Fr Ngabonziza Norbert

Fr Ngabonziza Norbert For the Catholic Evangelical Mission

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05/07/2025

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WHEN PRIESTS DESTROY HOMES

(A reflection on a bold post by Fr. Prince Chidi Philip)

A brother priest wrote something recently, and it’s rattling many of us. Some say he went too far. Some say he shouldn’t have said it online. Others say, “We shouldn’t wash our dirty linens in public.” But if you know me, you know I care more about the truth of what was said and the goal of the message than about our comfort.

Yes, some of the language is intense. But here’s the reality we cannot hide:

1. AFFIRMATIONS: Truths We Must Not Hide

Fr. Prince is not fabricating realities. Anyone engaged in pastoral ministry or involved in diocesan administration knows that:

* Some of us priests do become predators, misusing our position to manipulate, seduce, and destroy.

* Sexual abuse and spiritual manipulation have occurred within the Church.

* A false notion of “clerical immunity” has sometimes shielded abusers while ignoring victims.

* The trust of the faithful has been shattered in many places due to some of us who lead double lives.

So, his passion is not without grounding in truth. We cannot deny that these situations have happened, and we must admit that silence has enabled their perpetuation.

2. LANGUAGE AND STYLE: Righteous Anger vs. Pastoral Tone

While the language used in the article is powerful and prophetic, it walks a delicate line between:

- Prophetic indignation (similar to the tone of John the Baptist or the biblical prophets) and

- Potential scandal or generalisation, which can unintentionally paint the entire priesthood in negative light.

What to affirm: The Church needs prophetic voices within the priesthood, voices that call out injustice and unfaithfulness from within.

What to clarify: Not all priests who sin s*xually are predators. Some are genuinely struggling, falling, repenting, and seeking to live out their vocation more faithfully.

These should not be lumped together with those who act with calculated deceit or predatory intent.

3. CANONICAL CONTEXTUALISATION: The Law Speaks Clearly

Fr. Prince quotes Canon 1395 §§1–2, and this is indeed the right place to begin.

Canon 1395 §1:

"A cleric who is living in concubinage, other than in the case mentioned in §2, and a cleric who persists in some other external sin against the sixth commandment of the Decalogue which causes scandal, is to be punished with just penalties, not excluding dismissal from the clerical state if the case warrants it."

Let's turn to Canon 1395 §2:

"A cleric who has committed an offense against the sixth commandment of the Decalogue with force or threats or publicly or with a minor or with a person who habitually lacks the use of reason or abuses his authority is to be punished with just penalties, not excluding dismissal from the clerical state if the case so warrants."

These canons rightly stress:

* Scandal: Not just personal sin, but the public impact on the faithful.

* Abuse of authority: Not only in minor cases, but also in adult relationships.

* Severity of punishment: Including laicization, especially where patterns persist or there is manipulation.

Additional Relevant Norms:

* 'Sacramentorum Sanctitatis Tutela' (2001; updated): Declares s*xual abuse of a minor or vulnerable person a grave delict, reserved to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

* 'Vos Estis Lux Mundi' (2019, Pope Francis): Extends accountability to cases of:

* Abuse of power, even in adult relationships.
* Negligence in handling abuse by bishops and religious superiors.
* Includes a focus on vulnerable persons, not just minors.

Contextual Clarification:

The canons Fr. Prince quoted are solid, but their interpretation must always take into account:

* The requirement of proof: Canonical penalties require formal investigation and due process.

* Distinction between consensual sin and coercive abuse: Both are sinful, but the latter carries deeper juridical implications.

* Different categories of victims: Minors, vulnerable adults, spiritually dependent adults (e.g., directees, parishioners) all merit protection.

4. CLARIFYING AMBIGUITIES

a. “More s*x than married people”:

This generalisation, while highlighting hypocrisy, may scandalise faithful priests and mislead readers. It’s important to separate:

* Those who fall into sin and repent
* From those who make a lifestyle of secret s*xual activity

b. “Some were never called”:

Yes, discernment processes are not infallible. But the Church does believe in the validity of ordination, even if the human motives were impure. God can work through imperfect vessels.

c. The Indemnity Forms:

This is a developing area. My own Diocese adopted this more than a decade ago. Some dioceses, especially in parts of the West, require priests to sign safeguarding declarations before a notary or diocesan official, affirming:

* No known accusations or misconduct.
* Agreement to abide by safeguarding rules.
* Commitment to celibacy and moral conduct.

It may be helpful to say: “In some parts of the Church, priests are now being asked to sign safeguarding declarations, especially in the wake of abuse crises, to further protect the vulnerable and uphold priestly integrity.”

5. MINORS AND VULNERABLE ADULTS: KEY DISTINCTIONS

The Vatican’s updated approach now includes vulnerable adults. That is, those who:

* Are mentally impaired,
* Are emotionally dependent,
* Are spiritually manipulated (e.g., via confession, counselling, spiritual direction),
* May not have the power to give full, free consent.

This is where some of us priests cross lines, using our spiritual authority to manipulate or pressure adults into s*xual acts. This is not just a moral failing; it’s abuse of power.

6. BALANCING INSTITUTIONAL PROTECTION VS. HUMAN DIGNITY

Yes, the Church must preserve her image, but not at the cost of covering up sin. In fact:

* Transparency is evangelisation: It shows the world the Church is serious about holiness and accountability.

* Accountability is pastoral: It protects the vulnerable and supports those living faithfully.

* Public prophetic truth-telling can be healing: Even when it hurts.

The salvation of souls (Canon 1752) remains the supreme law of the Church, not institutional silence.

© Oselumhense Anetor, 2025

Urukundo niyo nkota ikeba uyifashe akarumyo!
28/09/2023

Urukundo niyo nkota ikeba uyifashe akarumyo!

AMAYIRA (F. Nyombayire, Dresden 27/08/2021, d.FU)1. Amayira y’abato ntaho ataganaNi ibihembe by’inyana, ntako itategaUko wumva uzamera bigena uko ugenza ubuM...

Mu bwiyumanganye bwanyu niho muzarokora ubuzima bwanyu (Lk 21, 19). Ubu buhanuzi bwo mu Ivanjiri ya None Burakomeye kand...
13/11/2022

Mu bwiyumanganye bwanyu niho muzarokora ubuzima bwanyu (Lk 21, 19). Ubu buhanuzi bwo mu Ivanjiri ya None Burakomeye kandi budufashe no guhugukirwa n'ibya none!
- ngo bariho barata ubwiza bw'ingoro: amabuye, amatafari, amaturo menshi...Yezu we ati ibi byose nta buye rizasigara rigeretse ku rundi, bizasenywa. Aya magambo yarabakomerekeje cyane ndetse no mu gihe cy'urubanza bazabyitsaho bagira bati "yavuze ko azasenya ingoro". Gutesha agaciro ingoro ni ukwubahuka umuryango w'imana ubwayo! Ingoro yari yarubakiwe kwubaha ikuzo ry'Imana yari yarahindutse ikirangaza gishobora no kwibagiza icyo yubakiwe! Na za kiliziya zacu zimwe na zimwe ni rwo rwego ziriho...Hari za Diosezi na paroisses zikomeye cyane pe kandi zinafite n'ibifaranga, ariko wareba ikigero cy'ububyutse🤌 [Ushimishwa n'iki muri Kiliziya? Imitako? Imitambagiro mu ndirimbo z'urwunge mu bishura, ibitambaro, n'ingofero byiza n'indi myamabaro y'abeguriwe Imana? Ububani n'amaturo? Bimwe umuntu areba akiyamira ati "woaw", dore Misa nanjye nkaba umufana!😄...] Byose bizasenywa, ibyo twarundarunze, ibyo twishingikirije, wa muntu ureba ukumva arakomeye utamufite utabaho, ibyo twatekinitse, ndetse na bamwe tureba tukabona baragafashe, bemeza (burya iyo ubegereye usanga ari ibikabyo gusa ni abantu nk'abandi, hari n'igihe usanga n'ubwenge ari ukugenekereza😄) byose bizagwa! Abari nko mu Rwanda muri za 90-99, biboneye neza ukwo ibintu bigwa nko guhumbya! (...) no muri njye nyirizina ibyo niyubatsemo, ibyo ndeba nkumva ndi igitangaza, ibyo nizereramo byose bizagwa n'umubiri uzanapfa... ibyo abantu barundanze, ibyo biyubatsemo bakanabishingiraho amizero yabo nibyo bikunze no kuba intandaro y'amakimbirane bakamarana! niba umuntu adatinya gufata umuhoro agatema undi amuziza umunyagara w'igitoki, gufuha se... hazacura iki naramuka akoze ku igorofa rye??? Ku buryo bwe bw'imitegekere??=> ntumenya ikigukubise😀😃
- hazaba intambara, ibyorezo, ibihugu bishyamirane n'ibindi. Ariko sibyo herezo!
-Mbere y'ibyo, bazabanza babatoteze babaziza izina ryanjye, itotezwa rihere no mu miryango...Abantu bose bazahitamo kwegukira Imana bazatotezwa kuko ubuhamya bwabo ari ikimenyetso gihishura ubupfapfa bw'isi yorama
==> ibyo byose byaba byagira, ntimugakuke umutima, kuko iyo ibihe bikomeye, nibwo muba mugomba kuba abahamya. Abemera Imana by'ukuri bagaragarira mu bihe bikomeye. Niho tubona abamaritiri, tukabona ibitambo by'amahoro, n'abasenga by'ukuri, urukumbi rukavanwa mu ngano!
==> Ntihakagire ubafatirana mu bihe bikomeye ngo abashuke ababwira ngo isi irarangiye, ni njye uje kubakiza, n'ibindi. Mu bwiyumanganye bwanyu niho muzarokora ubuzima bwanyu. Nta n'agasatsi ko kumutwe kazatakara kuko ubuzima bwanyu bwishingiwe n'Umuremyi ubwe.
Ubwo tugana ku mpera z'umwaka wa Liturgia, ni ngombwa ko niyibutsa ko hari byinshi nubatse, n'ibyo niyubatsemo bizagomba guhirima kugira ngo nongere numve ijwi ry'Imana rimpamagara, ndusheho kuba njye wa nyawe. Iyo ibyo byose bisenyutse hari igisigara, icyo Imana ubwayo yavuze, "nimuhumure" ubugingo bwiteka buriho! Ni nabwo butumwa Nyagasani ategereje kuri Kiriziya na buri mu Kristu wese= kuba ikimenyetso cy'amizero no gukuza ubutungane n'umucyo, ndetse no mu bihe bigoye!

Un entretien très enrichissant avec le Cardinal Ving-Trois
09/11/2022

Un entretien très enrichissant avec le Cardinal Ving-Trois

Le cardinal français André Vingt-Trois fête ce 7 novembre 2022 son 80ème anniversaire. Prêtre de Paris, vicaire général puis évêque auxiliaire du diocèse aup...

Il 09-11: LA DEDICAZIONE DELLA BASILICA LATERANENSE
08/11/2022

Il 09-11: LA DEDICAZIONE DELLA BASILICA LATERANENSE

Icyumweru cya XXIV GISANZWE CIyimukamisiri 37,7-11.13-14; Zaburi 50, 1Timote 1,12-17 na Luka 15,1-32(NB: Umuntu yasoma k...
11/09/2022

Icyumweru cya XXIV GISANZWE C
Iyimukamisiri 37,7-11.13-14; Zaburi 50, 1Timote 1,12-17 na Luka 15,1-32
(NB: Umuntu yasoma kugeza kuri n.1 akaruhuka akumva akaririmbo ka @ fr Jean Bosco bigirimana akazakomerezaho Nyuma)

[Ku cyumeru gishize twazirikanye ku kwegukira Nyagasani burundu, bitari ukujya mu kaguni ngo ukifungiranemo, wumve ko wakijijwe, cyangwe se kwibabaza ugamije kugusha neza Imana, kwimunyamunya ngo Uhoraho atagutsinsura! Kwegukira Imana burundu bivuga kwemera kuba intungane nkayo mubyeyi wuje impuhwe n’ineza, ikunda itagera igatanga itaguna, igakunda buri wese nk’ikinege, ikaba yanahara byose kubera muntu.]

Amasomo ya none ayose aragaruka ku mpuhwe z’Imana zitwikira ubuhemu bwa muntu. Uhoraho atatugiriye impuhwe twashira, tutamazwe n’uburakari bwe, ahubwo kubera ko icyaha nyirizina ari inzira njya-rupfu (nk’intambara burya ani igihamya ko icyaha ari inzira y’urupfu). Icyo Yezu akora ni uguhishura iyo sura y’Imana, yabidusobanuriye akoresheje imigani itatu: uw’intama yazimiye, uw’igiceri hamwe n’uw’umubyeyi w’Impuhwe. Amagambo atangira ivanjiri arimo inyigisho ikomeye cyane idufasha kuzirikana amasomo yose y’uyu munsi:
1. “Abasoresha n’abanyabyaha basanga Yezu bose bashaka kumwumva”, baramwegera kuko muri we Imana ariyo yabanje kwiyegereza abantu bari kure ibigirishije Ijambo ryayo. Yezu we aranabikabiriza agasangira nabo nk’ikimenyetso cyo kunga ubumwe nabo, bitari kandi kujya kubashimira ko ari abanyabyaha, ahubwo kugira ngo bicuze bagarukire Imana kuko “umunyabyaha umwe wisubiyeho atera ibyishimo mu ijuru kurusha intungane zidakeneye kwisubiraho”. Burya umuntu wiyumvisemo ko ari kure y’Imana aba afite amahirwe menshi yo gutaruka. Twahawe ingero eshatu:
- Isomo rya mbere ryatweretse umuryango w’Imana utaratindiganije kujya kure y’Imana, ukarema ikimasa cya zahabu, gishushanya imbaraga za kigabo (virilité), kwiyumvamo igabo ugahinyura Imana ugatangira kuramya ibikorwa by’amaboko yawe (Zahabu). Musa abibonye atakambira Uhoraho nawe abagirira impuhwe…
- Urugero rw’umusore muto waka se umunani akajya mu gihugu cya kure yibwira ko abaye umwigenge nyamara aribwo acakaye kugeza naho abaye umugaragu w’ingurube. Amaze kuraba kubera inzara yibutse aho yaguye ava maze agarukira se (ryari itekinika ariko!🤭) Ise amubonera kure nk’uwari amutegereje, amubabarira atagombye gutegereza ko asoza ukwicuza kwe. Aramuhobera, amwambika kanzu nziza n’impeta, akora ibirori. (Ni nacyo Kiliziya ikora, abavandimwe usanze bakakwakira, bakaguhoza, bakakwomora ibikomere, gusa siko mu matsinda yose wabisangamo, hari aho wagera ukiheba kurushaho! Ariko baramutse atari beza koko wowe uzabarushe ube mwiza!)
- Urugero rwa Gatatu ni Pawulo ubwe uhamya ati “Njyewe wahoze ndi umuntu utuka Imana, ngatoteza abayo, nkaba umunyarugomo, njye wari injiji itagira n’ukwemera, nari kure cyane…”
Umuntu watannye iyo ahuye na Nyagasani bimuha kwumva neza icyaha cye ariko ntibimubere impamvu yo gucika intege ahubwo yamamaza impuhwe z’Uhoraho zamubayeho igisagirane: “Ndashimira Umwami wacu wampaye imbaraga, Ingabire ye yambayemo igisagirane, nsenderezwa ukwemera n’urukundo ruri muri Kristu Yezu”. Njye ku giti cyanjye, nemeza ko ineza ya Nyagasani yansumbye, isumba ubuhemu bwanjye maze antorera kumubera umuhamya n’ubwo ntari mbikwiye bwose! Umukrisu ni igikorwa cy’Impuhwe z’Imana ubwayo, buri wese azi aho Imana yamukuye igihe imuhamagaye, kandi ihora itwarura henshi ikanatuma tutamwara! Ndetse hari n’abantu bamwe bagiye bagira ibyo boroshya (bashyiramo imiyaga😉) tukaba tubakesha aho turi ubu, bakemeza batyo ko uko umugabo aguye atariko ameneka kandi ko nta ntungane isengera aho sh*tani atagera, hari kandi n’amabanga akomeye abantu batwariye abandi🙏, gusa twese tukishimira ko ineza ya Nyagasani iduha gutera agatambwe, ibyahise tukabirekera mu mateka, tugakataza tugana imbere. Impuhwe z’Imana ziturema bundi bushya!

2. Abafariza n’abigishamategeko batangira kwijujuta, bavuga bati “uyu muntu yakira abanyabyaha akanasangira nabo!” aba ni abantu mu bisanzwe bafatwa nk’abegereye Imana (officially speaking). Undi tubona yijujuta ni umuhungu w’imfura. Iyi ni imyitwarire y’abibagirwa ko umuntu yemera Imana kugira ngo agire uruhare ku butungane bwayo yo ivusha izuba ku babi n’abeza, ikavubira abadakwiye. Uwiyeguriye Nyagasani (Umukristu wese) aba agiriye bose akazagomba kuba irango ry’aho Imana ituye koko. Ntabwo ari ukujya mu bwihugiko ngo ushishe abandi bashira. Hari akantu katubamo ku buryo twumva uwaguye aba agomba guherayo, bimwe ngo “mu gihane mwihanukiriye nimushaka mukice!”😀 Hari n'abibagirwa ko icyaha ari gatozi bakagutsinsura kugera ku gisekuru cya gatanu! Bamwe mu bana b’imfura (nkanjye aha), bakunze kubihirizwa no kubona barumuna babo bidegembya kubarusha ariko bo bakabashyiriramo imiyaga. Icyo baziza barumuna babo nuko bo batinyuka gukora ibyo nabo bifuzaga, ariko bakabireka babitewe gusa no gutinya ababyeyi babo, nta yindi ndagangaciro ibiri inyuma. Ibyaha birakurura cyane kandi bikaryoha, hari ababyirinda batabitewe no gukunda ubutungane ahubwo ubwoba, iyo rero ugize ibyago ugafatirwa mu cyuho barakwihaniza bimwe by'igisambo kiboha ikindi😀.… Nta byishimo wagira mu gihe aho kurangamira Imana yaguhamaye, uhora ubabajwe n’ineza y’abandi. Ubuzima muri Nyagasani si ukurushanwa kandi ibyo Nyagasani aha buri wese biba bihagije: "Wowe iteka tuba turi kumwe, ibyanjye byose ni ibyawe!" Ineza undi agiriwe ntitubya iyo wagiriwe! Niyo mpamvu hari uburyo bubiri bwo gutakara: gutana, gutakara ukava mu rugo nk’intama yazimiye cg uriya mwana w’ikirara n’abandi benshi bigaragara ko bataye ukwemera cg bakurwanya. Ariko habaho no gutakara mu rugo, nka kiriya giceri cyatakaye mu nzu, cg uyu mwana mukuru w’ihindura umushyitsi iwabo.
3. Icyo uwakiriye Nyagasani asabwa, uwababariwe nka Pawulo, mbere na mbere ni ukuba umuhamya w’ineza yayo mu bantu, agasangiza bose ibyishimo atewe no guhura n’Imana. Akayisingiza: “Nyagasani bumbura umunwa wanjye maze akanwa kanjye gatangaze ibisingizo byawe”. “Mpa kwishimira ko nakijijwe”. Nyagasani aharirwe ikuzo uko ibihe bigenda bisimburana iteka amen!

https://youtu.be/qQOaMGf7q8Y

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