A popular Kano based Catholic priest Father Gospel .J. Inalegwu, has quit the Catholic Church
The
Benue born priest, who was ordained in 2013, was kidnapped last year at
his parish at St Joseph Catholic Church, Jitan – Dutse, in Tudun Wada
Local Government Council, Kano State.
According
to Sunday Sun, Father Gospel .J. Inalegwu had since tendered his
resignation letter to the Bishop of Kano Diocese, Most Rev. John
Namawzah Niyiring and had traveled out of the state with all his
belongings.
A
priest of the Catholic Church who decried his action, said the Church
was yet to recover from the shock of his unprecedented action.
He
suggested that the priest might have been affected by the trauma of his
abduction, adding however that, “there could be other personal reasons
behind his action”.
Sunday
Sun gathered that after the priest regained freedom, he was granted a
period of rest, but was eventually asked to resume at his old parish
contrary to his expectation, as Sunday Sun learnt that he had
anticipated to be posted elsewhere.
The
Communications Director, Kano Diocese, Father Augustine Nnadi declined
comment on the development, but His Lordship, the Bishop of Kano
Diocese, Most Rev. John Namawzah Niyiring told Sunday Sun that, “Priests
do not resign as they do in the public service, but are laicized”
While
confirming that Father Inalegwu was no longer available for his pastoral
assignments in the diocese, he maintained that the only authority that
could process the request of a priest wishing to return to a lay status
was the Holy Father, the Pope. Asked if he had tried to talk to the
priest, he replied:
“Yes I
did that. I had some discussions with him to try to persuade him not to
do what he is doing. I think he probably wants something else.”
The Bishop debunked insinuations that the priest’s action was informed by his abduction experience.
“Long before his kidnap saga, he had voiced out his desire to do what he did. And we have a record of that” he said.
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