Abuja, Nigeria – After being closed for nearly three months, the Adoration Ministry Enugu, Nigeria (AMEN) has announced it will be reopening on next week, Sunday 2nd October, 2022.
The Adoration Ministry was initially closed on 19th June 2022 by Bishop Callistus Onaga of the Enugu Catholic Diocese, following alleged persistent disobedience to canonical laws by the spiritual director – “all religious and liturgical activities” at the Adoration Ministry were also banned.
Earlier today, the Spiritual Director, Very Rev Fr Ejike Camilus Mbaka announced that Adoration Ministry has been reopened.
Mbaka, in a statement he personally signed, said the Ministry was officially reopened last Sunday, September 22.
The statement announcing the reopening reads:
“Dear Adorers,
“To the glory of God, Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria Amen, starts on Sunday 2nd October, 2022 with 10am Mass at the Adoration ground Umuchigbo Iji Nike Emene Enugu State.
“God bless you miraculously as you come to worship God with us.”
While reopening the Ministry, reliable sources said the Bishop issued further strict restrictions and guidelines on the operations of the Ministry.
According to him, “there were new restriction handed down to Fr. Mbaka. He was counseled to adhere, henceforth with Sacrosanctum Concilium, the constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of the Church.”
The new guidelines enact an outright ban on Fr. Mbaka from making incisive political commentaries.
Meanwhile, in what appeared to be an apparent corroboration of Bishop Onaga’s position, Pope Francis issued a multo proprio, that liturgy should not be “a battleground” for “outdated issues.”
“I emphasize again that the liturgical life, and the study of it, should lead to greater Church unity, not division. When the liturgical life is a bit like a banner of division, there is the stench of the devil in there, the deceiver,” Pope Francis.
“It’s not possible to worship God while making the liturgy a battleground for issues that are not essential, indeed, outdated issues, and to take sides starting with the liturgy, with ideologies that divide the Church.”
Speaking at an audience with the Pontifical Liturgical Institute in the apostolic palace, the pope said that he believes that “every reform creates resistance.”
It would be recalled that in his pastoral injunction shutting down Ministry, the Bishop had said that Fr. Mbaka has continued to violet all laid down tenets of Catholicism even after several corrections.
The Bishop banned all the Catholic clergy, religious and lay faithful from attending all religious and liturgical activities of the Adoration Ministry until the due canonical process initiated by the Diocese are concluded.
The Bishop’s letter reads: “In the light of the happenings in the Catholic Adoration Ministry Chaplaincy Enugu: capable of undermining the Catholic faith and teachings; and after several fraternal corrections and admonitions to Fr. Camillus Ejike Mbaka, the Chaplain of the Ministry.
“And after having given him pastoral directives and guidelines for the Ministry Chaplaincy, which he persistently violated; and in fulfilment of my pastoral duties as the Chief Shepherd with the obligation to promote and safeguard the Catholic faith and morals in Enugu Diocese, I hereby prohibit all Catholics (clergy, religious and lay faithful) henceforth from attending all religious and liturgical activities of the Adoration Ministry until the due canonical process initiated by the Diocese is concluded.
“My decision is based on the fact that some of the teachings and utterances of Fr Camillus Ejike Mbaka at the Catholic Adoration Ministry are not consistent with the teachings and faith of the Catholic Church.
“I enjoin all the Christian Faithful to keep praying for Fr. Mbaka and the Catholic Diocese of Enugu as I entrust him and the Diocese to the maternal carç thee and protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of the Apostles.”
As the ban is lifted, expectation are high. The move is being viewed as one of the biggest leaps toward allowing thousands of adorers to truely worship God in spirit and in truth.
However, watchers and insiders are taking a wait-and-see approach till the Ministry is fully booms as usual.