The Archbishop of Benin City and the President of Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria_ (CBCN), Augustine Obiora Akubeze, has calmed the fears and anxieties of Catholics and Nigerians in general in the wake of COVID-19, assuring them that the pandemic would be battled.
In a five-paged pastoral letter, he acknowledged that the COVID-19 has taken the world and for that matter, the church unaware and has affected continuous liturgical celebrations which prior to the pandemic involved large crowds.
He said in responding to law and order to obey the regulation of the government, the church, first reduced the maximum number of persons to 50.
However, as the pandemic grew worse, it was cut down to 20 persons and consequently to a total disperse of members temporarily, the Archbishop stated.
The letter highlighted that some church members have had difficulty in accepting the reason for the Church’s suspension of her gatherings, with others expressing their reservations out of genuine disturbing concern.
”They wonder what has become of the obligation to attend Mass on Sunday and Holy Days of obligation. Furthermore, how can they fail to participate in the Holy Week ceremonies which are at the heart of the Church’s liturgical celebrations? Others ask why the church should bow to Government regulations?,” he indicated.
The Archbishop pointed out that, the main reason(s) for such misguided concerns was that some people think that since salvation comes from faith and with faith, then a person or possibly the church, can cure all diseases and so in this crucial time, they advocate that more Mass gathering should be celebrated and not suspended.
To sharply but discreetly rebuke such thinking, the Archbishop addressed this dilemma to realign their faith, hoping that it will bring answers to their questions and peace to their consciences.
Archbishop Obiora Akubeze, recalled some fundamental principles of the faith. He first pointed out that the Catholic faith is built on rationality, thus, embedded in faith, the ability to reason.
“Whenever the expression of faith is not reasonable, then such faith loses its Christian character,” he noted, saying that, “It can become confused with superstition fundamentalism and fanaticism.”
He argued that faith is rational because Christ became a man before saving the world. “…Christ came for us men and for our salvation. If he came for us, he has to come in a way that we can accept him… “and that, this is how Christianity has maintained credibility over the centuries.
The Archbishop noted that the Sacraments for salvation imbibes values of faith and reason, adding that, the church has always taught that the necessity of the sacraments is not an absolute necessity but it is geared at giving the most suitable means of salvation.
He further explained that, while it is obligatory for every Christion to attend Mass on Sundays and other Holy Days of Obligation, that not attending such a gathering could be considered a sin to some extent, there is an exception to that rule.
For instance, where a parishioner is ill or is an oldie, and cannot faithfully attend as he would want to, such an act can be considered as no sin.
“The omission of Mass on a Sunday and Holy Days of Obligation is a grave act but the intention and circumstance could alter it or even change its moral character.”
The Archbishop reassured the lay faithful that in light of the current pandemic, the omission of sacraments and suspension of liturgical celebrations is in the synchrony with faith and reason.
“The omission of sacraments by the faithful due to a physical impossibility that is due to no fault of theirs is not a sin. If Christ came for us men and for our salvation, and if we celebrate the sacraments for the good of the human person, both bodily and spiritually, the suspension of liturgical celebrations for this good does not undermine the Mass, rather, it helps to realize one of its purposes of serving the good of the human person.”
He reassured the church that, they are not alone in this crisis, as priests will continually offer prayers daily through Masses held online for the lay faithful and even persons outside the church through the sacraments to serve souls.
*This, he said should “reassure you that we are not alone,” noting that “The Church has not left you without the Mass.”
“Your spiritual participation through communion, a meditation on the daily readings, following the celebration of Mass online is an invitation to continue the ‘Ite Missa est’ that you hear at the end of every Mass.”
He resounded the harmony between faith and reason and called on Catholics to be faithful and law-abiding citizens especially when it is not a hindrance to the core truth of our faith.
“If we follow a saviour who paid his taxes and also asks us to give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God, then we have a duty to obey all just laws that are directed towards our good,” he added.
He also expressed an urgent need for Catechesis by priests, catechists and those entrusted with teaching the faith to step up in the teaching so as to help dispel every misguided and unbelieving thought that could sway people away from the faith making them ignore the love for God and his Church.
“I ask all, especially priests, catechists and those entrusted with teaching the faith to endeavour to enlighten their brethren. Some have expressed fear after these times, many will no longer take attendance at Mass seriously. That again can only be the result of ignorance and bad formation.”
Archbishop Augustine Obiora Akubeze, entreated all and sundry to keep the social distancing rules, to avoid the spread of the COVID-19 disease and to save others’ lives as well. He cautioned the church that anything less than that would be a total disregard for human life.
“It will amount to a lack of respect for life to encourage any form of gathering that could bring the spread of a contagious and deadly disease. To celebrate Mass publicly within a context that does not respect life is an abuse of the purpose of the Mass which promotes the teaching of Christ who came to give life and give it in abundance.”
The Archbishop sadly wrote that the pandemic has pierced the very heart of the Easter celebrations, Good Friday and Holy Saturday, which are days very memorable in the Christian faith and in the Church but then he exhorted that everyone endures the sufferings of Christ as they stay indoors or under quarantine, knowing that they are not alone- Christ is with them through every experience.
He encouraged the lay faithful not to afraid, to be prayerful and keep hoping that God will bring this pandemic to an end soon enough, restoring his peace to the world.
