MINISTERIUM – A Journal of Contextual Theology Vol. 6 (Dec. 2020) 46-59 CARE OF EX-SEMINARIANS IN THE NIGERIAN CHURCH Benjamin Ike Ewelu, Ph.D.1 E-mail:
[email protected] And Stephen C. Chukwujekwu, Ph.D.2 E-mail:
[email protected] Abstract This essay states that ex-seminarians, especially the expelled ones, face many difficulties and challenges in Nigeria. It argues that the Church in Nigeria should show more concern, love and care for these ex-seminarians who in most cases feel disappointed, abandoned and neglected by the Church. By going into the meaning and nature of the vocation to the priesthood as an inner call which a candidate tries to respond to, the paper exposes some erroneous intentions some candidates usually enter the seminary with. In doing so, the essay argues that though the candidates are not to blame for such false motives, at the same time they cannot be promoted to the priesthood because of certain conditions the Church requires of the candidates, given the nature of the life and work of the Catholic priest. Thus, there are and would continue to be cases of expelled ex-seminarians. In its expository and argumentative methodology, and making use of some life examples, the paper tries to convince the reader that the rehabilitation and pastoral care of the ex-seminarians call for immediate attention in the present-day Nigerian Church. As a form of solution, the paper points out the areas where the ex-seminarians need the Church’s assistance and also points out the means and modalities the Nigerian Church can employ to help and care for them.