In a statement issued on December 31, the Catholic Priests acknowledge with “regrets” the “unfortunate situation” of Man Diocese following their fallout with Bishop Gaspard Béby Gnéba and reach out to the people of God in the Diocese for forgiveness.
The appointment of Cardinal Kutwa, the Archbishop emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abidjan in Ivory Coast, followed a fallout between Bishop Gnéba and his Clergy over the former’s directives to the faithful to denounce the latter’s infidelity to their Priestly vocation and ministry.
“Any lay faithful who knows that a Priest is not faithful to his celibacy, that he has a wife or a child, that he has committed sexual abuse or economic crimes, must have the courage to denounce him to the Bishop," Bishop Gnéba was quoted as saying in a 4 January 2024 letter that he reportedly described as "urgent, important and necessary".
Remaining silent about such errant Clergy constitutes a “sin of complicity”, the Ivorian Catholic Bishop, who has been at the helm of Man Diocese since his Episcopal Consecration in March 2008 is further quoted as saying, and referred to the Holy Father, who he said “speaks of zero tolerance for these priests."
Following the fallout, the Vatican commissioned an Apostolic visitation to the Ivorian Episcopal See, which Archbishop Roger Houngbédji of Benin’s Catholic Archdiocese of Cotonou conducted from August 20-24.
In their 31 December 2024 statement, Man’s Catholic Priests say, “Since January 2024, deafening unrest has swept through our mountains, causing great discomfort within our diocesan family.”
They explain, “This unfortunate situation has left no one unmoved, beginning with our Bishops, who have been deeply concerned about this unprecedented crisis in the history of our beloved Diocese and have spared no effort in coming to our aid.”
“We, the Priests of the Diocese of Man, take this opportunity to express our profound gratitude to the Archbishops and Bishops of Ivory Coast for their relentless efforts to resolve this crisis. Additionally, we extend our deepest regrets for all that has transpired,” the Catholic Priests say.
They also extend their “sincere regrets to His Excellency Bishop Béby Gaspard, Bishop of Man, for all that has marred our relationship.”
“To our fellow Priests in Ivory Coast and beyond, we are sorry for the distress this crisis has caused you. We thank you for holding our Diocese in your hearts and prayers,” the Catholic Priests say.
They reach out to the people of God in the Ivorian Episcopal See asking for pardon “for the scandal” following the fallout situation.
“To our dear brothers and sisters, both Consecrated and lay members of the Diocese of Man, we ask for your forgiveness for the scandal we have caused over the past year. We are deeply sorry for the hardship this situation has inflicted on our diocesan family, and we entrust ourselves to your prayers. Thank you for your patience and support,” Man’s Catholic Priests say.
They go on to express their admiration for Cardinal Kutwa’s willingness to serve despite his planned retirement, pledging their full cooperation to ease his responsibilities.
“As his spiritual sons, we pledge our full support and promise to ease his responsibilities. Eminence, you can rely on us,” the Catholic Priests say referring to the Ivorian Cardinal Kutwa, who turned 79 on 22 December 2024.
They describe Pope Francis’ 27 December 2024 appointment of Cardinal Kutwa as Apostolic Administrator of their Diocese as a turning point that opens the path to lasting reconciliation.
“We believe this crisis is now behind us. This message marks the beginning of a process that will lead to lasting reconciliation and enduring peace in our region,” the Catholic Priests further say in what they describe as a spirit of renewed hope.
They pledge to “take an active role” in facilitating the realization of “lasting reconciliation” and commit themselves to “rebuilding the fractured diocesan fabric.”
Man’s Clergy seek inspiration from the Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year , which Pope Francis officially launched on the Eve of Christmas 2024 under the theme, “Pilgrims of Hope”.
“In this Jubilee Year, may God grant us His mercy and bless us with the true peace that only He can provide. May God give each of us the vision to know what we must do and the strength to accomplish it,” they implore.