Stop Insisting On Payment Of Debt Before Burial – Fr. Mbaka Blasts Catholic Priests
Fr. Mbaka Blasts Catholic Priests says Stop Insisting On Payment Of Debt Before Burial
Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministries Enugu Nigeria, Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka, has berated Catholic priests in Nigeria, especially in the Southeast part of the country who insist on completion of debt payment in the church from family of a deceased member before a burial would hold.
The revered Priest said this action by some Priests is the reason the Catholic church is losing lots of its members to Pentecostal churches.
Speaking to the congregation during one of his sermons, he said; “There should be a quick intervention from the church. Their problem should not be Father Mbaka. God is using father Mbaka to reveal a secret to you people. Like what I said about burial, the Pentecostal pastors have no other time for evangelization. The Catholic Church has become the fish pond for Pentecostal pastors. Our members are now their available new convert. What happens? Many of them are waiting during burial, they know that once it exceeds one month, like in Enugu, you may not bury again. And the family that their people died may not be ready to bury.
“Do you know what it takes to bury somebody in Igbo land? Burial is another wahala. Instead of us sympathizing, controlling, showing compassion, and empathy for the dead, we will begin to lay laws, sanctions, upon the wounded families. The Catholic Church, we are losing our members in thousands and millions. One day we will look back and we won’t see anybody.”
Mbaka further narrated a story he was told about a priest who failed to organize a funeral for his dead member just because he had an uncleared debt.
“My friend in Lagos State was telling me( father John Paul) that two of his parishioners (papa and mama) were driving out and had an accident, two of them died. They were brought home for burial and the parish priest said, ‘pay first.’ and they were asking the parish priest; these children in primary school, are they the ones who are going to pay?’ the kids are still little and the Rev.father said that he doesn’t care that his debt must be cleared. This death syndrome is satanic. I’m not withdrawing my words, I’m expanding it rather.
If somebody does not pay enough before he dies, once the person is baptized, it’s the right of the member of the church to be buried. Instead, don’t give him his dues. Even if no contribution or burial items are bought but he must be buried by our priest. Is even a corporal work of mercy.
All fingers are not equal. The Bible says, ‘Rejoice with those who rejoice and cry with those who cry.’ it’s no longer a thing of whether we like it or not, we are losing our members to the devil. Many young men and women who are not attended to are moving their own way,” he stated.
Mbaka then urged the congregation to make sure they pay what is required of them so as to avoid unnecessary drama during their demise.
Speaking further, the outspoken priest said; “Let us not treat the dead like they are nobody because they died. Their souls are still living! Even the so-called dues, you may recover the money hundred times during the burial or during Thanksgiving. Treat the family well. They may be poor today, tomorrow one of them will rise up and can even build a whole church. People always treasure how you attended to them when they were bereaved.”
Mbaka Blasts Catholic Priests
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