The Catholic Pontiff, Pope Francis, has accepted the resignation of Bishop Peter Okpaleke whose appointment and consecration to head Ahiara, Mbaise Catholic Diocese in 2012, sparked off years of protest.
A latter dated February 19, 2018, in which the Vatican accepted Okpaleke’s resignation, also stated that he had been replaced by the Bishop of Umuahia Diocese, the Most Rev. Lucia Ugorji to function as Apostolic Administrator.
It would be recalled that Okpaleke was consecrated as Bishop of the diocese after the death of its first Bishop, the Most Rev. Victor Choke.
After his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI, Okpaleke was never allowed to perform his priestly duties in the diocese due to several protests and petitions.
Priests in the diocese had alleged canonical violations in Okpaleke’s appointment, arguing that it was unfair to impose a bishop on them when they had their sons whom they felt should have been appointed to that position.
Pope Francis, however, wrote to the priests of the diocese in June 2017, giving them 30 days to accept Okpaleke or be suspended from the church.
The Pope was quoted in the letter to have said:”whosoever was opposed to Bishop Okpaleke taking possession of the diocese wants to destroy the church.”
The pontiff was also said to have ordered every priest of the diocese, including those living in other parts of the country and in the Diaspora, to write him a letter of apology for the protest and ask for his forgiveness.
Meanwhile, the letter which announced Okpaleke’s resignation from Ahiara diocese read in part:”I am convinced that my remaining the Bishop of Ahiara Diocese is no longer beneficial to the church.
“I do not think that my apostolate in a diocese where some of the priests and lay faithful are ill-disposed to have me in their midst will be effective.
“I invite any dissenting priests to re-examine their initial motivations for becoming priests in the Catholic Church. Repentance and reconciliation are very urgent.”
