In a homily at the National Pastoral Congress in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, a prelate called on the bishops’ conference to take more decisive action against unorthodox practices in the liturgy, especially the incorporation of so-called healing ministries.

“it is very unfortunate that in the Catholic Church in Nigeria today, there is proliferation of these so-called private or personal ‘healing ministries’ and ‘adoration ministries’,” Bishop Felix Femi Ajakaye of Ekiti (map) preached. “Unfortunately, with this great increase in number in such ‘ministries,’ many unorthodox practices are being introduced into the Catholic Church’s worship and liturgy through some people’s whim and caprices … Our gathering here is a unique opportunity to address the sickening and embarrassing situation in the Catholic Church in Nigeria.”