Nigerians blend Catholicism, traditional beliefs

Dallas Morning News ^ | 5/21/2005 | Joshua Benton

[sinkspur]

ENUGU, Nigeria – Ejike Mbaka is telling a story. The 20,000 Nigerians gathered around him in the red-dust lot have gone quiet.

"Last week, there was a man who was mad, insane," he begins, standing on a rickety stage. "For years, the doctors attempted to heal him. But the infirmity continued. He came to me for help.

"I gave him some healing water" – and here, some in the audience hold up the small plastic packages of water he sells, 45 cents each – "and told him to pour it in his ear on Sunday. Then pour it in his other ear on Monday.

"He did exactly that. And on Tuesday, a large frog crawled out of his ear. And he was cured."

Appreciative cheers from the audience. "Such are the things God can do," he says.

It's about 10 p.m. When the sun comes up in the morning, the crowd will still be here – except for those injured thrashing on the ground under the Holy Spirit's spell.

What's remarkable about the scene isn't what Ejike Mbaka says. It's who he is. He's not a witch doctor. He's not a Pentecostal preacher. He's an ordained Catholic priest.

[The Old Hoosier]

Unfortunately, we have the same thing here -- priests who make sh*t up. It's just that the MSM agrees with the ones here.

[sinkspur]

I haven't heard of any American priests claiming resurrective powers.

Much of this we would call superstitious, but it appears to be an element of Catholic and Christian practice in general in Africa and South America.

[gbcdoj]

To raise cash, he has started selling his own private-label "healing water," called Aquarapha.

This kind of nonsense is an embarrassment to the Catholic Church.

1 And there came to him the Pharisees and Sadducees tempting: and they asked him to shew them a sign from heaven. 2 But he answered and said to them: When it is evening, you say, It will be fair weather, for the sky is red. 3 And in the morning: To day there will be a storm, for the sky is red and lowering. You know then how to discern the face of the sky: and can you not know the signs of the times? 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign: and a sign shall not be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. And he left them, and went away. (St. Matthew 16:1-4)

Is this water blessed? If so, he's committing simony by selling it. If not, it's ordinary water and he's promoting superstition.

[The Old Hoosier]

I haven't heard of any American priests claiming resurrective powers.

True. Here they tell other lies, like that contraception and divorce are okay.

[sinkspur]

This is the second of a multi-part series running in the Dallas Morning News.

[murphE]

Father Mbaka, a handsome 38-year-old, says he began his healing ministry in 1996 after discovering he had curative powers. "It is the work of the Holy Spirit," he explains. "I can't heal anyone as a human being. I am open to God as a channel. And the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame walk. Cancers disappear."

He says those who doubt him will face God's wrath. Three days earlier, a man in a neighboring state vehemently criticized his ministry. As punishment, Father Mbaka says, God struck the man blind. "If he repents, he will see again," he says.

That doesn't sound very "pastoral".

In 2000, a South African archbishop, Buti Tlhagale, advocated adding animal sacrifice to the Catholic Mass as a way of venerating ancestors. "Animal sacrifice has a special place in the scheme of things and is celebrated in almost all African families," he argued. "We have kept it out of the church of God for too long."

Yay! Let's hear it for inculturation!

[Gerard.P]

Forget the animals. I want HUMAN Sacrifice. Just like the ancients Aztecs. It's time for that cultural accretion to gain acceptance in God's house. That and disco.

[cyborg]

Very similar to syncretism.. and allowing this sort of thing is why most Catholic dominated colonies never really went anywhere.

[murphE]

I want HUMAN Sacrifice. Just like the ancients Aztecs. It's time for that cultural accretion to gain acceptance in God's house. That and disco.

I think the only thing preventing human sacrifice is the short supply of virginal sacrificial victims in the world today, except of course for the unborn.

[cyborg]

good point

[Gerard.P]

Maybe we can have some kind of extraordinary form of human sacrifice. Like eucharistic ministers but just where the victims are not sufficient.

Maybe some women will be "breeders" for the sacrificial children. We can start with volunteer and conscript them later if necessary.

This will be a great step forward in ecumenical relations with Satanists.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

LOL LOL LOL

[vox_freedom]

From story:

"He did exactly that. And on Tuesday, a large frog crawled out of his ear. And he was cured."

They could be onto something here.
For 45 cents you get a bag of water, AND a frog. Not a small frog, but a LARGE frog. This could be a big seller, especially in France.

[murphE]

This will be a great step forward in ecumenical relations with Satanists.

I could be wrong, but I think that relations with satanists might be under "interfaith relations" rather than "ecumenical relations".

[murphE]

And it's coming to a parish near you (in CA anyway)

St. Francis of Assisi to offer first Igbo Mass June 12

"The event will feature Igbo ethnic liturgical hymns, charismatic songs and music with exotic musical instruments imported from Nigeria. After a concelebrating Mass by at least four Nigerian priests, a festive celebration of Igbo dance will be performed by the Nigerian-American children of the South Bay.

Dance called Atilogwu

Atilogwu is a traditionally spirited children’s dance from the Igbo ethnic group of Nigeria that focuses on vigorous body movement and often includes acrobatics. In the Igbo language, the word itself “Atilogwu” translates into “has magic—as in sorcery/ witchcraft—been put into it?”

The name stems from rumors that bewitchment or magic potions had to be involved if the children of the village could perform so exuberantly and energetically, while making it look so effortless. The tempo of the dance matches the tempo of the music, which is dependent on the beat of the drum and “ogene,” a metal gong instrument.

The festivity will also include exotic dishes created from authentic Nigerian recipes, served buffet style.

Sound like fun?

[vox_freedom]

From article: The name stems from rumors that bewitchment or magic potions had to be involved if the children of the village could perform...

That tells us all we need to know about this innovation to the "liturgy" of the faith.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

Ping to #16. Guess which diocese?

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

A bit of trivia for you. Did you know African and Caribbean voodoo are the most powerful forms of black magic?

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

Don't worry. I'm told the Church is exporting priests from Africa to ease the priest shortages.