Your Grace, Most Rev. Dr. Alfred Adewale Martins, I chose this medium to write you, because like Jesus I want to "speak and do things openly," so too that those who also read me will benefit.
I was only a schoolboy on Sunday, the I8th of September I983 when my parents took I and my siblings to the Holy Cross Cathedral Lagos, for your priestly ordination, along with your other brother deacons. Today, God has elevated you even much higher. Though I could not make it to your installation as the Archbishop of Lagos, I have carried the blessing of your priestly ordination all the days of my life.
Since you became the Archbishop of Lagos, you have shown that the grace of God is on you, and the changes you have brought to the diocese are there for all to see. And graciously, it seems you are not done.
The Catholic Herald of May 4-17, 2014 reported that you frowned at certain things you see as done wrongly in the Catholic Church. The act of priests and religious in charge of Ecclesiastical Establishments opening and operating bank accounts without a mandate from the Chancery, private ministries that operate outside the Church, distribution of Holy Communion by priests without putting on a stole, strutting the central aisle and naves to and fro while giving the sermon, like an entertainer on AY Show, sprinkling holy water with bowls or bare hands, like one bailing water from a sinking ship, adding choruses or words to the prayers for Consecration of the bread and wine, among others. Your predecessor, Cardinal Anthony Okojie once frowned at clapping while singing, saying it is uncatholic. Perhaps you think differently. But I don't! Nevertheless, I am more particular about your disapproval of priests requesting during the Mass that Church members give money to God so that He will "grant their prayers", what is known as "Seed Sowing".
Your Grace, if you can come against this, then you should go the whole hog, as I hope to stretch your revolutionary mind even further.
Many of the things done in Catholic Churches today are not done in line with the Catholic teachings, but to imitate pentecostal churches, so that Catholics, especially the young people will not leave the Church. But even with this threat, the Catholic Church is 1.2 billion people strong, and at Easter I witnessed the baptism of more souls. And I know this was so in many other parishes across the globe!
Tithing is not in the catechism. Though "tithing" is done in the Catholic Church, it is not compulsory, but this is left to the nebulous "according to ones conscience". How strange that a Church known for its conservatism and strictness, a Church that has zero tolerance for abortion, a Church that says no to contraceptives has a place for something to be done "according to ones conscience". It does not add up. It is a no-brainer then that it has no place in the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church that answers to Rome.
Scripturally speaking, even the tithing is not done as it should be as it supposed to be every third year. The first two years being for the tither.
A Jewish rabbi made me to understand that present day Jews mostly don't pay tithes, as doing so will be a sin by the one who pays as the one who receives. He said by law only Levites have the right to receive of the people. That presently that there was no official order of Priests ministering at a Temple in Jerusalem this makes it illegal at this period to pay any biblical tithe. "If we are to obey the law, we cannot pay tithe unless we pay it to the ones ordained by God to accept that tithe." The rabbi said that though he was the chief rabbi of his synagogue, he was not a Levite. He said he was descended from the tribe of Judah and so was not eligible to receive tithe. He said the same disqualification applied even to Jesus while he was on earth, since he was from the tribe of Judah. This same restriction was applicable to the apostle Peter (because he was as well from Judah) and it applied to the apostle Paul (because he was from the tribe of Benjamin). Neither Christ nor those apostles were Levites and so they were all disqualified from receiving any part of the biblical tithe. Why then should pastors demand tithes? It is strange that the Pope and the Vatican don't take tithes, but Nigerian Catholic Churches do, all in a way of pandering to "neo-pentecostal catholicism",
Holy Mother Church should come against this unwholesome Mosaic law, for we are now under grace. The old covenant brought us death, the new one brought us Life. If an eye for an eye is not preached, why preach tithe? You can't pick and choose laws to obey. James 2:10 says that "whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all."
But St. Paul makes us to understand that we are free from the law, and should, if possible, give generously, from what we have.
Instead of calling it tithes, let us call it "free will offering", as prescribed in the new testament.
According to Newsweek, most church members give far less than 10%, most giving under 2%. It has been found that the poor give a far greater portion of their income than the rich. To stress further the inequality in tithes, 10% from a poor widow will not be commensurate with 10% from an oil magnate. By placing a cap of 10% the Church is actually robbing itself, as the rich would actually be giving less than they should. They would probably give more if they are allowed to give freely out of their abundance, as told in the New Testament. The Church will stand to benefit more, as against being compelled to give, or nudged to give because a fellow society member gives, which only leads to grudge giving, which does not bring blessings to the people.
God bless you.
Dr Cosmas Odoemena. (Published also in The Catholic Herald, 18-31 May, 2014)
Your Grace, Most Rev. Dr. Alfred Adewale Martins, I chose this medium to write you, because like Jesus I want to "speak and do things openly," so too that those who also read me will benefit.
I was only a schoolboy on Sunday, the I8th of September I983 when my parents took I and my siblings to the Holy Cross Cathedral Lagos, for your priestly ordination, along with your other brother deacons. Today, God has elevated you even much higher. Though I could not make it to your installation as the Archbishop of Lagos, I have carried the blessing of your priestly ordination all the days of my life.
Since you became the Archbishop of Lagos, you have shown that the grace of God is on you, and the changes you have brought to the diocese are there for all to see. And graciously, it seems you are not done.
The Catholic Herald of May 4-17, 2014 reported that you frowned at certain things you see as done wrongly in the Catholic Church. The act of priests and religious in charge of Ecclesiastical Establishments opening and operating bank accounts without a mandate from the Chancery, private ministries that operate outside the Church, distribution of Holy Communion by priests without putting on a stole, strutting the central aisle and naves to and fro while giving the sermon, like an entertainer on AY Show, sprinkling holy water with bowls or bare hands, like one bailing water from a sinking ship, adding choruses or words to the prayers for Consecration of the bread and wine, among others. Your predecessor, Cardinal Anthony Okojie once frowned at clapping while singing, saying it is uncatholic. Perhaps you think differently. But I don't! Nevertheless, I am more particular about your disapproval of priests requesting during the Mass that Church members give money to God so that He will "grant their prayers", what is known as "Seed Sowing".
Your Grace, if you can come against this, then you should go the whole hog, as I hope to stretch your revolutionary mind even further.
Many of the things done in Catholic Churches today are not done in line with the Catholic teachings, but to imitate pentecostal churches, so that Catholics, especially the young people will not leave the Church. But even with this threat, the Catholic Church is 1.2 billion people strong, and at Easter I witnessed the baptism of more souls. And I know this was so in many other parishes across the globe!
Tithing is not in the catechism. Though "tithing" is done in the Catholic Church, it is not compulsory, but this is left to the nebulous "according to ones conscience". How strange that a Church known for its conservatism and strictness, a Church that has zero tolerance for abortion, a Church that says no to contraceptives has a place for something to be done "according to ones conscience". It does not add up. It is a no-brainer then that it has no place in the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church that answers to Rome.
Scripturally speaking, even the tithing is not done as it should be as it supposed to be every third year. The first two years being for the tither.
A Jewish rabbi made me to understand that present day Jews mostly don't pay tithes, as doing so will be a sin by the one who pays as the one who receives. He said by law only Levites have the right to receive of the people. That presently that there was no official order of Priests ministering at a Temple in Jerusalem this makes it illegal at this period to pay any biblical tithe. "If we are to obey the law, we cannot pay tithe unless we pay it to the ones ordained by God to accept that tithe." The rabbi said that though he was the chief rabbi of his synagogue, he was not a Levite. He said he was descended from the tribe of Judah and so was not eligible to receive tithe. He said the same disqualification applied even to Jesus while he was on earth, since he was from the tribe of Judah. This same restriction was applicable to the apostle Peter (because he was as well from Judah) and it applied to the apostle Paul (because he was from the tribe of Benjamin). Neither Christ nor those apostles were Levites and so they were all disqualified from receiving any part of the biblical tithe. Why then should pastors demand tithes? It is strange that the Pope and the Vatican don't take tithes, but Nigerian Catholic Churches do, all in a way of pandering to "neo-pentecostal catholicism",
Holy Mother Church should come against this unwholesome Mosaic law, for we are now under grace. The old covenant brought us death, the new one brought us Life. If an eye for an eye is not preached, why preach tithe? You can't pick and choose laws to obey. James 2:10 says that "whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all."
But St. Paul makes us to understand that we are free from the law, and should, if possible, give generously, from what we have.
Instead of calling it tithes, let us call it "free will offering", as prescribed in the new testament.
According to Newsweek, most church members give far less than 10%, most giving under 2%. It has been found that the poor give a far greater portion of their income than the rich. To stress further the inequality in tithes, 10% from a poor widow will not be commensurate with 10% from an oil magnate. By placing a cap of 10% the Church is actually robbing itself, as the rich would actually be giving less than they should. They would probably give more if they are allowed to give freely out of their abundance, as told in the New Testament. The Church will stand to benefit more, as against being compelled to give, or nudged to give because a fellow society member gives, which only leads to grudge giving, which does not bring blessings to the people.
God bless you.
Dr Cosmas Odoemena. (Published also in The Catholic Herald, 18-31 May, 2014)
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