CV NEWS FEED // The Catholic Conference of Bishops in Nigeria (CBCN) has issued a statement addressed to “All Catholic Priests in Nigeria,” condemning the “alarming increase” in liturgical abuses across the country.
“The liturgy is not a private playground for personal innovation,” stated the Aug. 15 missive, which was signed by Archbishop Iwejuru Ugorji of Owerri, CBCN’s president. “It is not a platform for the self-expression of the celebrant. It is a sacred trust, handed down by the Church, which must be celebrated according to the established norms and traditions.”
According to the CBCN, liturgical abuses by Catholic priests have increased throughout Nigeria. The extensive list of offenses includes deviations from the Eucharistic Prayer, improper handling of the Blessed Sacrament, inappropriate use of secular music, and improper dancing in the context of the liturgy. In addition, taking up excessive collections amid liturgical celebrations has led to “the commercialisation of the liturgy.”
Use of the pulpit “to pursue personal interests,” the invention of rites, blessing of items not approved as sacramentals by the Church, the incorporation of local customs not consistent with the faith “under the umbrella of inculturation,” and failure to use proper vestments during the liturgy, are also among the many other abuses named in the letter.
“Such actions are not merely errors in judgment,” the CBCN wrote: “they are violations of the sacred order and must be treated as such. We remind our priests that the altar is not a stage for theatrics, nor is the liturgy a venue for novelty.”
The Council further reminded its priests that fidelity to the Church’s directives regarding the celebration of the liturgy is “mandatory.”
“The faithful deserve nothing less than the true and reverent celebration of the mysteries of our faith,” the letter stated.
The CBCN called on local bishops to “take immediate and decisive action to correct these abuses” within their dioceses as chief liturgists, adding: “The faithful look to you for leadership, and it is your sacred duty to ensure that the liturgy in your diocese is conducted with the dignity and reverence it demands.”
The council further demanded diocesan directors of liturgy and vicars forane (deans) to collaborate with bishops to ensure that priests in their dioceses adhere to the Church’s directives regarding the liturgy.
The CBCN concluded by calling for a renewal in commitment to the proper celebration of the “foretaste of the heavenly banquet” that is the liturgy, adding:
May our liturgical celebrations always reflect the beauty, order, and sanctity that they are meant to convey, leading the faithful closer to the mystery of Christ; and may our Lady, assumed into heaven, intercede for us that we may be faithful to the teachings of her Son and the Church.
