by the Bishops' Conference of Nigeria in a statement published on October 1st and signed by the President of the Bishops' Conference of Nigeria and Archbishop of Owerri, Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, and by its Secretary, Bishop Donatus Aihmiosion Ogun of Uromi.
"Over the years," says the statement, "some priests in Nigeria have ventured into active politics or the exercise of public office without the necessary authorizations from the competent ecclesiastical authorities." "This situation not only violates the universal laws of the Church (Canon 285 §3 and Canon 287 §2), but is also rejected by the vast majority of the faithful in the country," emphasize the bishops.
For this reason, the Nigerian Episcopal Conference, in agreement with the Dicastery for Evangelization and the Dicastery for Legislative Texts, has decided that clerics who, despite admonitions, continue their non-compliant behavior will be sanctioned on the basis of Canon 1333, which provides for suspension and prohibits "all or some acts of ordination power; all or some acts of governance power and the exercise of all or some of the rights or dulie inherent to an office."
If the priest already subjected to the previous sanction persists in his conduct, he will be subject to the sanction provided for in Canon 1371 § 1 (“A person who does not obey the lawful command or prohibition of the Apostolic See or the Ordinary or Superior and, after being warned, persists in disobedience, is to be punished, according to the gravity of the case, with a censure or deprivation of office or with other penalties mentioned in can. 1336, §§2-4”). The same rules concern men and women religious.
"This is an extremely serious matter and we call on all priests to faithfully observe canon law and to dedicate themselves to their sacred duties with the utmost fidelity and devotion," the message concludes. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 2/10/2024)