In response to the increasing number of kidnappings of religious figures in the English-speaking region of Cameroon, Archbishop Andrew Nkea of Bamenda has issued an unprecedented ultimatum. The latest kidnapping of a priest, Father John Berinyuy Tatah, prompted the Cameroonian Prelate to write a Pastoral Letter on November 23rd, threatening to close all Catholic institutions in the Ndop Deanery if the priest is not released by Wednesday, November 26th. On Saturday, November 15th, the priest and his assistant were kidnapped by a group of armed men, after the opening Mass of the Pax University Institute in Ndop. The kidnappers presented themselves as separatist fighters from «Ambazonia,» the self-proclaimed state that claims independence for the Anglophone regions of Cameroon. Days later, four priests and a layman attempted to negotiate the release of the hostages, but they too were taken captive. On the 20th , all were released except for Father John Berinyuy Tatah, for whom a ransom is being demanded. In response to this, the Archbishop of Bamenda declared in a Pastoral Letter that the position is clear: the Church never pays ransoms. The ultimatum issued by the Archbishop states that if the priest is not released, all parishes, schools, and Catholic institutions in the Deanery of Ndop — the northern part of the diocese where the kidnapping took place –, will be closed. Since neither the Archbishop himself nor the Christians he serves can guarantee the safety of the priests and religious personnel in the Deanery, the Blessed Sacrament will be removed from all churches, chapels, and oratories, leaving each tabernacle with its doors open.
Spanish bishops speak out after leaks of their meeting with Leo XIV
The executive committee of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference, (CEE, by its Spanish acronym) meeting in Madrid this week, issued an official statement regarding the leaks
