Catholic church won’t pay ransom for kidnapped priests – Bishop Ezeokafor
said that the Catholic Church will not pay ransom, and has never done
so to free any kidnapped priest.
Ezeokafor, who was reacting to the kidnap of a priest, Rev. Father
Christopher Ogaga, in Aragba, Oviri-Okpe, Okpe Local Government, Delta
State recently, and the eventual demand for N15million ransom, said it
will be foolhardy and unimaginable for the universal church to pay for
the release of any abducted priest.
The cleric, who spoke at St. Patrick's Catholic Cathedral, Awka,
emphatically said the reason the mother church did not pay ransom to
kidnappers was because the Church relied solely on people's
benevolence and goodwill for her survival.
He wondered why anyone in their right senses would ever think of
kidnapping a priest of God, let alone requesting ransom from the
Church.
He added that Catholic priests owned nothing and therefore had nothing
to give to anybody.
"Catholic priests live on parishioners' benevolence. Whatever they
receive as gifts are what they live with, no additional income
anywhere. They have given up everything – children, accumulation of
wealth, owning and acquisition of property.
"They sacrificed their earthly pleasures just to serve God and
humanity. They need prayers, help, encouragement and not this type of
treatment.
"These people are working for God and humanity. They are not being
paid. They rely solely on people's assistance, goodwill and kind
gestures for their survival. Why go after those working out your
salvation? I cannot understand it," Bishop Ezeokafor said.
Meanwhile, Fr Ogaga was last week rescued by men of the Nigeria Police
Force in Delta State.
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