Earlier today, I made a post saying, “Not all Catholic priests are Roman Catholic priests.” Sounds confusing, right? Well, that was exactly the point—to get people thinking! I wanted to open up a conversation with my online parishioners about the beautiful diversity within the Catholic Church, especially when it comes to the different rites and traditions.
But guess what? The comment section and My Dm turned into a mini investigation room! From what I gathered, there are already quite a number of churches in Nigeria calling themselves “Catholic”—but many of them are not in communion with Rome, and some aren’t even part of the 23 legitimate Eastern Catholic Churches. They’re independent groups started by individuals who simply attach “Catholic” to their names to sound authentic or authoritative.
Let’s be real: not everyone who wears a collar or celebrates “Mass” under the name Catholic is actually connected to the Roman Catholic Church or any of the Eastern Catholic Churches in union with the Pope.
Take, for instance, the Old Catholic Apostolic Church (OCAC). They operate in Nigeria and claim to follow the original teachings of the Church, but they’re not under the authority of the Pope. In fact, in 2024, the Diocese of Ahiara (Imo State) had to issue a statement distancing themselves from someone claiming to be a priest from the OCAC. Why? Because he's not a Roman Catholic priest, and his sacraments aren’t valid according to our faith.
Another example is from Enugu, where a group calling themselves the Old Roman Catholic Church have been holding liturgies that mimic the Roman Rite. The Catholic Diocese of Enugu came out clearly and said, “These guys are NOT us.” Despite dressing the part and using familiar prayers, they’re not in union with the Universal Church.
So here’s my gentle pastoral advice:
Be vigilant. Before attending a Mass or receiving any sacrament,
make sure the church is truly Roman Catholic—or at least one of the 23 legitimate Catholic Churches in communion with the Pope. If you’re unsure, ask a trusted priest or check with your local diocese.
Remember, using the word "Catholic" doesn’t automatically make something Catholic in truth. Let’s stay alert, informed, and faithful.
Stay blessed and guided!
The 23 are as follows;
1. Alexandrian Tradition
1. Coptic Catholic Church
2. Eritrean Catholic Church
3. Ethiopian Catholic Church
2. Antiochian (West Syrian) Tradition
4. Maronite Church
5. Syriac Catholic Church
6. Syro-Malankara Catholic Church
3. Armenian Tradition
7. Armenian Catholic Church
4. Chaldean (East Syrian) Tradition
8. Chaldean Catholic Church
9. Syro-Malabar Catholic Church
5. Byzantine (Constantinopolitan) Tradition
10. Albanian Greek Catholic Church
11. Belarusian Greek Catholic Church
12. Bulgarian Greek Catholic Church
13. Greek Catholic Church of Croatia and Serbia
14. Greek Catholic Church of Macedonia
15. Greek Catholic Church of Hungary
16. Italo-Albanian Catholic Church
17. Melkite Greek Catholic Church
18. Romanian Greek Catholic Church
19. Russian Greek Catholic Church
20. Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church
21. Slovak Greek Catholic Church
22. Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
23. Latin (Western) Church
©Fada Prince Chidi
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