By George Onah
The Catholic Church of Port Harcourt Diocese has banned the illegal celebration of Holy Mass, baptism, wedding, night vigils, special healing masses and administration of the sacraments (giving of communion) in private homes and hostels in the diocese.

Giving reasons for the action the Bishop of the diocese Most Rev. Camilus Etukudoh said during the 2011 Chrism Mass at the Corpus Christi Cathedral that the congregation in such places were “being deceived into believing all sorts of lies and false teachings”. Those places are also used to collect tithes and other monies.

“No Catholic should frequent any private home or house used by any priest for the administration of the sacraments and other Christian care. Many Catholics have been exploited and deceived into believing other gospel”, he said.

According to the Catholic Link newspaper, the diocese had also noted an unprecedented influx of priests and religious congregations into the diocese without following the required canonical invitation and the unfortunate situation has led to very regrettable situations.

It was learnt that “most student priests, who may have come to study in some tertiary institutions in Port Harcourt, on their own often without the permission of their home bishops and who are not in communion with their dioceses use Port Harcourt as a base to re-enact their pastoral ministry”.

“Of particular note is a certain religious community called “Immaculate Conception Catholic Community which claims to be an outstation of the Catholic Diocese of Orlu, Imo State”. The church said it was not possible for an outstation of a diocese to operate in another diocese.

Bishop Etukudoh then set up a task force to round up such illegal prayer centres in the name of the Catholic Church in Port Harcourt, but said “it is important to note that there are genuine religious men and women who have been working and contributing to the evangelization of the diocese”.