Rev. Fr. Daniel Okanatotor Oghenerukevwe, a suspended priest of the Catholic Church in the Warri Diocese, has renounced his celibacy vows to marry his partner in Dallas, Texas. This news was reported on Sunday evening.
Fr. Oghenerukevwe married Dora Chichah at the Stream of Joy Church in Dallas on December 29, 2024, without awaiting formal release from his canonical obligations by the Church.
As a result, church authorities suspended him from his priestly duties, stating, “By this action, Rev. Fr. Daniel Okanatotor Oghenerukevwe has incurred a Latae Sententiae suspension in accordance with the provisions of Canon 1394 S1.”
The suspension was outlined in a statement titled “Decree of Suspension,” dated Thursday, January 16, 2025. It was co-signed by the Bishop of Warri, Rt. Rev. Anthony Ewherido, and the Chancellor/Notary, Very Rev. Fr. Clement Abobo. The statement noted that “Fr. Oghenerukevwe entered into marriage with Ms. Dora Chichah on December 29, 2024, at the Streams of Joy Church in Dallas, USA.”
Further details emerged on Sunday regarding the reasons behind the suspended priest’s decision to abandon his celibacy vows. Mary Okanatotor, who claims to be his biological sister, stated that it was “the best decision” for her brother.
In a social media comment, Mary attributed his decision to “loneliness.” She revealed that Oghenerukevwe had been struggling with mental health issues for an extended period and found it difficult to cope with the isolation of priesthood.
Mary explained that the family was not physically present to support him during his challenging times. She wrote, “Thank you all for the comments. The said priest is my brother, and it was the best decision for him because he had a lot of issues with his mental health for a long time and couldn’t deal with the loneliness.
“We, his family members, were not with him to provide physical support. Thank you for your encouraging words.
“This is a trying time for our family, but he who finds a wife finds a good thing.
“Secondly, he did not have a secret marriage; he wrote to the diocese to inform them of his decision.
“Once again, thank you. To the sponsor of this post, may God bless you and reward you accordingly.”
According to PUNCH Online, Oghenerukevwe, who is originally from one of the communities in Ewu Kingdom, Delta State, was ordained a Catholic priest on June 21, 2008, within the Catholic Diocese of Warri.
Leave a Reply