Ola Ajayi
21 August 2008
THE Catholic Church has said it would use the African culture to correct some observed anomalies among its members nationwide. Notable among the anti-Christ behavior, the church said in Ibadan, included indecent dressing and singing destructive songs against perceived enemies.
To check these unwanted behaviours, the church has decided to hold a two-day programme christened, "The First National Catholic Festival of Arts and Culture" between August 28 and 29, 2008.
The only way to check the ugly trend, according to the Chairman, Inculturation and Translation Committee of the church, Most Rev. Martin Olorunmolu, was to explore the beauty in culture.
Specifically, the church stated that it now feels uncomfortable with the mode of dressing of many church members which fell short of Christian faith.
He said, "we have observed these abuses. The festival will be used to correct these abuses observed in the way our female members dress, some songs that our choir sing and in the celebration mass. Some bishops have frowned at these things and have decided that we should find a way of addressing the issues".
When asked to justify the relationship between culture and religion, he replied that the two were inseparable adding that the religion could not be in isolation without the culture.
Quoting Pope Pius XII, he said, "let not the Gospel on being introduced into any new land, destroy or extinguish whatever its people possess that is naturally good, just or beautiful. For the church when she calls a person to higher culture and better way of life under the inspiration of the Christian religion does not act like one who recklessly cuts down and uproots a thriving forest".
"This is another opportunity for us as joint stakeholders in nation building to collaborate and ensure the success of the festival in question.
The event which would be held in Abuja , would attract no fewer than 500 participants and that it would also feature the exhibition of the Church arts and artifacts, books, documents, vestments, paintings, sculptures and other relevant materials.
It will not only bring out cultural features and arts that can be of liturgical benefit to the Catholic Church but also showcase the moral values of our culture and people to the world."
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