'It is not our duty to investigate donors' - Nnewi Diocese Bishop

isaac dachen

August 14, 2017 8:44 AM

In the wake of the massacre in a Catholic Church in Anambra State, the Diocese Bishop says it is not the duty of the clergy to investigate donors.

The St- Philip Catholic where worshippers were massacred

Following the massacre that took place at St. Philip’s Catholic Church, Amakwa, Ozubulu, Anambra State, the Bishop of the Nnewi Diocese,

Most Rev. Okeke was responding to questions in an interview with the Sun Newspaper after it was alleged that the killings were linked to an alleged drug baron who built the church and donated to the Diocese.

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While reacting to why church organizations accept monetary donations and offer of church buildings from people without finding out what the person does to make his money, the Bishop said it was not part of their duties to make such findings as that would make people skeptical of donating.

“If you get the information that the person is making his money through a dubious way in criminality, then you know what to do.

It is not just a question of anybody who brings money or offers anything to the church, you go to the police and ask them to investigate this man’s source of wealth before you accept it. It is not done.

If you do it, then even in the church we should not be accepting any money because evil people can come to church and give. It is God who knows if the person is giving the money from criminal or immoral source.

God knows everybody and will reward the person accordingly. If you know that the person is a criminal that is when you now tell him, my man go and change.

Even in the Bible, it is not the work of the church to begin to cast people away. The church is for the saints and sinners and it is our duty to continue to preach to the sinners,” Most Rev. Okeke said.

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He went on to confirm that about 15 churches in the Diocese were built and donated by private individuals and noted that it is only someone who had been convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction that the church would not accept offers from.

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