As the dust raised by the protracted crisis that had raged between Mbaise Catholic Diocese and embattled Bishop Peter Okpaleke begins to calm down, the laity of the diocese have pleaded with the adninstrator Bishop LuciousUgorji to give them an indigenous bishop
They are also excited that at last critical church activities such as ordination of priests and confirmation can resume in earnest after been in limbo for years now.
Speaking to NigeriaNewspoint on condition of anonimity a laity from AhiazuMbaise Council said the diocese is still insisting on an indgenous bishop
But he was quick to say that those who dont understand what that means usually misinterpret it saying what that means is that the bishop should be from the diocese his place of origin notwithstanding.
He posited that the diocese is blessed with so many aualified candidates who can handle the functions of that office noting the diocese was looking up to Bishop Ugorji to do the needful by recommending one of them.
He also said they were expecting him to handle the situation with despatch and seriousness it deserves so that normalcy can return fully.
On the issue of ordinations the laity said for the past six years the diocese has never witnessed priestly ordination pointing out that the development had briught about drop in the number of priests in the diocese.
He noted too that other activities such as confirmation were also seriously affected leading to thousands of youths waiting on the line to be confirmed.
It can be recalled that the diocese of Mbaise imbroglio rdturned to the front burner last week following the foemal resignation of Bishop Peter Okpaleke who was vehemently rejected by the diocese.
The crisis had lingered for over six years and put diocesan activities on hold until the event of last week and subsequent appointment of Bishop Ugorji of Umuahia Diocese as the cathedral adminstrator.
Among his many duties, he is expected to at the end of his assignment to recommend the priest who would be concencrated the bishop of mbaise diocese.
