BREAKING: PRESS RELEASE ON MISINFORMATION ON AHIARA DIOCESE ON NATIONAL DAILIES
Published 03.07.2017
PRESS RELEASE
Sunday 2nd July 2017
MISINFORMATION ON AHIARA DIOCESE BY MAJOR NATIONAL DAILIES
The attention of Mbaise Catholic Forum has been drawn to a false report in Nigerian national newspapers especially The Vanguard, ThisDay, Punch, The Guardian of Sunday of 2nd July 2016, and the social media. The headlines falsely reported that, Mbaise laity have rejected our bishop, Most Rev. Peter Okpalaeke. The report, we understand, was syndicated to these newspapers by a staff reporter of one of the papers. The identical nature of the report in all the papers is evident.
Contrary to ethics, Vanguard of Saturday 1st July carried this same report before the purported event took place. These reports have misinformed the laity of Ahiara diocese and the rest of the public; in fact, the world on the true state of affairs since the Papal intervention. An old video recording and pictures from it have also been caused to be widely circulated.
Contrary to the newspaper reports, there was no protest, procession, prayer or gathering at the premises nor vicinity of the Mata Ecclesia Cathedral on Saturday, 2nd July. The Imo State Police command not only warned against such gatherings but took measures to enforce that directive. There were, we repeat, no gatherings of Catholics either for prayer, demonstrations or protest near the Cathedral on that day.
The only event which took place on Saturday 2nd July within the Cathedral was the meeting which Governor Rocha’s Okorocha held with dissident priests and some lay faithful. The governor admonished them all to obey the Pope, stop fighting the Church and welcome their bishop. He warned them that they risked doing harm to themselves irreparably should they continue to protest against the Papal appointment of Bishop Okpalaeke. The text and report of the Governor’s meeting as reported by his Press Secretary, is already in wide circulation in social media.
Those who syndicated the misleading reports claimed to have interviewed people whose claims of occupying one office or the other are not known to true Catholics in Ahiara diocese.
We want to let the whole world know that the true faithful laity of Ahiara Diocese wholly, and without any conditions, accept the teachings and decisions of the Holy Catholic Church. We also lovingly accept the Pope as the head of the Church, as well as his appointment of Most Rev Peter Ebele Okpalaeke as the Bishop of Ahiara.
We hereby state categorically that Bishop Peter Okpaleke was not imposed on the people of Ahiara Diocese. The Catholic church appoints a Bishop after due consulations. The Church does not impose a Bishop. The ethics of journalistic profession demands that a newspaper should always be mindful of the source and accuracy of its news report.
Mbaise Catholic Forum states that every true Catholic in Ahiara diocese is sorry for the grievous sin of this rebellion, as well as the grave pain and embarrassment it has caused the Holy Father and the Holy Catholic Church.
Every keen observer can understand that the final resolution of the crisis is about to be achieved in line with the directives of the Pope. We therefore urge all true and loyal Catholics in Mbaise to remain faithful and steadfast despite the desperate antics of the dissidents.
Signed
Dr Mark C Nwoga
Coordinator, Mbaise Catholic Forum
Blog: https://medium.com/@mbaisecatholicsforum
Twitter handle: @MbaiseCatholics or link https://twitter.com/mbaisecatholics
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