“Church was established because of Sin” – Fr. Banjo

By CSN Media

The Deputy Secretary General and Director of Pastoral Affairs Department, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), Rev. Fr. Michael Banjo, stated that the church was established because of the reality of sin and it exists because of sinners. Alluding to Christ’s teaching in Luke Gospel 5:32, he emphasised that even Christ himself affirmed that he came not for the righteous, but to call sinners to repentance.

Fr. Banjo in his presentation while moderating an orientation exercise for staff of CSN on Friday, January 12, 2024 at the Catholic Secretariat, advised them to shun all forms of discrimination among themselves. He emphasised that if not for the mercies of God, no one is worthy to work in the church.

Citing the Church’s teaching in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC,2331), the Pastoral Affairs Director explained that every human person is created in the image and likeness of God, and is therefore loved by God irrespective of racial colour, tribal affiliation, religious creed or even sexual orientation.

Reacting to the Pope’s declaration on “Fiducia supplican,” the Church Cannonist explained that the Church’s extant laws on marriage has not changed and that the Holy Father, Pope Francis has not in anywere legalized same sex marriage, because neither the Church nor the Pope has the power to change that, since it is based on the divine law.

“When it comes to the hierarchy of laws in the Catholic church, we have the divine law, natural law and then we begin to talk about positive laws, and it says that positive laws must always submit to divine laws. The Pope has supreme power, but he does not have the power to change divine laws.

“In that document “Fiducia supplican,” the Church is not saying anything new, she is simply saying that homosexual saxual persons are children of God. We do not recognise their union, but we recognise that these persons in this union are children of God.”

At the orientation exercise which was organised to sensitise staff of CSN on work ethics and conducts within the premises of the Secretariat, the Deputy Secretary General charged them to make efforts to abide by the rules governing their conducts at work for the overall good of the institution.