The Catholic Church on Wednesday said the transfer of Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka from Enugu to Emene was not punitive.
Rather, the church said it was just a routine exercise within the powers of Bishops.
It said the essence of his transfer was to make Mbaka more useful to the Catholic faithful.
The reaction of the church came through the Secretary-General of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Rev. Father Ralph Madu, on Wednesday.
Madu said contrary to the position taken by Mbaka that the transfer was to make him suffer, it was a “normal church procedure”.
He said: “Mbaka’s transfer is not an exception.
“The Bishop has the right to post any priest wherever he feels his service would be more useful to the church.
“His posting should have been a privilege, not a punishment, which the Bishop can do because he has the power.
“If he (Mbaka) says it’s a punishment, then it’s open for further investigation.
“Posting is a regular thing.
“A priest can be transferred after two, three, four or more years.
“It depends on the discretion of the Bishop.
“That ministry (Adoration Ministry) is his private ministry.
“It does not belong to the church.
“Overseeing a parish is a full time job.
“Overseeing a ministry is a bigger task.
“If the church decides to take him somewhere where he’ll have more time to carry out his ministry, how is it punitive?
“That should not be the language.
“He is supposed to be a missionary.
“What if the Bishop had closed down the ministry, which is within his power to do?
“Sometimes, transfers can be for the good of the priest as something can be going wrong, which he might not be aware of.
“The Bishop is free to move any priest at any time.
“It is his prerogative.”
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