Pope backs down, OKs resignation of divisive Nigerian bishop

VATICAN CITY – The Associated Press

Pope Francis backed down Feb. 19 and accepted the resignation of Nigerian bishop who had been rejected for years by the priests of his diocese, setting a precedent that could have repercussions elsewhere.

The announcement came after Francis in June issued a harsh ultimatum to the priests of Nigeria’s southern Ahiara diocese that they would lose their jobs if they didn’t obey him and accept Bishop Peter Okpaleke as their bishop. It wasn’t clear how many of them obeyed within the 30-day deadline given by Francis to accept Okpaleke.

But on Feb. 19, the Vatican announced that Okpaleke was resigning and that Francis had named Monsignor Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji as Ahiara’s temporary administrator.

Pope Benedict XVI had appointed Okpaleke to Ahiara in 2012, but the local clergy rejected him.

Ahiara is a very Catholic diocese of the Mbaise region, and its faithful objected to the appointment of an outsider from the Anambra region being imposed on them. The Mbaise had wanted one of their own and blocked access to the cathedral when Okpaleke was to be formally installed.

Instead, he was installed outside the diocese six months after he was appointed.

The case was a test of papal authority, and has echoes with another divisive bishop appointment in the news concerning Chilean Bishop Juan Barros.

Barros has been rejected by many faithful and priests in southern Osorno, Chile, ever since Francis appointed him in 2015.

They cite accusations by sexual abuse victims that Barros witnessed and ignored their abuse at the hands of Chile’s most notorious predator priest.

During his March 21, 2015, installation Mass, protesters stormed the church, carrying signs saying they didn’t want Barros as their bishop.