Catholic Bishops Ban Use of Phones, Social Media During Mass

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), has banned the use of mobile phones by priests and congregation during mass, Facebook and other means of communication in the social media.

Other practices prohibited in the Catholic church include inappropriate importation of secular music into the liturgy; abuse of the pulpit for personal gains, settling scores with parishioners; indecorous dance, even with the monstrance containing the Eucharist and inappropriate dressing for liturgical celebrations by priests and laity.

The CBCN took the decision in  a circular dated August 15, 2024, regarding some abuses and aberrations.

The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, Most Rev Ignatius Kaigama, revealed this in his teaching at St. Theresa’s Parish, Wumba titled, “Taste And See That The Lord Is Good!”, where he conferred the Sacrament of Confirmation on 200 parishioners.

He said, “The Catholic Bishops of Nigeria issued a circular dated August 15, 2024, regarding some abuses and aberrations such as the use of phones by priests during Mass and the lay people taking calls during Mass or doing Facebook, etc.

“The arbitrary distortion of the liturgy, arising from the desperate quest for inculturation; the irreverent handling of the Eucharist;

altering the structure of the liturgy by taking up too many collections and fundraising right in the middle of liturgical celebrations and invention of rites in the name of child dedication with some priests placing a child on the altar against the teaching of the Church that a child is already dedicated to God during baptism.” 

Other aberrations listed by the CBCN and identified by Kaigama are “inappropriate importation of secular music into the liturgy; indecorous dance, even with the monstrance containing the Eucharist; inappropriate dressing for liturgical celebrations by priests and lay people; abusing the pulpit for personal gains, settling scores with parishioners.”

The cleric added, “For us Catholics, the Eucharist should be a very effective means to help us transform our society; to arrest the degeneration of moral values, criminality, inhuman treatment to people, corruption by those in authority as well as the corruption found even among the poor; businessmen and women hiking the prices of things or selling fake items.

“Up to today, many incidences show the continuous degeneration of security. Last Thursday, 18 students from the University of Maiduguri and the University of Jos were kidnapped along the Otukpo-Enugu highway in Benue State. 

“They were traveling to the Enugu State University of Science and Technology to attend the annual conference of the Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students (FECAMDS). On Friday, a group said to be travelling to Abuja for the wedding of Gov. Charles Soludo’s daughter was ambushed by unknown armed men. 

“Some were taken hostage while one or more lost their lives. Lord, spare this country from bloodshed and criminality!

We need the Eucharist to heal the family too. 

“As today marks the end of the National Family Week, dedicated to help us reflect more on the gift and values of the family, through our Eucharistic devotion, may God transform families to become sacred institutions where parents are always available; spending time together, and praying together, and not where some parents encourage wrong doings such as: assisting their children to buy results, to cheat at exams, change their age, use public funds to train their children in expensive institutions.

“We earnestly ask our Mother Mary to intercede for us, our families, and our country.

“It is becoming too embarrassing as the outside world asks, “What is wrong with Nigeria?” Perhaps we can say something is grievously wrong with the family that is why something is wrong with Nigeria. 

“In conclusion, may I ask that you kindly remember the farmers and pray for more rain in some parts of Northern Nigeria, the scarcity of which is likely to compound the already bad situation of poverty and hunger. God bless and keep us well.”

Friday Olokor, Abuja

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