By Jude Atupulazi
Those who delight in using their mobile phones during Mass across Catholic churches in Nigeria have been told it will no more be tolerated and this also includes the priests.
The Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), has banned the use of such gadgets, including Facebook and other social media platforms.
The CBCN further banned the inappropriate importation of secular music into the liturgy; abuse of the pulpit for personal gains; settling scores with parishioners; indecorous dance, even with the monstrance containing the Eucharist; and inappropriate dressing for liturgical celebrations by priests and the laity.
This was contained in a circular dated August 15, 2024, regarding some abuses and aberrations which was obtained by Blaze 91.5 FM.
The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, Most Rev Ignatius Kaigama, revealed this in his teaching at St. Theresa’s Parish, Wumba titled, “Taste and See That the Lord Is Good!” where he conferred the Sacrament of Confirmation on 200 parishioners.
He said, ‘The Catholic Bishops of Nigeria issued a circular dated August 15, 2024, regarding some abuses and aberrations such as the use of phones by priests during Mass and the lay people taking calls during Mass or doing Facebook, etc.
‘The arbitrary distortion of the liturgy, arising from the desperate quest for inculturation; the irreverent handling of the Eucharist; altering the structure of the liturgy by taking up too many collections and fundraising right in the middle of liturgical celebrations; and invention of rites in the name of child dedication, with some priests placing a child on the altar against the teaching of the Church that a child is already dedicated to God during baptism.’
Other aberrations listed by the CBCN, according to Bishop Kaigama, are inappropriate importation of secular music into the liturgy; indecorous dance, even with the monstrance containing the Eucharist; inappropriate dressing for liturgical celebrations by priests and lay people; abusing the pulpit for personal gains, settling scores with parishioners.
‘For us Catholics, the Eucharist should be a very effective means to help us transform our society; to arrest the degeneration of moral values, criminality, inhuman treatment to people, corruption by those in authority, as well as the corruption found even among the poor; businessmen and women hiking the prices of things or selling fake items,’ Bishop Kaigama said.
