By Margaret Tyam
Prof. Marcel Ezenwoye, immediate Past President of Holy Cross Commandery, Gwarimpa-Abuja, has appealed to the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria to lift the ban placed on the activities Knights of Saint John International (KSJI).
The appeal is contained in a letter to the conference made available to Aluta news in Abuja on Wednesday.
Ezenwoye said though there were reasons for the ban, the conference should consider the interest of the majority of members of the KSJI.
He added that the selfish interest of those that led to the suspension of the entire Order, “should not be considered as a mortal sin that the vast majority of 99% of members who are innocent should suffer for.
“They only represent a very infinitesimal percentage of the membership of the Order in Nigeria.
“We have waited for six months now and we have heard nothing positive that we would be reinstated to the Church since the announcement of our suspension.”
According to him, the ban has affected the activities of the group, which included building churches, chapels and grottos, feeding the poor, visiting prisoners and the homeless and defending the Church, among others.
“Many Catholics who enjoy one benefit or the other from KSJI are left unaided and helpless because we have been suspended, and out of obedience cannot engage in these programmes.
“I want to call the attention of the Bishops to the fact that this suspension is affecting our spiritual lives, image, finances and programmes,” Ezenwoye said.
He urged the Bishop conference to dissolve the national cabinet of the knights and another be elected to pilot the affairs of the Order in Nigeria, for the good of the Church.
“I appeal to you our dear fathers, you have scolded us for erring and we have come to the realization of our wrongs, we are sober and truly sorry,” he added.