Opinion
By Val. Obienyem
I have titled this comment “The Danger of Religion Without Reason” because it reflects the plight of many who chase after miracles and prophecies. For these individuals, no argument or evidence will make sense beyond the idol they have created for themselves.
Take the case of Ebuka Obi: I bet that nobody, including myself, who writes about him hates him. Ebuka is essential to the Church because he caters to the spirituality of a certain category of Christians. All we are saying is that if he is truly Catholic, as he frequently claims, he should identify with the Church in practical ways, one of which would be under the guidance of an expert priest. The Church does not seek to control him by doing so, but rather to, as a mother, ensure that the spiritual health of the people is properly guided.
Ironically, when a priest or layperson expresses this view, they are branded as an anti-Christ. At one point during this controversy, I wrote that whenever the Bishops make statements, either directly or indirectly, about the private ministries of priests and laypeople, they would be branded as working against God’s grace, and this is precisely what happened. Bishops meet twice a year for their plenary sessions. The last meeting, which was heavily advertised before it took place, was held in Benin. As usual, they evaluated the situation in society, including the Church and the country, and issued a communiqué. The communiqué made statements about private ministries and advised people accordingly, in the light of Canon Law. Expectedly, Evangelist Ebuka Obi labelled it as a secret meeting called specifically because of him. Before long, his followers began branding Bishops as anti-Christs. This illustrates the dangers of religion devoid of reason.
People like us are accustomed to this. I have not insulted Ebuka Obi; I write to educate and teach people the fundamentals of Catholicism, which I am privileged to possess. The response from individuals like Ujunwa Okeke is that I lack love; she even attempted to prove this by claiming that he once sought my assistance for someone and I did not respond. What nonsense! I am a realist. I assist many people, even in schools. I have always and will continue to frown upon those whose job it is to seek out the needy and then call upon a third party to help. Help as much as you can because those people also have others they help, more than you might realise. This is why I do not support people setting up foundations only to start raising money to fund the foundation. If you have money to sponsor a foundation, please do so, but do not start pestering everyone. I may be wrong, but this is my perspective. They claim that I am jealous, that I have a dark heart, or that I am more Catholic than the Pope. They say many things that are utterly incomprehensible simply because one dared tell them the truth. They even endorse what he does because, according to them, he was trained by a priest. I have reminded those with such a mindset that the greatest rebellion against the Church often came from within—priests and bishops trained in the seminaries or by apprentices—before the Council of Trent established formal seminaries.
Those who are not Catholics, who do not want you to see the truth and become spiritually emancipated, will say things like, “Val, the Catholic Church will ‘kpai’ you,” “If Ebuka were a priest, you wouldn’t say anything,” or “You are a fanatic.” Where they are coming from, only they know. Val does not and will not relate to anyone based on the church they attend. Today, I hardly know which church my workers attend.
Try to explain to them that, no matter what the game is, it must still have rules. We are not wiser than the Church. The Church, with over 2,000 years of experience, now seeks to guide the people of God. Much of that guidance can be found in Canon Law. Quote Canon Law from Jerusalem to Jericho, they pretend as if they are not aware of what it is. Yet, the Pope submits himself to the same Canon Law. Though he has the authority to overrule it, but he understands that the game must always have rules, hence he always subjects himself to it. On the Pope (Canons 331-335), Cardinals (Canons 349-359), bishops (Canons 375-411), and priests (Canons 528-530).
In the case of private ministries like that of Ebuka Obi, Canon Law has extensive provisions, including the bishop’s authority to recognise them (Canon 299) or even to permit the use of the name “Catholic” (Canon 300). In each instance, Canon 305 outlines the bishop’s oversight responsibilities for such ministries, which is why a chaplain is typically assigned to them. The Church’s overall aim is to ensure that the correct teachings are upheld and that everything operates within its broader framework.
In truth, there is no aspect of the life of the Church that Canon Law does not address. It was crafted to address errors of the past and mitigate the potential for future errors, without targeting any individual or group. I mention this because, if given the chance, some might claim that Canon Law is aimed specifically at them (Ebuka Obi) and may even dismiss it as a work of the devil.
Did you listen to this video https://www.facebook.com/share/r/HbFTTu3U2XYCrdU3/?mibextid=YpDZO8 and how some of them dismissed Fr. Tochukwu as inspired by the devil. Why are they allergic to the truth?
I write this out of love. If you have the ear of Ebuka Obi, let him know that we care for him, but our only concern is that he operates within the guidance of the Church if he truly cherishes the Catholic faith.
11th September, 2024.
C.E.
Tags: Val. Obienyem
