Why I Stopped Attending Nigerian Catholic Churches – Chimamanda

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a novelist, has opened up on why she doesn’t attend Catholic churches in Nigeria.

Ekohotblog reports that in a recent interview with Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, a television host, the multiple awards winning writer said she stopped attending the catholic churches in Nigeria because of the fixation of their activities on pecuniary gains.

She said events in the Nigerian Catholic Churches became “way too much” about money, fundraising, and thanksgiving.

The 43-year-old writer said that she still considers herself a Catholic nominally, noting that she still holds some certain aspect of catholicism to heart.

She disclosed that she only attends masses outside the country whenever she finds a “progressive” Catholic community that upholds humanity.

“I grew up Catholic. Catholicism was very important to me. It‘s almost like a culture, not just a religion. So even if you leave the Catholic Church, it’s in you. Today, I don’t like to talk about religion because I don’t know,” she said.

“I think of myself as agnostic and questioning. Catholicism holds you tight. There are many other protestant denominations that are not so. It’s all-inclusive. ‘You cannot eat before mass. You have to go to confession.”

“There are so many rules. It teaches you guilt in a way that I don’t think so many protestant denominations do. I’m Catholic, nominally. I still feel protective of some things about the Catholic Church. But I don’t attend it in Nigeria.”

Chimamanda also spoke of her admiration for Pope Francis on account of his “attempt to reform” the system.

“Nigerian Catholicism is way too much about money, fundraising, and thanksgiving. Some in the east even look at who’s wearing gold. I think the focus of religion should be things Nigerian Catholicism doesn’t focus on,” she said.

“Culturally, I call myself a catholic. But if being religious means performing and going to confession, I’m not. I don’t go to church in Nigeria. Outside the country? Certainly not often. When I find a progressive Catholic Church, I go”

She, however, stated that there are some activities of the church that she revels in, she extols the beauty of the mass and sense of belonging that it brings to the worshippers.

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“There’s still something beautiful about the mass. I find Latin beautiful, the priests sweeping up in their dresses, and the sense of community. But there’s also a lot that I quarrel with. It’s the pope I love because he’s so human” she opined

She added that hyper-conservative Catholics despise the pope, “But if they read Catholic history, they should know there have been people like him who have reformed the church. I respect religion in general while questioning some of its excesses.”