Fr. Alia: When a Catholic Priest becomes a State Governor, can he celebrate mass again? Who then is the state’s first lady?
These are the question that has been asked frequently and shall surface again. However, the Catholic Church is over 2000 years old and everything that happens to her seems to be a repetition of history. This is the reason why the Codex Iuris Canonici, that is, the Code of Canon Law, of the Church, took care of this kind of situation.
Precisely, the Code of Canon Law of the Roman Catholic stops priests from doing anything unbecoming or foreign to the clerical state. The law prohibits diocesan priests and bishops from taking up public offices (Canon 285 § 2).
Now comes the question of what constitutes a public office. Being an aged and wise institution, the Church in Can 285 & 3 states that Clerics are forbidden to assume public offices which entail participation in the exercise of CIVIL POWER. Here, the clarity is made because these public offices include the office of the governor of Benue State, which Fr. Hycinth Alia just won under APC PARTY and has been declared the governor-elect of Benue State, Nigeria. Therefore, he shall be involved in the exercise of civil power.
Does this mean he has gone against the Law of the Catholic Church as a Catholic Priest?
An article in Daily Post Nigeria dated May 21, 2022, written by Fikayo Olowolagba, and titled: “Catholic Church Suspends Rev. Fr Hyacinth Alia Over Governorship Aspiration,” it states that:
“The Catholic Church, Gboko Area of Benue State had SUSPENDED REVD. FR. HYACINTH LORMEM ALIA FROM PUBLIC MINISTRY ( Capital letters mine). This was disclosed in a statement signed by William Avenya, Bishop, Catholic Diocese of Gboko & Apostolic Administrator, See Vacante.
Revd. Fr. Alia was suspended for his involvement in politics and purchasing forms to contest for the position of the Governor of Benue State under the All-Progressives Congress, APC.
The statement read: “May I begin by acknowledging and appreciating you for your commitment and dedication to the work of spreading the Good News of Christ. “I wrote to communicate to you the suspension of my priest, Revd. Fr. Hyacinth lormem Alia from public ministry after series of admonitions to him Ex Can. 1371, 2° CIC.
The Bishop continued:
“The Mother Church does not allow her clerics to get involved in partisan politics on their own can. 285, 3 CIC. You are aware that my son, your brother, and your priest have purchased the party forms to contest for the Office of the Governor of Benue State under the All Progressives Congress (APC), which is totally against our vocation. Therefore, to respond to the spiritual and pastoral needs of the Church in the Catholic Diocese of Gboko, I have suspended him from the exercise of the sacred ministry.
The Catholic Bishop noted that the canonical suspension takes effect from the moment it is communicated to him and LASTS UNTIL HE CEASES FROM CONTUMACY.”
Therefore?
You have to note the phrases in Capital letters: “SUSPENDED FROM PUBLIC MINISTRY… UNTIL HE CEASES FROM CONTUMACY.” These phrases explain a lot of unanswered questions.
Iremide my Friend