The Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI on December 7 2012
appointed Rev. Msgr. Peter Ebere Okpaleke as the new bishop of Ahiara Diocese. Msgr Peter Okpaleke is a clergy of the
Catholic Diocese of Awka and was ordained a priest on August 22 1992.
Born on March 1 1963 in Amesi, Aguata Local Government Area
of Anambara State, he studied philosophy and theology at Bigard Memorial
Seminary Ikot Ekpene and Enugu respectively. He had his further studies at CIWA
Port Harcourt and at the Holy Cross University Rome where he bagged a doctorate
degree in Canon Law in 2011. Upon his return to the diocese, he was appointed
Judge at the Inter-Diocesan Tribunal of Onitsha and the Parish Priest of Sts
John and Paul Parish, Umubele, Awka Diocese.
Find an update post on Msgr. Okpaleke here
Find an update post on Msgr. Okpaleke here
ALL GLORY TO GOD
ReplyDeleteThe purpose is to serve God, where he comes does not count. He has been appointed by the Pope himself and I give him my support. He is such a young and vibrant man and I so much believe that he will lead us to a very successful end. Welcome to Mbaise our dear Bishop. May God be with you as you lead us well.
ReplyDeleteIt is sad to note the open injustice in the catholic church in Nigeria primarily the Neo colonialism the Anambra people have introduced in Nigeria.
ReplyDeleteFr Peter was appointed to be the bishop of Ahiara Diocese in never justified from the folloing points.
First Ahiara people have more competent persons more than Fr. Peter
If They were haveing argument on who will be the bishop is not wrong, In the six Dioceses in Old Anambra or Onisha Province, such equally happened, even the worst happened priest even nearly killed each other and hated themselves till today..
If nobody was found worthy to be a bishop in the said Diocese why not look for Mbaise priest in any congregation in Nigeri, or pick any competent priest in Owerri Archdiocese.
Why do Anambra/Onisha province pick any priest from Owerri province or any other province in Nigeria and make him bishop and post him in any Diocese in Onish Archdiocese to prove to us christin attitude and true justice in the Church.
Fr Peter is the 10th Onisha Archdiocese to be made bishop in Nigeria.
Onisha Archdioces has their priest in Kaduna, Nothern Nigeria, Binin Western Nigeria and in the South the dominate the whole of Igboland it is Injustice in the CATHOLIC CHURCH. IT IS ABSOLUTELY WRONG.
If Fr. Peter insist I know he loves power right from his seminary days and go to Ahiara I say SORRY!.
Onisha man is in Aba, Okigwe and now in Ahiara. Anambra and power.
The same Old Anambra people are giving bad name to Igbo in the Nigeria politics, shine your eyes you will testify to this.
I do believe that NOT ALL Anambra men or women are bad. The evil ones destroying catholic church be warn against the wrath of God.
I thank God that Arinze is not a Pope he could have done the greatest evil. He is using his influence to destroy church in Nigeria.Thats how he projected 2 Onisha Arch. priest to be cardinal the went to into struggle and it faild them because they never wanted Non Igbo man to cardinal behold Onaiyekan was made a cardinal.
DIRTY POLITICS IN GOD'S TEMPLE! IS A SHAME!. TRUTH MUST BE SAID AND
TRUTH IS BITTER
It is sad that people who do not understand the process of episcopal appointment are spewing horrible nepotic sentiments against a bishop who had no hand in his appointment and against the Church.
DeleteOne fact of episcopal appointment is that any worthy priest in the Catholic Church can be appointed a bishop any where in the Catholic world, Ahiara included.
The Second fact is that Archbishop Obinna and the consultors of Ahiara Diocese were privy to the process and had to agree to it before the announcement was ever made. So, Peter Okpaleke was not an imposition on Ahiara. The Current rulers of the diocese voted for him from a list of Candidates which I am sure included Ahiara indigenes and sons working elsewhere.
The man who is saying all sorts of things about certain clergy men and the people of Anambra should have known a lot of things. It has taken two years of searching to get someone whom the priests of Ahiara could agree on. I ma sure that the acrimony created by the search for a bishop led to the decision to go outside Owerri province and to seek a non-Ahiaran for a bishop for the sake of peace and for the good of the diocese. This is not unusual.
Anyone who knows the history of the Church in Owerri province alone, knows that bishops have not always come from the dioceses to which they have been appointed. Nwedo was from Oguta in Owerri diocese and was appointed to Umuahia. Unegbu was from Arondizugo in the then Umuahia Diocese and was appointed to Owerri. Ochiagha is from Mbano in Okigwe Diocese and was appointed to Orlu. Even Ugorji, the present bishop of Umuahia is from Owerri Archdiocese, even though he was a priest of Umuahia Diocese. By the way, a similar scenario also obtained in Onitsha Province. So, arguing that Onitsha people have taken over all the bishoprics in Owerri province is complete nonsense.
Concerning other points that you make, I will have you know that Bishop Martin Uzoukwu was a priest of the Diocese of Ilorin in Kaduna Province, and that Archbishop Akubueze was a priest of Issele-Uku in Benin Province and, consequently, became a bishop and Archbishop in the same province. Onitsha province did not send them there. The peoples they served deemed them worthy to be bishops and, so, elected them.
Concerning the election of Cardinals, you know, my dear Sir, that not even the Cardinal Secretary of State in the Vatican has any powers to nominate. This is the pope's sole duty. To accuse Arinze of wanting to impose an Onitsha man as a Cardinal shows that you do not in any wise have a broad understanding of the Church in Nigeria and in Africa. If you know the Church in Nigeria well enough, you would have known that, after Okogie, Onaiyekan would have been the next Nigerian Cardinal.
I would most sincerely ask you to check your facts before putting anything out for the public. What we write say much about ourselves than about the people we try to publicly destory.
I pray for the diocese of Ahiara, and ask God to bless them and their new bishop, Peter Okpaleke.
IT IS REALLY SAD TO WATCH THE CLERGY IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH WASH THEIR DIRTY LINEN IN THE PUBLIC. DOES IT MEAN THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO LAY DOWN THE COMPLAINTS OF THE AHIARA DIOCESE TO THE HOLY FATHER IF NOT BY PUBLIC ASSAULT? I AM DISAPPOINTED AT THE PRIESTS AND LEADERS OF AHIARA DIOCESE. I KNOW OUR POPE HAS A LISTENING EAR AND WILL NEVER SUPPORT INJUSTICE. THEIR ACTION IS DEMORALIZING TO US WHO ARE LAY FAITHFUL AND IS PUTTING OUR FAITH IN SERIOUS JEOPARDY. WHAT THEN IS THE TEACHING OF JESUS CHRIST ON THE 'TURN THE OTHER CHICK?' THEIR DECISION TO REGISTER THEIR GRIEVANCES BY PORTRAYING THE POPE AND CARDINAL ARINZE AS CLANDESTINE GROUP IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IS REALLY PAINFUL AND HEART BREAKING AND IS STRIPPING THE CHURCH OF CHRIST OF THE LEADERSHIP ROLE AS ORDAINED BY JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF THROUGH ST PETER AND OTHER APOSTLES. IF THE PROBLEM OF THE DIOCESE IS JUST TO OPENLY REJECT THE NEW BISHOP, I FEEL IT IS UNNECESSARY TO CASTIGATE THE POPE AND CARDINAL FRANCIS ARINZE. REMEMBER THAT ASSASSINATION OF CHARACTER IS A CRIME BEFORE GOD AND MAN. I BELIEVE THAT THE CHURCH WILL ADDRESS THEIR PROBLEM IF THEY ROUTE THEIR COMPLAINTS PROPERLY TO GOD THROUGH THE POPE WITH PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION. LET THERE BE A STOP TO ALL THESE MESS PLEASE!. THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IS BEING DENTED FOR NO JUST CAUSE. MAY THE MOTHER OF PERPETUAL HELP INTERVENE IN THIS MATTER. GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU READ MY CONTRIBUTION. FLORA ANAMBRA STATE.
DeleteI'm wary of anonymous comments. May the writers of the above comments sign their names, so we know who's commenting.
ReplyDeleteThe Office Of the Bishop in Igboland: The Way Forward.
DeleteBecause of the bitterness caused by the 'dubious appointment' of the yet to be installed servant of the servants of God for the vacancy created by the sudden demise of Bp. Chikwe of Ahiara diocese; I wish to state that it's high time the Igbo Catholicism through a general synod take a serious and honest look at the appointment of bishops and the running of the office of the bishop.
Suggestions:
1. No priest should be nominated Bishop of his home diocese.
2. Bishops should be, when the need arises, transferred from
one diocese to another.(Like in the western Catholicism)
3. The office of the bishop should be slightly 'depowerlized'; this will stop the scramble for the said office.
4. There should be transparency in the management of Diocesan
Fund. The Winner takes it all principle by which many
bishops -past and present- run or ran their dioceses shouldbe denounced by the people of God.
5. The lifestyle of the bishops should not be opulent and
worldly -as is currently the case in the Igboland. The
bishops should practise self-imposed poverty .
6. Cronyism i.e the situation in which people in power give
jobs to their friends should be rejected.
These among other measures will make the office of the bishop unattractive; thus the unholy scramble for it will cease in
Jesus mighty Name!
My name is Frank, I wrote the more historical anonymous comment. I am from Imo State and have a stake in what is going on in Ahiara--simply put.
DeleteI agree with Leonard Leo that it is time to start appointing bishops from outside the diocese needing a bishop. This will ensure a fairer process and will eliminate unnecessary competitions where these exist.
I should also add that it is about time to start looking to the more mendicant, contemplative, and missionary religious orders for bishops. This will ensure that specific religious charisms are brought into the episcopacy and ensure that the more secular aspects of the office are held in some check.
I'd appreciat people sign their comments. It shows you know what you are writing and makes you man of your words.
ReplyDeleteI am from Mbaise....Aboh to be precise....so my Dioces is on spotlight here.
We'v been without a Bishop for about 2 years now.....i wont call it a shame, rather not healthy for the spiritual growth and wellbeign of Ahiara dioces and the church at large.
Very well, there must have been consultation from the local Church(here i mean Nigeria and Archdioceses in Igboland), befor the Pope makes His appointment. Let's not forget the infallability of the Holy See.
I know there is politics (not secular) in the Church, but let us not be tempted to mistake it for the secular politics. Let us pray for the Holy spirit to direct us aright. We pray for our leader, that the Good Lord will bless them with Holiness and Wisdom to lead the faithfull.
Let's drop sentiments and pray for unity, peace, love of one another.
My consolation to whatever storm that rage............and the gate of hell cannot prevail against it.......I am with you till the end of time.Udo nke Osebuluwa diri anyi.....
Nwachukwu Obinna Obidike