THE HYPOCRISY OF CATHOLICS Now, I dont mind whose ox is gored and dont care what anyone would say. And I must go ahead to say it! In Nigeria, Catholicism is most popular and widespread in the South-Eastern Nigeria. The implication of this is that there are more Igbos who are Catholic adherents than other Nigerians. Whenever theres any uproar about the grand corruption and materialism of Nigerian pastors, I listen to Catholics and watch them trash the pastors and whatever. But when their Reverend fathers and bishops are found guilty of the same mess of swindling gullible people/materialistic excesses as pentecostal pastors, theyd recoil and limit the criticisms only amongst themselves without making it public as they do about others. That, friend, is simply a first-class hypocrisy! I was born a Catholic and have been a quiet student of the orangutan greed, materialism and worldliness of Catholic priests in Nigeria which is mainly reflected in their desperate pursuit and endless haranguing of people to donate money to them at churches and their adoration crusades. Ive been getting updates about their excesses until today when I personally witnessed something shocking as well as in tandem to what Ive been hearing. Theres this Catholic priest Ive known for more than a decade. Hes from Anambra State. Hes into adoration, crusades and whatever. Some blissfully ignorant Catholics categorize him into those they call spiritual rev fathers--whatever the nonsense means--one may think other rev fathers are unspiritual. Ive closely observed this priest when I chanced on him and honestly, I personally found him rather uninspiring, vain and wordly--whatever his spiritual gifts are to others who wouldnt want to be critical when it comes to religion. This rev father, today, the 2nd of January, 2014, celebrated the opening of his PERSONAL residential house along an express road in my local govt. You need to see the uber-exotic, state-of-the-art, eye-popping, exquisite and flamboyant sophistication that enveloped the house. You really wouldnt believe that house belongs to a priest-a Catholic priest, but you can only believe it if it were to be a politician. Yes, the Catholic priests and politicians in the Igboland are really competing with each other and its obvious to anyone with keenly social eyes that theyre all preying on the masses. Not to forget, this opening of house was done by another Catholic bishop who I learned is from Anambra State but is a bishop of a certain diocese in the South-south. Looking around the arena, one would see a string of rich men and politicians with their exotic cars parked all over. Pray, what on earth does a Catholic priest need an exotic and big personal residence for? And why the so much flagrant display of wealth/opening of house? More importantly, what message is he passing across to the gullible masses foolishly following and listening to him? The Catholics respect and honor their priests in the past primarily because of their disciplined apathy to material things and commitment to moderation. But these days, their priests -- these new-age and bling-bling ones -- have become most vain and materialistic than the adherents they preach to. What irks me is: Catholics grumble behind and at the background about this growing mess but would never talk it to the faces of those priests. I just wouldnt understand such cowardice, as they dont display it when its about non-Catholic pastors. All around the Igboland this season, especially Anambra, youre deluged with posters and billboards of Catholic priests haranguing and swindling people to come for their crusades and adoration. The desperation to make money is written all over the posters. The countless posters and bills everywhere also reflect the desperation. One begins to wonder if people should continue to respect such priests who preach one thing on their pulpits and do another when they climb down. Pray, what difference is there between a hoodlum of a pastor and a swindler of a catholic priest--all for money? When a man says hes a celibate and still goes around frolicking with women, do I still reserve my respect for him? No! And when same man says hes not into acquisition of properties and material things, yet he acquires the best of properties even when he said hes not into business or politics, do I still regard him? No! The material excesses of Catholic priests in Igboland is quite alarming. The cowardice of their adherents and gullible followers in telling them that to their faces is more dangerously alarming. I just wonder what it is/are they Catholics respect about most of their priests these days who clearly dont deserve it. I just wonder why Catholics would ever criticize other pastors while looking the other way when its about their own.
Posted on: Fri, 02 Jan 2015 19:04:21 +0000
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