Clergy makes case for embattled Rwandan Catholic Priest
A Nigerian preacher has called on the former Rwandan Reverend Father who had been defrocked by the Catholic Pontiff, Pope Francis to see his punishment for fathering a child as a chastisement from God and should not because of it deviate from his calling as a minister of God.
Pastor James John who lead the Home of the Gospel Deliverance Ministry International Calabar made the statement on Sunday May 6th 2023 while fielding questions from newsmen to mark his 25years of service in the vineyard of God.
He said though Wenceslas Munyeshaka defaulted by having a child which is against the church doctrine thus deserves the reprimand in accordance with the rules, he should instead of bowing out confess his sins and continue to serve God by starting a church to propagate the mandate of great commission referencing Mattew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came to them and spoke to them saying, All authority in heaven and on the earth has been given to me, As you are going, therefore, make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all the things that I command you, And low, I am with you always, even to the end of the world”
He implored him to use the setback as a stepping stone to greater heights in his life endeavor just like Peter the disciple of Christ did after denying his master and Saviour Jesus Christ quoting “John 18:15-17, 25:17 as failure is a reality of life because every living being is bound to fail along the way.
Recall aside breaking the celibacy’s tenet of the church regarding Priesthood, Munyeshyaka is also accused of masterminding the Genocide in different parts of Kigali, but most especially the killings at Saint Famille Catholic Church, where he was a priest in 1994.
The Rwandan born Catholic Priest who fathered 12year old has been Defrocked By Pope Francis Munyeshyaka with 30yrs as clergyman serving in Northern France by name Wenceslas was defrocked by Pope Francis March 23 as announced on Monday May, 5th 2023 accepted he fathered a child in 2010.
The ruling by the Bishop of diocese of Evreux Christian Nourrichard is not subject to any appeal and begins with immediate effect admitted in December 2021 ordained in 1992 and accused in 1995 of participating in the genocide against the Tutsis and rape of women and executions at his church in Kigali where about 800,000 people were massacred which lasted for 100 days between April and July 1994 and cleared by French courts of criminal charges in the 20year case in 2015 to lack of substantial evidence.
It would be recalled as well that twenty (20) Ugandan priests formed a breakaway sect of celibates who are either married or want to marry and formed a body called the catholic Apostolic National Church in Uganda.
But a staunch Catholic parishioner who spoke on condition of anonymity said unlike the case of a Ugandan Parish Priest of our Lady Africa Catholic Church, Father John Nyahnanga Mungereza explained that he had officially requested Pope Francis to be freed from priesthood so that he marries his lover and the Pope granted it in 2017 which father Mungereza said he had zeal to have children and raise a family instead of living in hypocrisy, the Rwandan priest should have done the needful and live a life of dignity rather than be caught in the web of scandal.
He however concluded by saying that father Munyeshyaka who was laicized, though prohibited from performing sacraments such as hearing confession or blessing and bestowing the Eucharist (also known as Communion). But a defrocked or laicized priest may be able to marry and don’t have to abide by rules such as celibacy according to catholic News Agency.
By: Archibong Emmanuel
(Snr. Reporter)
