Archbishop Antonio Guido Filipazzi is the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria. The Vatican diplomat speaks with REV. SR. JOSEPHINE ODORWIKE, Director of Social Communications, Eucharistic Heart of Jesus (EHJ) Sisters and NETA NWOSU, Editor, The Catholic Herald weekly newspapers on pastoral, gay marriage, insecurity, Catholic Church Nigeria cum Holy See relationship, general elections and other important national issues. Excerpts.
What is your assessment of the current social and pastoral situation in Nigeria?
I think the only word that summarises everything is ‘difficult’ because in the society, we are facing many, many problems like insecurity, poverty and violence, and in the Church also. In the Church in Nigeria, there are many positive things, many positive aspects, but with it also there are tensions which we have to overcome because we cannot keep a Church which is a communion, otherwise, communion does not exist in truth.
In addition to prayer, how can consecrated persons practically contribute to addressing the challenges they face in Nigeria?
I think after prayer, the religious people are to contribute to the formation of people because without the formation, for instance, now that we have general elections, the people can decide on the basis of wrong reasons. And if somebody has received a good formation, in this case, he is able to make the good decision at the moment like the general elections. So, the religious I think not only in the parishes have a special role as also in the schools, universities and education of children; they also have the role of assisting those who are in difficulty. So, they have to teach with word and action to the people so they (people) have the correct view about how to face the situation.
What is the role of the Church in Nigeria in the face of pressure mounting on the universal Church on gay marriage and women ordination?
I will like to say that the role of the Church in Nigeria is to remain the Catholic Church. We know that these requests which have been out in some parts of the world are not in accordance with the law of God. They are also not in accordance with the law of nature of the human being because God created man and woman. And Jesus Christ established the priesthood, which is not a position of power but a position of service to others for the sake of God. So, the Church in Nigeria has the role to keep the faithfulness to what is according to the will of God, according to the will of Christ about the Church. And sometimes we still speak about colonialism. There is not only the political and economical colonialism; there is also the ideological and theological colonialism. So, the idea that is coming from outside, trying to be imposed on the Christians here because our people here in Nigeria are very faithful, and when these issues are raised it’s because there is an influence from outside, a bad influence from outside. So, for me, the Church in Nigeria and generally in Africa is a Church who keeps the faithfulness to the truth. Maybe the Church is not that perfect in Africa, but in Nigeria the importance to be faithful to the truth of nature and the truth of gospel is very important.
How would you describe the relationship between the Holy See and the Nigerian Church?
I think it is a good relationship. I don’t see any tension because the attitude of the Church towards the Holy Father and the collaborators of the Holy Father which make the Holy See is the attitude of respect, love, collaboration, obedience. So, in five and a half years here in Nigeria I have not experienced tension, especially between bishops, priests and religious with the Holy See. The only case of tension that we can remember is what happened sometime at the moment of Bishop Appointment that happened in the past. But generally, I will say that the Holy See can count on the Church in Nigeria with all its members, especially the bishops, the priests and religious.
We hear so much of incessant killings in the northern part of Nigeria, how is the Holy See in its way as a Mother Church supporting or helping to tackle this menace or address these incessant killings in the Nigerian Church?
I will say two things; first of all that we have to be very precise when we speak about the situation in the different parts of the country. We cannot speak generally of killings, massacre and so on. We have to see case by case and what is going on because it is very easy to make a general statement because when you go to see case by case, you see that there are a lot of different reasons and different problems. And secondly; what I say is the problem of the violence here in Nigeria is a problem of the state of the government because the duty of the government is to ensure that the people are safe in their life and in their goods. So, Nigeria is not to wait for help from heaven or from abroad. No. If they are a country, a nation, a state, these institutions help to work in order to achieve the security for everybody. Of course, the Holy See is following the situation and is supporting, especially the action of the bishops who are very keen to show the problems about the security in the country. But I find it sometimes a bit strange when the people are asking intervention from the Holy See. So what they can imagine is that the Holy See is sending soldiers. No. We have to be objective and realistic.
What are your notable experiences since you resumed office in Nigeria and what will you say to the Nigerian Church and people of Nigeria as they are approaching their general elections?
You can imagine that five and a half years is a long period, full of many, many experiences. Also I consider myself somebody who is still learning, who is still knowing Nigeria because Nigeria is so big, so complex that you can never say that you know it. Every day, day to day, I learn something. And in this sense it’s a challenge for me. For the question of the election, the Nuncio is a diplomat and is not to interfere in the election. I think I can lend my voice to the collective bishops of Nigeria’s call that all Nigerians have to go and vote first of all because if the people are not voting, everything will be decided by few people and it’s not a true democracy. And secondly, as I mentioned, when I spoke about the role of the religious, the people have to vote after reflection, not guided by material interest or by emotion or by other questions like ethnic groups or religious groups. They have to think, they have to vote in the best person to fix the problems of Nigeria, and this is a difficult choice because they are to evaluate. We can only pray as ministers of God that the Holy Spirit will enlighten everybody. But at the end we also know that the only messiah is Jesus Christ. We are not to put our trust in human about being the messiah even from Nigeria.
Please share your message on the 80th anniversary of Sisters of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus in Nigeria.
I congratulate them for these 80 years of life. For a human being, 80 years is an old age, but for an institution marking 80 years, they are still young. of course, I invite them to thank God for what they have achieved in these 80 years, also to maybe to go back to the beginning, that Pope Francis is talking about; the first lap because when a congregation is founded, the beginning is rarely heroic and to be inspired by the work pioneers did, and also maybe not only to celebrate with joy and thanksgiving, but also to make an act of contrition for what was wrong during these 80 years because we are human beings and am sure that even during the 80 years there has been something that is not correct. And from all these things, the beginning, the 80 years, the wrongdoings; to make efforts to be better, to be more committed, to be more generous in the future.
