Ihiala feud: Parishioners conduct mass, as priests failed to show up

 PAMELA EBOH, Awka 

The feud between the resident Holy Ghost priests of St Martin of Tours Parish, Ihiala and the leadership of Nnewi Diocese on Sunday reached its crescendo as the parishioners  conducted the service themselves without the priests.

The priests who were still in their residence in the parish Sunday morning failed to come out to celebrate the  service.

Their action it was gathered was in obedience to the directive of the Bishop.

Also, the diocesan priests allegedly posted to the parish were also not seen, hence, leading to the congregation  conducting the service themselves without any presiding priest.

The Bishop of the Diocese, Most Reverend Jonas Benson Okoye had last week withdrawn the faculty of the five resident priests in the parish and prohibited them from celebrating Mass in any church in Nnewi Diocese in the meantime.

According to one of the parishioners,  “Everything normally done during Masses was done today, except the Eucharistic consecration, which is the sole function of a priest.

“Those for the 6am Mass were there and they celebrated it, likewise those for 8am and 10am Masses.

“All the readings for the day were taken and the prayers of the faithful were also taken.

“During the prayers of the faithful, all those who performed it prayed for God’s intervention in the crisis in our parish.”

Information has it that many parishioners of St Martin of Tours parish attended Masses in nearby parishes, even as they prayed for quick resolution of the crisis.

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