YAOUNDÉ, Cameroon – In Nigeria, a leading priest and scholar has raised concerns about the growing number of religious ministries within the Catholic Church, warning that it is eroding the credibility of the Church. Father Anthony Akinwale, a professor and Deputy Vice Chancellor at Augustine University Ilara-Epe in Lagos State, made these remarks during the 2024 Plenary Assembly at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) Resource Center in Durumi.
Akinwale expressed his worries about the “explosion of new religious communities, some with little or nothing in terms of spirituality and charism of consecrated life” within the Church, pointing out that some of these ministries and ministers pretend to be Catholic, even displaying statues of Blessed Mary or the Blessed Sacrament in a way that he believes may point to sacrilege. He accused the leaders of these communities of engaging in “fake prophecies and arranged miracles” to exploit a gullible populace, which he fears is eroding the credibility of Christianity and Catholicism, particularly in Nigeria.
The priest also noted how Pentecostalism has infiltrated the Catholic space in Nigeria and suggested that the focus on issues like the blessing of same-sex couples is distracting from the deeper challenges affecting the Church.
However, not everyone sees the rise of Pentecostalism as a negative development. Father Stan Chu Ilo of DePaul University in Chicago believes that there are valid lessons to be learned from Pentecostalism and that it could offer opportunities for cooperation and a greater understanding of authentic Christian witnessing.
In response to the challenges facing the Catholic Church, Akinwale proposed measures such as a constant review of seminary formation to safeguard the faith and the need for Church leaders to recognize that formation does not end with ordination. He emphasized the importance of respecting the baptismal dignity and charism of the lay faithful and consecrated persons, suggesting that the Church must have the courage to address issues for apostolic tradition, the synodal process, and social and ecclesial realities.