In rural parts of the West African country, the number of young people participating in Sunday Mass has plummeted and continues to fall as many of them turn to paganism.

Father Vitalis Anaehobi serves in the region and said that most of the young people he has spoken to are grieved by "difficulties in life" such as poverty, unemployment, and "the failure by the Church to protect them" as attacks against Christians continue in the country where religious-based persecution is one of the highest in the world.

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Archbishop Augustine Obiora Akubeze of Benin City was speaking August 9 during an evangelisation conference of the Benin City ecclesiastical province.

The cleric expressed anger that Christianity is still perceived in Africa as "the white man's God" and complained that there are priests who still turn down baptising children bearing African names.

"To become Christian, we had to pick Western names that are saints, and our local names were not allowed. It was as if no Nigerian existed in heaven before the missionaries came," referring to the time when foreign missionaries deployed to Nigeria, which gave the impression that "no Nigerian existed in heaven before the missionaries came."

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In a statement issued July 30, Bishop Martin Dada Olorunmolu revoked the four men's certificates and suspended their activities as "deacons."

After the ordinations, it emerged that everything Olorunmolu was presented with — including the existence of the congregation the men supposedly belonged to called the "Paraclete Missionaries" as well as the congregation's superior general — was fraudulent.

The men involved in the alleged forgery were identified as Aloysius Kubiatabasi Ebong, Francis Mario Daudu, Nkemaka Charles Chukwudi, and Emmanuel Chukwudum Ezeh.

"I was deceived," the bishop said.

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The diocese distanced itself from the ordinations conferred by the diocesan bishop in mid-July after it became known that the order to which the men allegedly belonged did not even exist.

"At no time were they known to be members of our diocese. After the ordination, they went to their community. We have nothing to do with any of them and were deceived," reads the statement published by the published by the CISA agency.

The faithful had realised during the ordination service, but only after the ordination ceremony, that one of the candidates had previously pretended to be a priest and presided at masses.

The diocese will now "look for appropriate canonical steps to address the unfortunate situation".

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Nigeria's Catholic population is estimated to be 25 million, making up 10-15% of the country's 220 million people.

The country's population is expected to soar to 350-400 million in the next 20 years. The Catholic community will expand significantly along with it.

With burgeoning congregations and vocations, Nigerian Catholics believe their fervour could inspire global Catholicism.

Mass attendance at St Louis Church in Jos, Plateau State, is full to overflowing.

"Here it's like this: people are very religious, so you have to come early" explains Akeelah Jr Framinchi, a young local.

The liturgy at St Louis Church blends African traditions with Catholic rituals, creating a unique worship experience.

Broader African trend

The growth of the Catholic Church in Nigeria mirrors a broader trend across Africa, the continent with the highest number of Catholics worldwide.

Emmanuel Duru Ifeangi, a parishioner of St Louis, emphasises the enthusiasm of Nigerian Catholics.

He believes that the "zeal" of Nigerian Catholics can "inspire the whole world".

A local nun echoed this sentiment - "Even Pope Francis says that Africa is the future of the church!"

"We do not let them drift away from faith as they grow up" Ifeangi replied with pride.

"Whether through theatre clubs, youth nights or various workshops, our programmes accompany them up to questions about vocation."

Vocations boom

The rise in vocations is evident at St Augustine's Major Seminary where 354 seminarians are preparing for ordination.

Father Joseph Gotus, the vice-rector, points out that this seminary alone produces more priests than some entire Western countries. This surge in vocations underscores Nigeria's growing influence within the Catholic Church.

Seminarian Emmanuel Echo reflected - "Faith came to us from the West and is spreading rapidly here, while it fades in Europe and America. It is our mission to be sent there to revive it."

"The Vatican likes Nigeria because we are more Roman than the Romans" said another priest.

Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja underscores Nigeria's potential but cautions against premature expectations of significant global leadership roles.

"We are still too young as Christians to assume significant responsibility. We have the vigour of youth but not the ecclesial wisdom and culture."

Sources

La Croix International

CathNews New Zealand

"We have witnessed an explosion of new religious communities. Some with little or nothing in terms of spirituality and charism of consecrated life" Father Anthony Akinwale said.

Fr Akinwale (pictured) is Professor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Augustine University Ilara-Epe in Nigeria's Lagos State.

Speaking at the 2024 Plenary Assembly of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Fr Akinwale expressed grave concerns about the future of the Church.

According to Fr Akinwale, the proliferation of new religious orders in Nigeria poses a significant threat to the credibility of Catholicism in the country.

"Some of these ministries and ministers pretend to be Catholic … They even display statues of our Blessed on their websites or expose the Blessed Sacrament in a way that points to sacrilege" he said.

Furthermore, Father Akinwale accused leaders of these religious orders of perpetrating "fake prophecies and arranged miracles" to exploit a vulnerable populace.

The priest expressed concern that such practices push disillusioned believers towards alternative faiths.

"The populism of these ministries, the advertisement of un-authenticated miracles and prophecies, the opium these ministries administer on our people erode the credibility of Christianity, of Catholicism in particular, in our country," he said.

Pentecostalism encroaching

Pentecostalism in Nigeria is "a greater concern than the blessing of same-sex couples" Fr Akinwale said.

Referring to the controversy around Fiducia Supplicans, he suggested the same-sex blessing issue was a distraction from the deeper issues affecting the Church.

Fr Akinwale also warned that the encroachment of Pentecostal practices within the Catholic Church is diluting its identity and undermining its traditional teachings.

He predicted that an emerging critically minded population would repudiate Catholicism because "it is unable to see the difference between the Pentecostal pastor and a Catholic priest."

While Father Akinwale's remarks underscore the pressing issues facing the Catholic Church in Nigeria, not all share his concerns.

Father Stan Chu Ilo of DePaul University believes that dialogue and mutual learning between Pentecostalism and Catholicism can be beneficial for both traditions.

Fr Chu advocates for a broader perspective that acknowledges the strengths and weaknesses of each religious movement.

"Pentecostalism and Catholic Charismatic is a good thing for the Catholic Church and the churches of Africa" Fr Chu stated

"We can do better"

In response to the challenges outlined, Fr Akinwale proposed a reevaluation of seminary formation. He encouraged a deeper engagement with lay faithful and consecrated individuals within the Church.

He stressed the importance of upholding the Church's apostolic traditions while addressing contemporary realities.

"We are doing well. But we can do better" Akinwale said.

And doing better, the priest explained, means that the Church in Nigeria "must have the courage of martyrs of old in receiving, preserving and transmitting the Gospel that comes to us from the apostles."

Sources

CruxNow

BNN Breaking

CathNews New Zealand