The Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Callistus Onaga, has warned priests against adopting ‘the pentecostal approach of service’ by holding crusades and forming prayer groups.
Bishop Onaga gave the warning in his homily at the ordination of 26 priests and the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Sacred Heart Seminary, Nsude (Junior Seminary) in Enugu on Saturday.
The bishop charged the newly-ordained priests to organise retreats for their parishioners and pay greater attention to prayers rather than hold crusades.
He also warned the priests against forming prayer groups, but to take their members to approved prayer places like Ugwu Di Nso, a monastery and others.
“Do not adopt the pentecostal approach of service, and be careful in forming prayer groups,” Bishop Onaga said.
The Bishop further admonished the newly-ordained priests to seek spiritual holiness and avoid being dragged into secular affairs.
Earlier, the rector of the seminary, Rev. Fr. Stanislaus Onodugo, said the seminary was the brain-child of the Bishop of Enugu, His Lordship Godfrey Okoye of blessed memory, in 1972.
He stated that since its birth, priests and lay persons that went through the seminary had graduated into reputable personalities.
“Today, the seminary can boast of at least one bishop who was among the second set to study in this seminary, and that is Bishop Onaga,” Fr. Onodugo said.
“We are also celebrating the grand finale of our golden jubilee which started on 27 June. Today, our dear bishop raised 26 deacons to the order of priesthood and we are happy that such an event is happening in our time.”
Bishop Onaga was among the second set of students to be admitted into the seminary in 1973.
