Adoration Ministry: Catholic Church clarifies reported removal of Fr Mbaka 


The Catholic Diocese of Enugu has stated that Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka has been replaced by Rev. Fr. Anthony Amadi to take over as temporary administrator for the state’s Adoration Ministry.

Rev. Fr. Benjamin Achi, the Enugu Diocese’s director of communications, stated this in Enugu Monday in response to media reports that the church had dismissed Mbaka, the ministry’s administrator.

He said Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka was not dismissed from the Adoration Ministry, as numerous reports claimed.

He said the Enugu Catholic Diocese had only suggested that Fr. Mbaka spend some time alone in order to hear from the Holy Spirit.

“Mbaka was allowed to propose a priest to administer, in the interim, to the faithful at the Adoration Ministry.

“With the approval of his Bishop, Fr. Mbaka introduced Fr. Anthony Amadi to the worshippers.

“Unfortunately, some people were still not pleased, and would prefer that Fr. Mbaka remains,” he said.

He stated that what every true Christian, and especially every true Catholic, should do at this moment was to “commit our dear brother and priest, Fr. Mbaka, to God in prayer so that he may, through this moment, encounter God specially, come out stronger and better in recognising His will for him and gain more grace to channel those rare gifts for His glory.”

Following the lifting of the ban, Fr. Mbaka held a service at the ministry on Sunday amidst cheers by his followers.

The worshippers were, however, shocked when the cleric announced that he had been removed as the spiritual director of the ministry by the Catholic Bishop, Most Rev Callistus Onaga.

He subsequently introduced Anthony Amadi, another Catholic priest, as the new spiritual director of the ministry.

Mbaka said he had been directed to “proceed to a monastery” as part of the disciplinary measures against him by the church.

“So, while I proceed to the monastery to continue with the remaining disciplinary exercises, as directed, I wouldn’t know how long; but the church has appointed Fr. Anthony Amadi, one of us, to be overseeing all affairs of the ministry, to be assisted by other priests, pending my return, by the grace of God,” Fr. Mbaka said. (Ripples Nigeria)