Catholic Church debunks alleged unauthorised wedding of Priest

 Last week, a social media report made the rounds over a catholic Priest, Mr. Jude Obasi, who allegedly married his lover on Saturday, May 25 in Abakakili, the Ebonyi State Capital.

The report included an image of the Priest and his lover in a wedding dress, adding that the Priest is from Afikpo North Local Ggovernment Area of the state.

The clergyman, dressed in full Priestly attire, was seen holding the bride’s hand in a canopy-covered area filled with guests. Both he and the unidentified bride were smiling in the photograph.
The report, however, sparked numerous reactions, with many applauding the cleric for his bold decision against church principles.

Catholic Priests, like Catholic Reverend Sisters, voluntarily take an oath of celibacy, which forbids them from engaging in sex and marriage.

In response, the Diocesan Chancellor, Matthew Opoke, issued a statement on Monday, May 27, refuting the report. He stated that no priest by that name exists in the records of the Catholic Church in Afikpo North Local Government Area.
The chancellor also mentioned that the Diocese has no church named Saint Mary’s Catholic Church in Abakakili, and no such event occurred in the area during that time.

He said: “No Priest by that name exists within the Diocese, and the person in the trending photograph does not resemble any priest in the Diocese. It goes without saying that the publication is fake. It was possibly fermented by a blogger who wants to gain much traffic on their social media handles.”