Catholic Bishops ban use of phones, social media, others during mass

Catholic priests and their congregation have been instructed by the Bishops Conference of Nigeria to refrain from using mobile phones during mass.

Additionally, the CBCN has prohibited the use of social media platforms such as Facebook.

The circular dated August 15, 2024, addresses various abuses and aberrations within the church, including the inappropriate importation of secular music during liturgy, abuse of the pulpit for personal gain, indecorous dance with the monstrance containing the Eucharist, and inappropriate dressing for liturgical celebrations by both priests and laity.

Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of the Abuja Diocese conveyed these directives during his teaching at St. Theresa’s Parish, Wumba, while administering the Sacrament of Confirmation to 200 parishioners.

He said, “The Catholic Bishops of Nigeria issued a circular dated August 15, 2024, regarding some abuses and aberrations such as the use of phones by priests during Mass and the lay people taking calls during Mass or doing Facebook, etc.

“The arbitrary distortion of the liturgy, arising from the desperate quest for inculturation; the irreverent handling of the Eucharist;

altering the structure of the liturgy by taking up too many collections and fundraising right in the middle of liturgical celebrations and invention of rites in the name of child dedication with some priests placing a child on the altar against the teaching of the Church that a child is already dedicated to God during baptism.”

Other aberrations listed by the CBCN and identified by Kaigama are “inappropriate importation of secular music into the liturgy; indecorous dance, even with the monstrance containing the Eucharist; inappropriate dressing for liturgical celebrations by priests and lay people; abusing the pulpit for personal gains, settling scores with parishioners.

“For us Catholics, the Eucharist should be a very effective means to help us transform our society; to arrest the degeneration of moral values, criminality, inhuman treatment to people, corruption by those in authority, as well as the corruption found even among the poor; businessmen and women hiking the prices of things or selling fake items.”