From Ifeoma Ejiofor
After two years of crises, Rome has intervened at 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.
The letter stated that the ceremony of installation would take place on August 15, 2024.
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 priests, described as “Holy Ghost Priests,” had been having a running battle with the Bishop over their residency in the parish, which allegedly led to their ejection from the parsonage of the church by Bishop Okoye.
The Bishop’s action followed an administrative re-arrangement aimed at creating a new parish in the area.
The priests however refused to comply, leading to interruption and suspension of the activities of St Martins Catholic Church Ihiala.
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.
Corroborating the development from Rome, Very Rev Fr Hygi Aghulor said, “After the whole appeal to the Vatican by the Spiritan Congregation against the decision of the Diocesan Bishop of Nnewi Diocese, the Most Rev. Jonas Benson Okoye, the Holy See has affirmed that the Spiritan Priests that were working there at the Parish should be posted out of the Parish for a new Congregation
“The Redemptorist Congregation to pastor at the Parish of St. Martin of Tours, Ihiala from August 15th 2024.
Very Rev. Fr. Hygi Aghaulor appreciated the media practitioners for telling the correct story of St Martin of Tours Ihiala and the posting of the Spiritan priests