The Bishop of the Nnewi Diocese, Most Rev Hilary Odili Okeke, has explained why the church does not investigate the source of income of those who give it offerings and donations.
The leadership of St Phillips Catholic Church in Ozubulu have been under serious attack after reports emerged that last Sunday’s massacre in the church was a fallout of a business deal between two drug lords, one of whom had donated a building to the church.
Reacting to the backlash suffered by the church for collecting the building from the alleged drug baron, the Bishop said “If you get the information that the person is making his money through a dubious way in criminality, then you know what to do. It is not just a question of anybody who brings money or offers anything to the church, you go to the police and ask them to investigate this man’s source of wealth before you accept it. It is not done.
If you do it, then even in the church we should not be accepting any money because evil people can come to church and give.
It is God who knows if the person is giving the money from criminal or immoral source. God knows everybody and will reward the person accordingly.
If you know that the person is a criminal that is when you now tell him, my man go and change.”he said He also lashed out at some parishioners who have called for his resignation following the attack.
“They themselves will resign first. If they want me to resign, let them resign first. Let them resign.
People just open their mouth and begin to say what they like and you should not listen to all that people say. If people who know everything will come out and bring any criminality upon the bishop, bishop will take action, the church will take action. Not that someone opens his mouth to say whatever he likes. They are free to say whatever they want to say.”
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