A Nigerian man, Dr. McColins Nwaigbo, has stirred conversations online after publicly identifying himself as a married Catholic priest. His story quickly gained attention when he shared a photo featuring himself, his wife, and their children on TikTok, sparking debates about whether Catholic priests are allowed to marry.
When a curious TikTok user asked if it was permitted for Catholic priests to have a family, Nwaigbo clarified that while he is indeed Catholic, he is not Roman Catholic.
The priest went further to explain that his priesthood belongs to an Apostolic line of succession that also traces back to the bishopric of Peter. In a post shared on his TikTok page, he wrote:
“I’m a fully ordained Catholic Priest and I’m married with children. However, I’m not Roman Catholic but I am within the Apostolic succession traced up the bishopric to Peter too. We celebrate the Holy Communion too but hold the Eucharistic doctrinal ideology of Consubstantiation rather than transubstantiation.
“The Seminaries are set out facilities for the formation of Priests. I’m an ecumenist, a certified director of ecumenism which has the mission mandate for unifying the whole body of Christ. The second Vatican council (1962-1965) also acceded the ecumenical movement under the papacy of John xxiii.
“The Church of Christ is one but na the representatives dey divide it!”
His explanation didn’t end there. In response to assumptions made in his comment section, where some people insisted he was Anglican, Nwaigbo provided additional clarification in another post, stating:
“The narrative is simple… Roman Catholicism is not the only Catholic Church there is!”
And in a follow-up, he added:
“Catholicism is not only reserved for Rome and papacy.”
Reactions Trail Married Catholic Priest’s Revelation
The revelation generated mixed reactions from TikTok users and beyond.
@chinnynina_vibes commented:
“All this English wouldn’t help. Simply put ‘I am an Anglican priest.'”
@Fr. Anuel reacted:
“Padre, Padre, why won’t you just add the part where you’re an Anglican Priest. Claiming to be a Catholic Priest is like an Evangelical Priest claiming to be Catholic because it means Universal.”
@Mawuli added:
“Padre, what narrative are you trying to put out there about the CATHOLIC Church? you should have just said ANGLICAN priest.”
@priscillabruce8 shared:
“A married priest is an Anglican Priest and not a Catholic Priest.”
However, not everyone agreed. @ztefani noted:
“Not all Catholic priests are Roman Catholic priests……………… He is a Catholic priest, but not a Roman Catholic priest.”
