CAR: Clergymen on strike

  1. Posted on Wednesday 27 May 2009 - 15:30
    Julien
    Julien Dreshenga, AfricaNews reporter in Bangui, CAR
    Local priests and diocesans of the Central Africa Republic (CAR) are on a general and indefinite strike action. They are protesting the resignation of Father Paulin Pomodimo, Bangui archbishop, who was accused of adopting "a moral attitude which is not always in conformity with his commitments to follow Christ in chastity, poverty and obedience."
    central african republic
    Father Pomodimo and many of his younger colleagues were reproached with “sexual immorality tarnishing the Church image, and characterized by priests heading households and fathering children.”

    The 27 May 2009 edition of a local daily - Le Confident – reported that in the name of moral responsibility the Vatican exercised pressure on Father Pomodimo to resign and replaced him with Dieudonne Nzapalayinga as apostolic administrator of Bangui archbishopric.

    The strike action followed a publication from the apostolic nuncio to Bangui that Pope Benedict XVI had accepted the resignation of Pomodimo. They have resolved to suspend all religious services and sacraments in their various parishes until further notice.

    They published an announcement over Catholic Radio Notre Dame protesting also the appointment of Dieudonné Nzapalayinga as apostolic administrator of Bangui archbishopric.

    All Catholic churches headed by Central African priests were closed this morning and members who came for services were obliged to return home.

    However, there seems to be no agreement among the religious strikers since the vicar-general of Bambari granted an interview to Radio Ndeke Luka today, calling on his colleagues to review their positions, AfricaNews reporter said.

    Related story:
    Clergymen gang up against Vatican

Latest News

  1. Kenya launches universal HPV vaccine access t…17/05As the world celebrates the Cervical Cancer Week, Kenya has taken a leap of faith by launching universal distribution of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) v…
  2. Malawi Electoral body appeals for ethical…17/05The Malawi Electoral Commission has challenged the media to follow ethical standards in the coverage of the 2014 tripartite elections to avoid fueling…
  3. Amplats to cut 6,000 jobs in South Africa10/05Top global platinum producer Anglo American Platinum announced on Friday that it will cut 6,000 jobs at its South African operations, in a move that r…
  4. Kofi Annan: Africa plundered by secret mining…10/05Tax avoidance, secret mining deals and financial transfers are depriving Africa of the benefits of its resources boom, ex-UN chief Kofi Annan has…
  5. Bomb blasts rock Libyan city of Benghazi10/05A bomb has exploded outside the a police station in the Libya's eastern city of Benghazi, Reuters news agency reports.
  6. Kenya calls on UN to drop Kenyatta trials10/05Kenya has written to the UN Security Council seeking to scrap the international crimes against humanity trials for President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Vi…
  7. Zanu PF Spruces up Voter Victimization…02/05Zanu PF has perfected its intimidation and coercive electoral machinery ahead of Zimbabwe’s next elections, an investigative visit to Mutoko…
  8. Africa Oil & Gas, Finance & Investment…02/05AME Trade Ltd are happy to announce the launch of the Africa Oil & Gas, Finance & Investment Forum (http://www.aogfi.com). This event is suppo…
  9. Cameroon: Anti-poaching Operations Intensified02/05Wildlife authorities in Cameroon arrested 20 suspects and confiscated 45 guns during a 10-day anti-poaching operation that targeted elephant poachers …
  10. Mugabe warns against foreign interference19/04Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has said he will not accept foreign interference during elections later this year.
  11. Cameroonian Scholar Wins 2013 'African He…19/04Internationally-recognised anthropologist, University of Cape Town's, UCT, Prof. Francis Beng Nyamnjoh was named African Hero of the Year for 201…
  12. SAA receives most on-time airline in the world…19/04South African Airways (SAA) has received two major endorsements from respected industry experts. In the first, SAA topped the list of the most on-time…
  13. Action Plan Launched to end preventable deaths…12/04UNICEF and the WHO have launched a new action plan tackling for the first time two of the three biggest killer diseases of children under five in Afri…
  14. Eurochannel picks EUTELSAT 16A to extend reach…12/04The range of channels broadcasting across sub-Saharan Africa via the EUTELSAT 16A satellite further increased today with the launch of Eurochannel, th…
  15. Madonna in bitter war of words with Malawi aft…12/04Pop star Madonna is causing a commotion in Malawi, days after her return from a goodwill trip to the nation. The singer is in a bitter feud with the …
News archive