The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Ignatius Kaigama, has stated that media reports indicating that Pope Francis, the Catholic Pontiff, had granted blessings for same-sex couples were false.
Kaigama made the clarification during his homily at Our Lady Queen of Nigeria Catholic Pro-Cathedral in Abuja during the Christmas season.
According to Kaigama, the viral rumor is a malicious deception that is part of a well coordinated untruth by the Catholic Church’s enemies in order to generate confusion among its adherents.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Pope did not and will never approve blessings for any intending same-sex couples because the position of the Church on this is very clear and has not changed.
“I am the representative of the Pope here, so if there’s any such approval or directive, I’ll be the first to know and relay the message to the brethren.
“The media reports on this issue are the handiwork of the enemies of the Church, who have been busy spending millions of dollars to bring down the Church, but to no avail because they cannot succeed,” he stated.
He exhorted Christians not to despair or allow their faith to be shaken by the church’s opponents’ indiscriminate attacks, stressing that evil can never triumph over good, just as darkness cannot overcome light.
Speaking about the country’s instability, Kaigama advised Christians to remain firm in their faith and prayers, emphasizing that the problem will soon be forgotten.
The cleric urged the perpetrators of crime, particularly the ongoing kidnapping of Catholic priests around the country, to stop in order to avert God’s wrath.
He also prayed for the success of Nigeria and its leaders and encouraged the Federal Government to strengthen security measures in order to halt the tide of criminality in the country and bring the outlaws to justice.
According to Kaigama, Christmas represents a season of peace, love, caring, change, and new birth in the lives of all Christians, who must strive to resemble Christ by adhering to the aforementioned principles.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
