Roman Catholic Diocese of Ahiara
The Diocese of Ahiara (Latin: Ahiaran(a)) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church located in Ahiara in the region of Mbaise in Imo State, Nigeria. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Owerri.
Diocese of Ahiara Dioecesis Ahiarana | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Country | Nigeria |
| Territory | Mbaise, Imo State |
| Ecclesiastical province | Owerri |
| Coordinates | 5°31′40.2″N 7°16′23.9″E Ahiara |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 425 km2 (164 sq mi) |
| Population - Total - Catholics | (as of 2004) 510,623 401,506 (78.6%) |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Established | 18 November 1987 |
| Cathedral | Mater Ecclesiae Cathedral |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Bishop | Vacant |
| Apostolic Administrator | Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji |
| Map | |
 Ahiara is in Imo State which is shown in red. | |
| Website | |
| AhiaraDiocese.org | |
History
- 18 November 1987: Established as Diocese of Ahiara from the Diocese of Owerri[1]
Appointment controversy 2012-2018
The clergy and laity of the diocese refused to accept the bishop Pope Benedict XVI had appointed in 2012 as their ordinary, Peter Ebere Okpaleke, because he was not of the Mbaise ethnic group or chosen from among the local priests.[2][3] Okpaleke was consecrated a bishop on 21 May 2013, but he was not installed in Ahiara.
On 3 July 2013, Pope Francis appointed Cardinal John Onaiyekan, Archbishop of Abuja, as Apostolic Administrator.[4]
On 8 June 2017, Pope Francis, after receiving a delegation from the Diocese, gave all the diocesan priests and deacons 30 days to personally write to the Vatican pledging obedience to the pope and accepting Okpaleke. Those who failed to write would be suspended a divinis, which would prohibit a priest or deacon from administering the sacraments, save for a priest hearing the confession of a person in danger of death, and would be removed from their posts. He had considered suppressing the diocese, but decided against that.[5] On 8 July, it was reported that while the letter of apology was sent, Okpalaeke's appointment was still rejected by the local priests who insisted that the Holy See was enforcing racial discrimination in the country by hiring outsider priests to become bishops.[6]
On 22 July 2017, Pope Francis agreed to respond through emissaries to the individual priests protesting Okpaleke's appointment.[7]
On 14 February 2018, Okpaleke submitted his resignation to Cardinal Fernando Filoni, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, and Archbishop Antonio Guido Filipazzi, Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria. He wrote: "I do not think that my apostolate in a diocese where a group of priests and lay faithful are very ill disposed to have me in their midst would be effective."[8] On 19 February 2018, Pope Francis accepted Okpaleke's resignation[9] and on 5 March 2020 he appointed Okpaleke bishop of the newly created Diocese of Ekwulobia.[10][11] Okpaleke was installed in that position on 29 April.[12]
Special churches
- The cathedral is Mater Ecclesiae Cathedral in the episcopal see of Ahiara.
Leadership
- Bishops
- Victor Adibe Chikwe (18 November 1987 – 16 September 2010)[13]
- Peter Okpaleke (7 December 2012[14] – 19 February 2018)[15]
- Apostolic Administrators
- John Onaiyekan (3 July 2013[4] – 19 February 2018)[15]
- Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji (19 February 2018 - 6 March 2023), appointed Metropolitan Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri in Owerri, Nigeria by Pope Francis, but he remains as interim apostolic administrator; he and his successor in Ahiara will be assisted by Auxiliary Bishop-elect Simeon Okezuo Nwobi, C.M.F.[16]
See also
References
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). Vol. LXXX. 1988. pp. 6–7. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- Wooden, Cindy (9 June 2017). "Pope tells Nigerian priests accept bishop or be suspended". Catholic News Service. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
- Allen Jr., John L. (11 June 2017). "Three ironies about a dramatic show of papal muscle in Nigeria". Crux. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
- "Rinunce e Nomine, 03.07.2013" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 3 July 2013. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- "Holy See Press Office Communiqué: Audience with delegation from the diocese of Ahiara, Nigeria, 08.06.2017" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 8 June 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- Mgbeahuruike, Emmanuel (8 July 2017). "Partial Victory For Pope In Ahiara Diocese". Metro Star (Nigeria). Retrieved 6 March 2022.
- San Martin, Inéz (22 July 2017). "Pope begins answering priests from troubled Nigerian diocese". Crux. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
- "Nigeria: Pope Accepts Resignation of Bishop, Appoints Administrator". Zenit. 19 February 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
- "Pope Francis accepts the resignation of Nigerian Bishop - Vatican News". www.vaticannews.va. 19 February 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
- "Nigerian bishop rejected by Ahiara diocese installed as Bishop of Ekwulobia". 5 May 2020.
- "Pope Francis appoints ex-Ahiara bishop, Okpaleke, head new Ekwulobia diocese". The Sun Nigeria. 5 March 2020. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
- San Martín, Inés (5 May 2020). "Nigerian bishop rejected by Ahiara diocese installed as Bishop of Ekwulobia". Crux. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
- "Bishop Victor Adibe Chikwe Dies at 72". Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria. 20 August 2011. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- "Rinunce e Nomine, 07.12.2012" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 7 December 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- "Resignations and Appointments, 19.02.2018" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 19 February 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2023/10/14/231014c.html