A Nigerian Catholic woman has set social media ablaze after publicly expressing her disappointment with the quality of preaching in her church, following Sunday mass on March 22.
In a video that has since gone viral across Nigerian social media platforms, the visibly concerned lady didn’t mince words as she shared her frustration about what she described as spiritually unfulfilling homilies being delivered by Catholic priests.
“My Spirit Was Not Fed”
“Coming back from church today, I feel like my spirit was not fed enough with the gospel,” the lady began in the now-controversial video. “I am a Catholic but honestly, the gospel in Catholic churches these days do not cut it for me.”
Her candid confession has touched a nerve among many Nigerian Catholics who have privately harbored similar feelings but feared speaking out about their experiences in the traditional church.
The Pentecostal Comparison
The lady went further to explain why her husband, also a Catholic, now attends a Pentecostal church – a phenomenon increasingly common among Nigerian Catholics seeking deeper spiritual nourishment.
She specifically mentioned her admiration for Apostle Joshua Selman’s Koinonia fellowship, praising his teaching style and biblical exposition.
“This is one of the reasons why my husband who is also a Catholic currently goes to one of these Pentecostal churches, and I totally get him now,” she explained. “What’s the point of going to church and you come back feeling like your spirit was not fed?”
Drawing a comparison with her experience at Koinonia, she added: “Apart from the fact that I love Apostle, his teachings, OMG! My heart is so full after every Sunday fellowship with Koinonia. This is what I want from Catholic priests.”
A Call for Better Training
Rather than simply criticizing, the lady offered what she believes could be a solution to the problem – better pastoral training for Catholic priests.
“Catholic priests should go for pastoral teachings so they can learn how to dissect the bible,” she suggested. “By the grace of the Holy Spirit, they will be able to help us, feed us more because these days, going to church is… This is how I feel.”
Her comment, “I don’t know if anyone else thinks that Catholic priests should do more to give parishioners more,” has proven prophetic, as thousands of Nigerians have weighed in on the discussion.
Mixed Reactions Online
The video has divided opinion among Nigerians on social media, with responses ranging from strong agreement to sharp rebuke.
Some Catholics have echoed her sentiments, sharing their own experiences of spiritually dry homilies and expressing frustration with what they perceive as a gap between Catholic preaching and the more dynamic teaching style common in Pentecostal churches.
Others, however, have defended the Catholic Church’s liturgical tradition, arguing that the Mass is more than just preaching and that the Eucharist remains the central focus of Catholic worship.
Some commenters have also questioned whether the issue lies with the priests or with congregants who may have become conditioned to prefer entertainment over contemplative spirituality.
A Growing Conversation
This incident highlights a broader conversation happening within Nigerian Christianity about preaching styles, spiritual fulfillment, and the exodus of young Catholics to Pentecostal churches.
While the Catholic Church in Nigeria maintains millions of faithful members, the appeal of charismatic, biblically-focused teaching in Pentecostal settings has undeniably attracted many cradle Catholics seeking what they describe as deeper spiritual experiences.
The question remains: Will the Catholic Church in Nigeria respond to these concerns, or will more faithful members continue to seek spiritual nourishment elsewhere?
What do you think? Do Catholic priests in Nigeria need to improve their preaching? Or is this lady missing the point of Catholic worship? Share your thoughts in the comments.
—
This story continues to generate reactions across Nigerian social media platforms, with the original video gaining thousands of views and comments.
Get more details on buzzUp9ja
Be the first to comment