I Hate This Priest -By Rev. Fr. Peter C. Okolie

(A brief exhortation to Catholics shying away from The Sacraments of Reconciliation and The Holy Eucharist)

I had just finished celebrating the Holy Mass in a Parish far away from my own Parish when a very tall, pretty and pious-looking young Lady approached me with a confused look of smiley and frowny face. She gently whispered into my ears: Father I’ve not been receiving communion for a very long time now and its bothering me a whole lot. I was happy and sad too. Happy that someone really has this hunger for the most soothing food for our soul and heavenly sojourn. On the other hand, I was sad because I was also aware of the pain she must be going through having not received Christ for such a long while. Upon further inquiry, the young Lady revealed that because of two striking reasons she has not received communion. First, according to her Whenever the Priest preaches at Mass, it seems the priest is talking to her directly and thus she concluded that the Priest makes use of her confession to preach. Secondly, I don’t just like our Priest. I hate him with utmost passion and whenever I attend Mass and he is the one celebrating, i won’t receive the communion. Father these are my problems.

This is not just the problem of my friend (the young Lady in question), but the problem of most Catholics – young and old, Male and Female. Sometimes, they even go to the extent of refusing to receive communion from a Deacon when a Priest is also sharing. Some will also refuse to receive from the Priest when a Bishop is celebrating and also distributing communion. They’ll carefully target the Bishop and file out to receive from him. Very funny and show of ignorance.

In the first place, this my friend and her likes do not understand what we mean by “Seal of Confession or Seal of the Confessional.” In simple terms this means the absolute duty of priests not to disclose anything that they learn from penitents during the course of the Sacrament of Penance. This Sacramental seal is inviolable. Thus it is very wrong for a Confessor in any way to betray the penitent for any reason whatsoever. Even in regions where interpreters are needed this seal implies and even those who in any way come to learn about the sins from a confession (Cf CIC 983 p 1&2). In both cases (Whether from a Confessor or an Interpreter) the defaulters risk excommunication and in the case of the Minister “Latae Sententiae.” (CIC 1388). It is prominent and expedient to note again, Dearest friends that under no circumstance(s) may the information given be revealed by the priest, unless the penitent gives permission. As a penitent you can rely on this wholly. Even in some states, the priest may be asked by a court of law to divulge information but must refuse even though this may lead to imprisonment. We need not fear or even get jittery either in our discussions or even human relationship with our Confessors on account of them judging us by what they learn from the Confessional. It is wrong. No priest talks, judges or even sees you as bad based on what he has learnt from the confessional. There is the need to work on our consciences and be free indeed for our salvation. Homilies are discourse for spiritual edification and they’re from readings proper to each Mass. Homilies are not from sins learnt at the confessional. Be more interested in righting the wrongs of your life exposed by the homilies than looking for source of the Homilist.

Again whether this priest is my friend or not, whether he is holy or not, whether he has abused me or not, whatever his sanctity status is, the sacraments are still efficacious. There is this Latin Concept in the Catholic Church that clearly captures this – ex opere operato. Ex opere operato is a Latin expression meaning “by the work done.” It refers to the fact that the sacraments confer grace when the sign is validly effected — not as the result of activity on the part of the Minister or the recipent but by the power and promise of God. It is also wrong beloved friends to underestimate the power of the Sacraments just because of the Minister and the issues you have with him. Every minister is no longer acting in his persona at the altar during the sacrifice of the Mass but he acts in “persona Christi.” Infact, he becomes an “Alter Christus.” Whatever happens at the altar then is done by Christ and not the person you have issues with. Whether I receive communion from a Bishop, A Rev Fr or even a Deacon makes no difference. They’re all ministers of the communion and thus they’re not acting on their own person but in the person of Christ. Let us be guided in our disposition at Masses and other Sacraments. No priest is his own.

Dearest friends, nothing should ever come between you and your God. Do not let what transpires outside the Sacraments debar you from witnessing the rich grace and mercy embedded in them. May the Body and Blood of Christ keep us safe now and always. Amen.