A Catholic Priest known as Rev. Fr. Prince Chidi Philip writes about lazy Catholics who no longer attends mass and bench warmers.
Fr. Chidi explained how he made some inquiries from his priest friend in Nigeria and the report he got from them was so disappointing.
He wrote;
I recently made some inquiries from my priest friends working in Nigeria, and I must confess, my heart was broken. What I discovered left me shaking my head in disappointment. And yes, this message is for YOU, the lazy Catholic scrolling past without even blinking.
We’ve become Sunday-Sunday Catholics. You come late to Mass, toss in your ₦10 offering like you’re doing God a favor, receive Holy Communion without confession, and rush out like you’re escaping from jail, just to attend a party afterward. Is that your understanding of faith?
When was the last time you attended weekday Mass? When was the last time you joined other faithfuls to clean the church compound? When was the last time you read the Catechism or Church documents, not Facebook memes about saints you don’t even imitate?
Our churches are empty on weekday mornings. In some parishes, less than 20 people attend weekday Mass! Groups like the Legion of Mary, Sacred Heart, Charismatic Renewal, and Catholic Youth Organization are fading into extinction, not because God left, but because YOU did!
You are a lazy Catholic if all you do is Sunday Mass. You are a lazy Catholic if you don’t belong to any Catholic group or association. You are a lazy Catholic if you’ve never volunteered your time or energy for the church. You are a lazy Catholic if you jump from one adoration ministry to another but can’t remember the last time you attended Mass in your own parish
You’re in Holy Ghost Adoration on Monday, Enugu’s ministry on Tuesday, then Zion Ministry on Friday.
Your parish priest doesn’t even know your name. Your feet are everywhere, but your heart is nowhere. The Holy Spirit hasn’t approved your ministry tour; calm down. God is not the author of confusion.
Meanwhile, our Protestant brothers are outdoing us in participation, sacrifice, and zeal. They come early. They evangelize. They stay behind to clean the church, sweep, counsel, teach, build. But you? You complain that Mass is too long and Father’s homily is too hard. No wonder the faith is slipping from our hands while we are busy being lazy and entitled
To the Catholic Youths, WAKE UP. Stop hiding behind “school is hard” or “I’m busy.” You’re not too young to serve God.
To the Married Men, RISE. Your children will follow your example. Join the Knights. Join the CMO. Stop sitting back while others fight the battle for the Church.
To our Catholic Women, SPEAK UP
You raised us in the faith. Now raise the banner again. The Church needs your hands, your prayers, and your wisdom.
My people, the wind is coming. If we don’t rise up now, we will watch our pews grow empty while the noise of the world fills the silence we left behind.
You say the priests are not teaching you? Do you even attend catechism class? Or you expect ChatGPT to teach you everything about Catholicism while you sit and fold your arms?
Let us bring back the faith.
Let us bring back the fire.
Let us bring back the Catholic family.
Fr. Prince Chidi is from Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria. He studied Theology at SVD Seminary Tagaytay City and works in Haiti as a Catholic missionary Priest serving the poor and abandoned.
