The Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Callistus Onaga, on Saturday banned priests from conducting crusades in their parishes.
Onaga announced the ban in his homily at the ordination of 26 priests and the celebration of 50 years anniversary of the Sacred Heart Seminary, Nsude (Junior Seminary) in Enugu.
He charged the priests to organise retreats for their parishioners and pay greater attention to prayers and not hold crusades.
Onaga who was celebrating his 55th alma mater warned priests against forming prayer groups, but to take their members to approved prayer places like Ugwu Dì Nso, monastery and others.
“Do not adopt the Pentecostal approach of service, and be careful in forming prayer groups,’’ he charged.
He admonished the newly-ordained priests to seek spiritual holiness and avoid being dragged into secular affairs.
Although, Onaga did not give reason for the ban, it is believed that the bishop’s action may be connected to the conflict the church had lately with an outspoken priest, Ejike Mbaka, who ran a Pentecostal-styled ministry, the Adoration Ministry in Enugu, with fanatical following from Catholic faithful.
Mbaka’s followers once stormed the streets of Enugu and pelted stones at the bishop’s residence over the priest’s “disappearance”.
Earlier, the Rector of the seminary, Rev. Fr. Stanislaus Onodugo said the seminary was the brain-child of Bishop of Enugu, Godfrey Okoye, of blessed memory, in 1972.
He stated that since 1972, priests and lay persons that went through the seminary had graduated into reputable personalities.
“Today, the seminary can boast of at least one bishop who was among the second set to study in this seminary, and that is Bishop Onaga.
“We are also celebrating the grand finale of our golden jubilee which started since June, 27.
“Today, our dear bishop raised 26 deacons to the Order of Priesthood and we are happy that such event is happening in our time,’’ Mr Onodugo said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bishop Onaga was among the second set of students to be admitted into the seminary in 1973.
