CRITICAL REVIEW OF THE NEO-CATHOLIC HEALING MINISTRIES AMONG SOME CATHOLIC PRIESTS IN IGBOLAND

ABSTRACT

Healing occupied a big space in the ministry of Jesus. It formed part of the mandate he gave to his Church, even at the point of his ascension, as recorded by Mark.  The neo-Catholic healing ministry is a new wave of healing adopted by some Catholic priests that has a Pentecostal undertone. It is a ministration of healing that adopts the faith-healing approach of Pentecostalism, as found in the Catholic Adoration Ministries. This is a deviation from the traditional Catholic healing ministry. The Catholic Church celebrates Jesus’ healing ministry on her sick members according to the rites and guidelines established by the competent authorities, the Bishops. In the recent past, the Catholic Church in Nigeria began to notice some deviations from the established rites and guidelines, by some priests. There were also abuses of the sacraments and excesses in the use of the Church’s sacramentals. This was as a result of the influence of Pentecostalism with its sentimental approach to healing. Despite the fresh guidelines issued by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) in 1997, some priests in Igboland have continued in the Pentecostal method of healing. The study was thus designed to critically review the activities of the neo-Catholic healing (adoration) ministries by some catholic priests in Igboland, noting the deviations, abuses and excesses. The study reviewed the traditional Catholic healing ministry to state the status quo. It also reviewed the Pentecostal faith-healing approach and the Neo-Catholic healing approach, noting the influences. It further reviewed healing approaches in Igbo traditional religion and African Independent Churches (AICs) to note other external influences. The phenomenological method was employed to collect data, and the qualitative analytical method was adopted in analyzing the data collected. Data were collected from both primary sources (participant observation and interviews), and secondary sources (library and internet materials). It was noted that although the Pentecostal healing approach had influenced the neo-Pentecostal Catholic priest-healers, both were borrowing from Igbo and AICs’ approaches to healing in the bid to indigenize or Igbonize the Christian healing ministry. This has ushered syncretism into the Christian healing ministry, and crisis of faith in the Catholic Church; and this calls for a re-catechizing of the Catholic faithful.

 CHAPTER ONE

 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

The Catholic Church was established in Nigeria and Igboland in the nineteenth century. Some other Churches were already in Igboland before the Catholic Church; for instance, the Anglican Church and the Presbyterian Church. Since then it has recorded noticeable tremendous growth. Ashiegbu (2015) noted that the growth is in all dimensions: structurally, functionally, pastorally, and in relevance. He rightly asserted that “as a religious body, the Church cannot be studied just structurally and functionally. Therefore a pastoral study of the growth of the Church in Nigeria could be more profitable” (p. 1). The aspect of the pastoral growth of the Catholic Church in Igboland under review in this research is the healing ministry.

Healing is one of the main themes in the scripture, both in the Old Testament (OT) and the New Testament (NT). Jesus’ healing ministry runs through the entire gospels. In Matthew 4:24, they brought him all the sick and he healed them. In Matthew 8:17, he took our infirmities and bore our diseases, fulfilling Isaiah 53:4-5, which says that he carries our burdens, and by his stripes we are healed (also 1Pet.2:24^b). In Mark 1:34, he cured many who were sick with diseases of every kind and drove out many devils; and numerous other passages.

Healing is a process which brings about restoration to health. This process of restoration, in the Christian context, according to Maddocks (1981), cannot be discussed without having Christ in mind. This means that the healing ministry of Jesus forms an integral part of his central mission on earth, which is the preaching of the kingdom of God or salvation of souls. Bate (1995) noted that “No one denies that at least the early part of Jesus’ ministry emphasized two realities: the preaching of the kingdom of God and its manifestation in signs, principally healing” (p.163). He rightly noted that the healings performed by Jesus were manifestations of the kingdom of God in signs. A sign points to the reality, and the healings (miracles) of Jesus point to the kingdom of God which he said is near and demands repentance (Mtt 4: 17; Mk 1 : 4-15). In the same vein, Stinton (2006) submitted that “Jesus’ act of healing and deliverance are far from an addendum to his ministry, indeed they are utterly integral to his messianic mission, they attest to the dawning of the new era of salvation…” (p.20). Thus the healing ministry of Jesus is not an end in itself; rather it is the “most effective” method of attracting people to respond to the invitation to his real and central mission, which is the kingdom of God or salvation of souls. The healings of Jesus showcase the beauty and perfection of God’s kingdom, and makes it relevant to his audience.

The mission of the Church is the continuation of the messianic mission of Christ (Mtt. 28:18-20; Mk.16:15-18). The healing ministry is an effective tool of this mission that draws believers to Jesus and to his Church, and it has blossomed very much in Igboland. Every priest is a healer, but Achunike (2009) made a review of some Igbo Catholic priests who practice healing in a peculiar way, beginning with Fr. Godwin Ikeobi, who was the pioneer Igbo Catholic priest healer, and Nigeria as a whole. Others include: Fr. Theo Odukwe, Fr. Emmanuel Edeh, Fr. Ejike Mbaka, and the then Fr. Ifeanyi Anozie. Some others have sprung up after his research, which include: Fr. Emmanuel Obimma, Fr. Cyriacus Anayo, Fr. Paul Martin Obayi, Fr. Magnus Ebere; to mention but a few. Priests in other Churches also conduct healing ministries.

Some deviations from the Catholic rituals as well as some abuses and excesses have been noticed in this aspect of the life of the Church,in the new Catholic healing ministry, by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, (1997). This is noted as influence of Pentecostalism in one hand, and the problem of indigenizing Christianity on the other. Achunike (2004) also made a study on the influences of Pentecostalism on Catholic priests and seminarians. The influences are positive and negative, and they have made remarkable impressions on the CatholicChurch.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN, 1997), appreciates the charism of healing in individual members, but frowns at the abuses noticed in the new healing ministries:

The CatholicChurch therefore recognizes the charism of healing in her members. Jesus went about doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of the devil…He commanded his Church to continue his mission which will be confirmed by signs and wonders…Since charisms are for the good of the community, that is the Church, charisms are of necessity subject to the discerning judgment and supervision of the Church…The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria has noticed some abuses in the exercise of the charism of healing in both the clergy, religious, and laity, men and women, in recent times (pp.ii-iv).

This research reviews the new approach to healing  among some Catholic priests in Igboland alongside the observations of the CBCN; noting the deviations from the traditional Catholic healing ministry and the inclination to Pentecostal methods and wave of healing, and the crises of faith engendered by this in the CatholicChurch.

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