Catholic members reject Priest’s move to allow females wear trousers

Catholic members reject Priest’s move to
allow females wear trousers
on july 20, 2009 at 8:45 pm in headlines
women1
While the “war of words� between the priest and
While the “war of words� between the priest
and congregation roared, Fr. Akere came down
from the pulpit and walked between the pews and
asked them whether “if a female mobile police
officer walked into the church in trousers�, she
would be chased out.
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By George Onah
Port Harcourt—An attempt to tamper with the
dogmatic principle of dressing for female members
not to wear trousers to the Catholic Church was put
to test, Sunday, but was roundly rejected by the
congregation of the Christ the King Catholic Church,
Mile 1, Diobu, Port Harcourt, who shouted, No! No!
No!
The parish priest, Rev. Fr. Michael Akere, had asked
the congregation whether the congregation felt that
the wearing of trousers by female members to the
church amounted to indecent dressing. He told the
church that wearing of trousers to the church by
women did not amount to indecent dressing.
“What amounts to indecent dressing is when
you wear revealing clothes or you wear trousers to
expose part of the body that should be concealed.
Even some of you who tie wrapper and wear
blouse, skirt and gown still expose your body that is
what we call indecent dressing�.
At that point, there were loud murmurings, voices of
the congregation were raised, denouncing the
priest’s statement and even drowning his voice
which blared from the many giant loud speakers
that are positioned at the ceiling and outside of the
church.
While the “war of words� between the priest
and congregation roared, Fr. Akere came down
from the pulpit and walked between the pews and
asked them whether “if a female mobile police
officer walked into the church in trousers�, she
would be chased out.
Not done yet, he asked again whether the female
Indian and Lebanese members of the church would
be breaking the rule of the church if they wore
trousers to the church. The congregation responded
in anger and with shouts of “it is their culture
and the police woman is only wearing her uniform.
When it appeared like the priest was going to bend
the age-long rule about women not wearing
trousers to the church, some members of the
congregation started walking out, even when the
Mass had not been declared ended. Fr. Akere then
told the angry worshippers not to walk out on him
because the final blessing had not been said.
However, in an apparent move to pacify the now
tensed congregation, he said the church had not
changed its position on women wearing trousers to
Mass but that people should tolerate female visitors
who wear trousers to the church because “the
world is now a global village�.
Rubbing it in, Fr. Akere then told the people that â
€œthe Catholic Church has not changed its rule; so,
women must continue to tie wrapper, wear blouses
and head tie as well as skirt or gown with the hair
properly covered and not trousers. Now relaxed,
the congregation then clapped and smiles played on
the lips of both priest and members.