Aftermath Of Kidnapping: Church Rededicates Parish

The Catholic Diocese of Aba in Abia State last Tuesday rededicated its St. Michael’s Parish, Umuezi in Obingwa Local Government to sanctify the church allegedly desecrated during the kidnap saga in the state.

On October 10, 2010 soldiers drafted to the state to checkmate the menace, claimed that the church was used as a base by of one of the kingpins.

Our correspondent reports that the claim was seen by the diocese not only an invasion of the tabernacle, but also the desecration of the Blessed Eucharist.

The Parish was closed and its Priest, Rev. Fr. Bonaventure Akwarandu, who was arrested by soldiers and released, recalled by Bishop Vincent Ezeonyia.

Preaching a sermon at the mass tagged “Reparation Mass”, Ezeonyia said that it became necessary due to the desecration of the Blessed Sacrament by the soldier’s invasion.

Ezeonyia said that at “it is a sacrilege for anyone to desecrate the sacred species”.

He expressed regrets that the kidnappers fouled the serenity of the Church at Umuezi, and said, “the ugly incident of  October 10, is an injury to the entire Christian community, which the church building symbolises and represents”.

“It is a grave dishonour to the Eucharistic species as a result, the church of Umuezi no longer became licit for divine worship and that was why it was locked up ever since.

“For the church to become suitable again for acts of worship, the harm done has to be repaired through a penitential rite.

“This is in accordance with the teachings of the church after which the church building can be used for the celebration of the sacraments,” he said.

Catholics from the three Ecclesiastical Provinces of Onitsha, Calabar and Owerri attended the reparation service.