However the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, Wednesday, debunked speculations that the conference has pulled out of the National Christian Body, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), over alleged undisclosed issues.
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| The Original letter to CAN |
The Nigerian Catholic Church letter expalining
why it has decided to withdraw its membership of the Christian
Association of Nigeria (CAN) in order to promote Christian unity and
peaceful coexistence amongst Christians and non-Christians alike.
The Diocesan Administrator of the Catholic Diocese of Abeokuta, Monsignor Christopher Ajala, at a news conference stated that the Catholic church suspended its activities in CAN because it was too close to government.
The Director Communication, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Rev Fr Raulph Madu, while speaking to a reporter of one of the national dailies maintained that the CBCN did not pull out of CAN, and that, the body was only trying to sought out some issues with National Christian body.
He mentioned that the body only withdrew temporarily from CAN, which will only last for few weeks, adding that, there was no squabble between the two religious bodies.
According to him, “how can we pull out of CAN, we are just trying to iron out some issues with them, which are not palatable to us and its only going to last for few weeks”
“We will always be in support of the National Body; some of our Bishops are head CAN in some states, like, Owerri, among others”.
‘CAN’ll continue without Catholic’
Christian Association of Nigeria has
reacted to the threat by the Catholic block to pull out of the
organisation, blaming their action on the loss of the Presidency of CAN
to Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor.
The Public Relations Officer of the 19
Northern States of CAN and Abuja, Mr. Sunny Oibe, in an interview with
journalists on Wednesday in Abuja also accused Catholics of arrogance.
He said, “There is no division in CAN and
we are all speaking with one language. There are some certain elements
in the leadership of PFN led by Cardinal John Onaiyekan because he lost
PFN Presidency to Oritsejafor who has a lot of achievements.
“There is no need for anybody to lose
sleep over the threat by Catholics to pull out of CAN because without
them CAN will still continue. The constitution of CAN makes provision
that membership can be terminated by any group that is misbehaving or
any group can also terminate their membership.
“Why is it that when Catholics were in
the leadership of CAN, every bloc supported them, but now because power
has changed hands, they are threatening to pull out and causing
confusion?
“They have been agitating that the
Presidency of CAN must one from the South. They at appendage of PDP and
PDP themselves. They are known for double standards. A man of God should
not be double speaking.”
Accordding to Oibe who is also the
spokesperson for the President of Tarayar Ekklisiyar Kristi A Nijeriya, a
conglomeration of 13 church groups in CAN, Catholics should not mislead
the public even if they want to pull out.
He said, “The Catholics are claiming that
the current CAN leadership has deviated from the vision of the
founding fathers when they don’t even know how CAN came about. What did
the Catholics know about the vision of the founding fathers?
“CAN was formed because of the
marginalisation of Christians in the North. The Christians in the North,
particularly those of them from the TEKAN extraction came together and
formed Northern Christian Association. It was that body that
metamorphosed to CAN.”
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You begin to wonder what edifying messages this Rev. Oibe can preach to his congregants if he'll address the press with such indignant remarks on the subject. It only buttresses the reasons why the Catholic Church should pull out of CAN. Hear him talk about the formation/history of CAN. Can one mention its history without Cardinal Ekandem and the role of the Catholic Church.
ReplyDeleteWell I'm this day proudly Catholic, the excesses of the present leadership of CAN has been at various with the pure and incorruptible teachings of Christ. The Church existed before CAN and would continue to grow from strength to strength.
Ah. What Have They been doing there. They Are Not with us They Are Not Christians Thats Why They want to leave.
ReplyDeleteAM NT SURPRISED. D CATHOLIC WANT 2 ALWAYS B FIRST. CATHOLIC ALLEGATION DAT D PRESENT CAN IS CLOSER 2 GOVERTMENT IS FALSE. I USED TINK MANY YEARS AGO DAT REV. MAT. KUKKAR WAS A POLITICIANS BCOS OF IS CLOSENESS 2 POLITICIANS INFACT IT WAS RECENTLY I REALISE HE WAS REAL PRIEST.
ReplyDeleteCAN! Pls amend your ways. D o the will of God concerning the association and achieve the goal of the association spiritually. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteU are ony decieving urself everybody including urselve (CAN) under d leadership of oritsejafor know that CAN as we have it today is a department of gvt of d day. U better retrace ur steps to avoid d wrath of d almighty
ReplyDeleteThere is no way you can build religion without politics, on this issue we cannot take sides as catholics or pentecostal or whotever. This are institution set up by GOD I pray that our religious leaders come together and put what is going wrong in CAN back to the aim of it founding fathers and also accept what is new that will also please GOD. I fill really ashamed as a Christian seeing this on our dailys, this should be threated in closed doors normatta what it takes to put things right. Our leaders must know that the devil is everywhere even in CAN and will want to destroy the good work of CAN, please CAN and it's leaders don't dis-integrate us.
ReplyDeleteCAN and their leaders are no more doing the will of God anymore rather purshueing wealth and powers in the currupt government. Is better for the body of Christ (Catholics) to pull out from this currupt leaders that call themselves CAN. Lets see what will happen next if Catholics mean what they said. He promissed Peter and the church that the gate of hell shall never prevail against it. "The church must live!"
ReplyDeleteWhat has darkness got to do with light? It's long over due to separate the shap from the grain. Catholic supposed to pull out from CAN ever since 'cos they've no connections at all. They've been described as a mother of harlot where all manner of unclean form of worship takes place. Catholic Church worship graving images and not our Lord Jesus Christ, nor follow the teachings of the Holy Bible. These are institution and people who called a human being like them father, make confession to him and bow down to graving images instead of worship to our Lord Jesus Christ only. Worship of Mary and others is an idolatrous form of worship. Catholic is a Church of Satan where Devil lives and is freely worship. Those who worships there and are not aware of such should come out from among them, receives Jesus Christ, the only Savior of man kind and the whole world. God bless you as you heed this call today
ReplyDeleteU must not be rude..
Delete@ AnonymousJanuary 24, 2013 at 12:29 PM, I can see u have same fish brain as Blazygurl........ God have Mercy on US all.
DeleteI tin if i say u are insane is an understatemnt u ve to as 4 foregiveness . I wanda wat kind of a man are u i tink u lack manners listn to urself u re de devil ursef
DeleteThe bible says " love thy neighbours as thy self" it appears we no longer obey the bible , if CAN is having issues with some of its members why not resolve it as brothers? Instead of removing them from the association .even when Jesus was betrayed he still prayed to God asking him to forgive them . There is no unity in the Christiandom , and as for those who are condemning Catholics saying there are cults am not a catholic but I will tell you this , make a background check in where you worship you will be surprised your pastors have hidden altars , and there is no church in heaven okay we will all be judged on that day despite the church you attend .
Delete@ AnonymousJanuary 24, 2013 at 12:29 PM, I can see u have same fish brain as Blazygurl........ God have Mercy on US all.
ReplyDelete@ Anonymous Jan 24, 2013@ 12:29pm. Do not judge so u will not be judged. Who are u to condemn the catholic church? It is only God in heaven that knows who is worshiping him in truth and in spirit not you. People like u don't even know thier left from their right when it comes to Christianity.may God have mercy on ur soul.
ReplyDeleteOpting out of CAN is a best decision in d right direction.let d money bagged leadership of CAN continue dia dirty deallings wit d govt of d day till wen d judgement day wil come.
ReplyDeleteCAN as an umbrella for all christians has lost d aims and objectives for which it was set up. No news of any catholic church disintegrating but this new pentecostal churches always break into fragments as we all know and their churches are passed from father to son. Let me enlighten d annonymous who mistakenly feel catholics worship images and call their priest father. We call ther Rev Fathers. D Holy Pictures reminds us of h holiness of our saints and encouragee us to live holy life. U forgot to accuse us of honouring Blessed Virgin Mary but without her d wedding feast at canaan will have had a show down. In d same way she interceeds for us so we have an edge over u who attend churches we call "where 2 or 3 are gathered together". Churches dat make their founders very wealthy and their followere very poor. May God have mercy on ur souls. 'Glory to Jesus, honour to Blessed Virgin Mary'. Through Mary our Mother we succeed!!!
ReplyDeleteMost of you all that commented are not even worth the name christain, am so ashamed of people like you. CAN should try well enough to settle their differences cos the body of christ shudnt be divided. May God help us all
ReplyDelete@Anonymous, January 24, 2013, at 12:29PM, may God have mercy on u becos of ur TONGUE which might suffer u till death.
ReplyDeleteAt anonymous 12:29may be u are an eckancker member nd under CAN.no church can eva b lk cath church nw or eva
ReplyDeleteOnly one body can't just be flying Jet. Haba CAN or no CAN. No CAN in Heaven. Ur handy work is ur gallant pass.
ReplyDeleteAm really ashamed for those who think they can defend their Church,if you really fear and Obey GOD then the spirit of GOD will live in you and will open your eye to the truth. It is only the spirit of GOD that can do that not the teaching in your church.
ReplyDeleteNo Church can take anybody to heaven, so why the bitterness ?? What is happening in CAN is only sending a message that the devil is at work,and they should prove to us that they can handle the matter as spiritual leaders.
WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU KNOW ABOUT YOUR CHURCH ????? IS A PERSONAL RACE.
Warning! Warning!! Warning!!! Pls men of wisdom assist me as a matter of urgency. Oh! We shld take care with certain globalizatn issues & collaboration. Dia are serious external influence & efforts on developing nations to disintegrate & instigate crises alike to weaken dem 4 anoda planned logical & gradual invading & slavery. Who provide weapons, sell & distribute same to all manners of groups? Wen dey 1st used military to achieved al dey want and wen dey found out again dat military as spread out is given dem hard time dat is y the gradual shift to the imposing democracy again according to dia dictates. World politics, do we tink dat the developed will neva allow the developing to develop? 4 radical change & striking shake 4 Africa & to we Nigerians to take the lead & beta save our nation is to 1st send foreigners packing 4 a limited time 4 us to critically luk 4 way forward & any half cas will not be part of the caucus decision. Thereafter dat we can then allow any foreigner according to clear terms & conditions subjected to renewal with time to us.
ReplyDeleteInternally, Ce hw we only claimed to be religious, moral, decent, discipline, educated, learned & civilized, if we are not clearly deceiving ourselves, I challenge Nigerians in particular & the world in general dat if we are not worshippers of devil & demons then we shld prove it wrong & completely ban & with hard laws on jst some of this evil things inimical to our society causing societal menace such as hard drugs (Indian hemp, cocaine etc), hard alcoholism along the varying energy drinks & it associates etc. & capital punishment on corruption & remove impunity. Do we know hw deadly is corruption & its attendant problems? Corruption is a silent killer, fast in killing many lives in silent & an economy. Or is dia any religion or any moral value or education in support of it? Yet we acclaim to one religion or the other to ourselves or we easily said we are moral, educated, discipline & all sort. Are we been jst to ourselves? Dis the root of our problems & we shld stop round abouting it. See hw we are wronging ourselves. If it continue as it dominate & we fail or presume to get it, is den a clear indications of clear devil & demons worshipping & of all our claims dat head any society towards a critical danger zone. The reality is that no gain, no gud but jst an illusion of a mere mirage if the right thing is not done, we still be waking each time & meet reality waiting. An aggregation of the whole made the world scientists, engineers & technologists as all “other smart ways” failed to resort for making an “alternative earth” the mars habitable, have we still make a headway or has it been achieved or we already in the mars planet? & wait, we are waiting…
CHURCH IN NIGERIA!!!!!! A HOUSE DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF CANT STAND, THE BODY OF CHRIST IN NIGERIA HASNT REMAINED ONE, THEY HAVE CONTINUALLY FOUGHT THEMSELVES, IF THE CATHOLIC FORUM WANTS TO PULLOUT OF CAN, FINE ! THE SEVERED BODY WILL THEN LOOK LIKE P-F-N-C-A-N.
ReplyDeleteLet us follow the example of Christ at this who held his PEACE in the wake of attack and criticism. Christians awake.
ReplyDeleteThere's no Big deal in pulling out of CAN, the CAN is an association for the Christians only but the Catholic decided to disguise for the gullible majority to continue believing that Catholics are Christians and members proudly calling them selves Christians.
ReplyDeleteCatholicism is not Christianity
Catholics are not Christians
Catholicism is a cult of mother mary queen of the sea.
Pull out and Go your way