From Isaac Ojo Awka
After two years of crises, Rome has intervened in the St. Martins Catholic Church in Ihiala, Anambra State, by sacking the Holy Ghost Priests and assigning a new congregation to take over the church.
This fact was contained in letter written to the President General (PG) Ihiala Progress Union, Okey Leo Ohagba by the Ihiala Indigenous Priests and Religious Association, signed by Rev. Fr. Desmond Ebulue, the President.
Rev Fr Ebulue said that the Dicastery of Evangelization in Rome has provisionally assigned the Redemptorist Congregation to take over the ordinary and extraordinary pastoral care of St. Martins of Tours parish, Ihiala.
Recall that St Martins Catholic Church Ihiala has witnessed a faceoff between the Holy Ghost Priests and the Catholic Bishop of Nnewi, Anambra State, Jonas Benson Okoye.
The Spiritan Priests claimed their order had been in possession of the parish for over one hundred years and refused to vacate the parish despite the Bishop’s order.
The Bishop’s order followed an administrative re-arrangement aimed at creating a new parish in the area.
The letter from the Ihiala Indigenous Priests and Religious Association thanked the Ihiala Progressive Union for their efforts in maintaining peace and public safety in the town and assured them of their support in the transition process.
The Redemptorist Congregation is expected to usher in a new era of peace and stability to the parish, which has been rocked by the crisis.
The sacking of the Holy Ghost Priests and the assignment of a new congregation to take over the church is seen as a bold move by Rome to assert its authority and resolve the crisis.
