Angelus Blog

Photo: Priest Giving Holy Communion  WHY DOES THE CATHOLIC CHURCH RESTRICT HOLY COMMUNION? Amara Blessing Nwosu once asked: “Why does the Roman Catholic Church stop non-Catholics from partaking in Holy Communion? My father is a Pentecostal pastor, and from childhood till now, I have never heard him stop non-Pentecostals from receiving communion. The only warning he gives is against taking it without first confessing your sins and making peace with God. Is the Catholic Church suggesting that the body of Christ is divided? Did Christ shed His blood for Catholics alone? Are non-Catholics all going to hell?” (Facebook, January 24, 2013). The Catholic Church teaches that Holy Communion is not simply a symbolic act but the actual reception of the Body and Blood of Christ. Because of this, the Church sets specific conditions for who may receive it: - Non-Catholics and even baptized Catholics who have not yet made their First Holy Communion or who are not in a state of grace are not permi...

A SUV driving through a bad road   Over the years, many analysts—both foreign and local—have attributed Nigeria’s persistent underdevelopment primarily to corruption. They argue that financial crimes committed by corrupt individuals, regardless of their status or age, have stifled the nation’s economic, social, and political progress. However, we contend that corruption alone is not the root cause of Nigeria’s challenges. Rather, it is the collective foolishness of the people that has long hindered the country’s advancement. The following points illustrate this perspective: When a Nigerian acquires wealth illegally, they often squander it on luxury items such as expensive SUVs, which they drive on poorly maintained, pothole-ridden roads. This behavior exemplifies extreme folly—not only because the wealth was stolen in the first place, but also because it is selfishly used to the detriment of the broader society. Consider a Nigerian who embezzles funds intended for improving the cou...

Should The Catholic Church Accept Women Into Priesthood? The above question came up recently in a forum and this is my opinion. No. Women have their defined roles in the Church. God created man for specific functions while women are designed for particular roles. If you say ‘there is no man or woman in Christ’, you are invariably saying that Adam is the same thing as Eve. Women can help in the distribution of holy Communion and in some parish administration duties. Note that women are CONSECRATED and not ORDAINED in the Roman Catholic Church. This is not a question of gender inequality; it is about following standard procedures – a fair division of Labour if you like. Consider this fact for instance; can a woman impregnate herself? No. Hence, some one else - a man has to undertake that role of impregnating a woman. In the same way, a man cannot and does not have the capacity to carry pregnancy. In this case, man plays a defined role, while woman carries out her own function. The...

The focus of this piece is the lingering Boko Haram crisis in the Northern part of Nigeria. The crisis, which started like a child's play has consumed millions of people, both Nigerians and none Nigerians alike. . Up till now, no one can say for sure, the originator of this deadly group, which has over time, built connections across the country. Abubakar Shekau, who was touted to be the commander of the terrorist group has reportedly died and resurrected several times. The real leader of the group remains an enigma up till this day. The Nigerian government and other African countries have spent huge resources, both human and material to fight this scourge, yet, it remains a festering wound, which keeps inflicting excruciating pain on the victim.  The big question then is: what do these people want; what are  their grievances? How can the country assuage their yearnings and  ensure that they lay down their arms genuinely and do not  go back to their old ways? Well, pe...

The bible tells us that when Jesus commissioned the twelve apostles, he gave them the foremost task of preaching the Good News to everyone irrespective of religious, social or economic affiliation. The aim of this evangelical duty was to ensure the salvation of humanity. This onerous task that was hung on the shoulders of the apostles several centuries ago is still far from being accomplished till this day. Hence, many people, particularly here in Nigeria have offered to help carry out this herculean task. In this article, we shall discuss the quality of people involved in this business and the rationale behind it. As a matter of fact,  it is not uncommon these days to find people in different categories of employment such as teachers, electricians, peasant farmers, masons, carpenters, etc., abandoning their jobs to embrace church business in the name of being called to Jesus’ service. Some of them claim to have received the signal in a dream while others will not hesitate to tell ...