THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND HER SIX COMMANDMENTS (II)

By Rev. Fr. Anselm Jimoh

While we cannot completely rule out this possibility in certain cases/situations, it is out-rightly mistaken and blatantly untrue that we do not need the priest for the forgiveness of sin. This is not an attempt to glorify the priesthood because I am a priest, the priesthood is already an honoured way of life as the Bible says, “no one takes this honour upon himself...” (Heb.5:4). To concede to the Protestant and Pentecostal claim is to allow the evil one play on our sense of human pride against the humility required for the sense of remorse to say sorry to God for our sins.
The act of confession is outwardly an action between man and man but one of them is a mediator between God and man. So it is indeed an act between man and God. Remember that the priest is taken from among men to act as a mediator between God and man. (Heb. 5:1). Christ has entrusted to the Church the powers to bind and loose, the powers to forgive and retain sins. (Matt. 16:19, 18:18, Jn. 20:23). The Church exercises this power through the ministry of her priests who are ministers of God as empowered by the Church.
Regular confession not only restores us to the grace of God but also strengthens us against sin and continually keeps us in mind of the dangers of the temptations around us. It is an observed fact that most of the leaders among the lay faithful avoid confession with the general attitude that it is not meant for them but for the “floor members” of the parish. You hardly see many of the Laity Council executives and head of societies in the queue for confessions, except, maybe at Easter confessions.
The fourth precept obliges the faithful to receive communion at least once a year and that at faster or thereabout. I must commend the fact that many Catholics make efforts to receive communion regularly. However, I cannot say for sure if all such reception of the Eucharist are genuinely motivated or just a public show. There is no law that actually says all Catholics cannot be communicants. So that, many Catholics are communicants do not make it enough, others who are vet to be should make the efforts to. Communion which is the same as the Holy Eucharist is the true body and blood of Jesus Christ, with his soul and divinity, in the appearances of bread and wine. (Penny Catechism, n.266). It is meant for the nourishment of the soul as it is the food of the soul. Frequent and regular reception of communion in a state of grace makes our spiritual life robust and strengthens us against sin and negative spiritual forces. “We are encouraged nowadays to celebrate reconciliation frequently and receive Holy Communion often to keep us close to God in order to ensure our salvation.” (CSN. 1986:111).
The Church particularly emphasizes Easter or thereabout as it is the period when we celebrate the greatest feast of Christianity; namely the resurrection of Christ. This marks the victory of good over evil, light over darkness, virtue over vice, crown over cross, Jesus over Satan, and heaven over hell.

The fifth precept is that the lay faithful should contribute to the support of their Pastors. Pastors here refer to the priests in charge of parishes or Mass Centres. In recent times, this precept is not stated as autonomous but as an addendum. The Catechism of the Catholic Church added it as an appendage to the precepts thus; “the faithful also have the duty of providing for the material needs of the Church, each according to his abilities.” (ccc 2043 parag.3). While it is not on the list of the chief commandments of the Church in the 1971 edition of the Penny Catechism (ques.229), it appears as the answer to question 245. The answer to the following question 246 states that “it is the duty of the faithful to contribute to the support of religion according to our means, so that God may be duly honoured and worshipped, and the kingdom of his Church extended.”
The obvious impression this gives is that the contribution mentioned by this precept is not to the person of the Pastor or Priest in charge, but for the work he does in the enhancement and building of the kingdom of God in his place of parochial assignment, e.g. the parish or Mass Centre. Thus, the contribution is not for the priest to buy a new car, change his wardrobe, acquire a new set of electronics or take care of his family members. It is for him to advance the faith of the people in his charge and attend to the pastoral, liturgical, and social needs of the parish and parishioners. May I quickly add that the welfare of the priest is part and parcel of the pastoral needs of the parish. A hungry priest, a sad priest, a sick priest, cannot minister as he himself will stand in need of being ministered to.
What however should not be encouraged is the luxurious and lavish life style of God's ministers, especially from the purse of the parish. Even from the personal purse of the priest; given that he has a personal purse that can accommodate such a life style, it calls for suspect. This negates the injunction of Christ in Matt.10:9-10. Lk.10:7, where he directly counsels his apostles against luxurious and outlandish lifestyle.
Parishioners are not to steal to contribute hugely to the growth of the kingdom. They are all to contribute honestly, sincerely, and generously according to their means. Such contributions are to be judiciously and wisely utilized for the growth of the kingdom of God under existing Church and diocesan guidelines as approved by the Local Ordinary - Bishop. This is to be coordinated or supervised by the priest in whose charge or area of jurisdiction the contribution is meant to be utilized.
The last but not the least precept demands that a Catholic does not marry within certain degrees of kindred. This deals with the very vast and complicated subject of marriage. It forbids that people with very close blood ties be allowed to marry. Such closeness should at least exceed the third cousin degree. This is not a real problem in Nigeria as most, if not all cultures in Nigeria already forbid such. Notwithstanding, limits still have to be specified just in case there is a case where there are no such strict regulations.
It encourages all Catholic laymen and women to marry in the Church and raise the off-spring of such marriages as good Catholic children. This is one area where there are so many questions to be asked, especially with the very recent and rampart trend of mixed marriages. Mixed marriage is not a new thing in the Catholic Church, but it has assumed a new dimension in recent times. The new trend seems one sided. It is most times always the Catholic girl getting married to the Pentecostal guy. I do not want to delve into this beyond expressing my serious suspicion that something seems not right with this new and common trend.
Apparently, these precepts of the Church do not contradict in anyway the commandments of God. They actually guide the Catholic faithful to follow and keep the commandments of God and practically live out their Christian call to the glory of God and the good and growth of the Church here on earth. It will be too nice if Catholics familiarize themselves with these precepts and allow their spiritual, pastoral and social life be guided by them.