The Catholic Church and Governance: The Ohacrasy Igbo in Nigeria

More than half a century ago, the Vatican II ecumenical Council took place to redefine the influence of the Roman Catholic Church in the modern world. Ecumenical as the Council is known; the Vatican II theology re-established the Church anew as to be relevant in the contemporary world thereby opening doors for lay participation in the Catholic Church governance. Despite the Council and its leaning towards lay participation in the universal Catholic Church, the Catholic communities in the Igbo Ohacracy of the South-eastern Nigeria and the larger Nigerian communities continues to battle towards the determination and realization of the roles or duties of the laity in their Catholic Church communities. A Church identified to be communal, consultative; and collegial in its ecclesiological understanding applies the image of a Family of God’s People envisions participatory Church which the Vatican II had proposed. This is yet to be fully achieved especially among the Igbo Ohacracy people.