- Decries prevalence of liturgical abuses, youths’ drift to shrines and rituals
- Urges government to address alarming rise in insecurity, kidnapping, and hunger amid plenty
- Says the Jubilee Year of Hope is particularly relevant in Nigeria
The President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Most Rev. (Dr.) Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, Archbishop of Owerri, has expressed deep concern over the prevalence of liturgical abuses among some priests and the growing attraction of youths to shrines and rituals. These issues, according to the CBCN President, necessitate a renewed focus on spiritual and pastoral guidance to nurture the faith of Nigerians and foster a deeper connection with the Church’s teachings and sacraments.
He underscored that the utmost concern of CBCN in 2025 is the well-being of all Nigerians, including its flock. In an exclusive interview with The Catholic Herald, the CBCN President noted that despite the growing number of Catholics and the dynamism in many parishes, there are concerns about the quality of faith among Nigerians. Archbishop Ugorji also decried the attraction of youths to shrines and rituals, which raises questions about their true conversion. The CBCN President said, “The prevalence of liturgical abuses among some priests is disheartening. Similarly, the attraction of our youths to shrines and rituals raises concerns about their true conversion.
Furthermore, many are drifting away from the sacraments due to difficulties in meeting the traditional and Church requirements for marriage or simply due to disinterest.” The Archbishop also sounded the alarm over the escalating incidents of insecurity, kidnapping, and life-threatening hunger in the country as he enjoin government to take urgent action. He said, “The rising incidents of insecurity, kidnapping, and life-threatening hunger amid plenty are alarming. It’s unacceptable that Nigeria, blessed with abundant resources, struggles with poverty and hunger. The root causes of these issues – corruption, mismanagement, and nepotism – permeate every aspect of national life, affecting medical care, education, societal systems, and even the judiciary.”
