Ref: “Archbishop Ridicules President’s

Corruption War” – A Rejoinder

Dear Mr. Editor:

Thank you very much for providing me the opportunity in your acclaimed international newspaper in order to respond to the Monday, April 2, 2012, Vol., 19 No.061 Edition; of a local newspaper (the New Democrat) with the back cover heading “Archbishop Ridicules President’s Corruption War”.

In its publication signed by reporter, Varney M. Kamara, following an interview conducted with the Catholic Archbishop, Lewis Zeiglar, the Archbishop is quoted as saying that the “Government is talking corruption, not fighting it”. The Catholic prelate went on to say “unless corrupt people are punished for their actions, it is useless having the Liberian Anti Corruption Commission and other institutional frameworks meant to fight graft, waste and abuse in government”. Bishop Zeigler concluded his interview by urging the Liberian Legislature to enact laws that will outline punishment for persons in government found guilty of corrupt practices.

While the Archbishop (Zeigler’s) comments are in the right direction of the kind of nation we all envisage, it however contradict the bishop’s comments at the St. Kizito’s parish approximately four Sundays ago that the Church was not political, and as such those who sought reforms in the church must desist. Perhaps, the archbishop must have forgotten his history lesson of the Catholic Church and reforms permeating thereof. I was born and raised a Catholic and since 1958, I have tried to practice my faith in the one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. My visit to the St. Kizito Catholic church was incidental with the Archbishop’s visit and sermon.

I have been out of Liberia – residing in the United States for over 20 years - and was glad to be visiting home. I was overwhelmed to learn that the Archbishop was celebrating mass at the St. Kizito during my first visit at the parish following my return to Liberia. Later did I learn that the Archbishop was invited by the Catholic Men Organization (CMO) in collaboration with the Catholic Women Organization (CWO). These two distinguished highly recognized organizations had invited the archbishop to settle apparent disputes between the CMO/CWO and the resident Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Ambrose Kromah.

Rev. Fr. Ambrose Kromah is accused of not being the kind of (Godly) priest to the church community, lack of accountability, keeping speech from parishioners who he claimed were not part of his team, corruption of the dues, tithes and monies of the Church, dissolving the Parish Pastoral Council and appointing his loyal favorites, driving away parishioners by his brutal attitude and lack of manners, directing parishioners about supermarket offertory to bring to the altar of God, and desist from bringing candles and toiletries. Fr. Kromah is also accused of involving in other actions that have stopped parishioners from attending masses, going for confessions and taking communions, lack of Sunday sermons and homily but marketing the church and fund raising activities that have over- taken the parish and driving away the faithful.  Indeed the Catholic Church if not changing from better to worse; has changed uncontrollably.

The Catholic archdiocese is yet to re-institute the Laity Council under archbishop Zeigler. As such, matters of such nature are taken directly to the archbishop for redress and amicable solution, if possible. The Archbishop took the podium at St. Kizito and placed a dagger in the backs of the CMO/CWO by announcing there and then that he was not attending the planned meeting any longer and that the church was not “political”. In my over 54 years as a practicing catholic, this was one of the worst and embarrassing moment.

I was shame to be a catholic at a moment. It was an administrative blunder on the part of the Archbishop Zeigler to use the podium and make a 360 degree change and not granting audience to the CMO/CWO on grounds that the church was not political. What would it had caused the archbishop to make this pronouncement at the planned meeting and not as he did? The bishop comments now on such a highly political issue (corruption) of the government are ironical and run contrary to his closing comments at the St. Kizito Church. Bishop Zeigler needs to listen to his people, his flock, his sheep and weed out, if necessary, the bad shepherds of his flocks.

This is what Catholics do – comment on ills in the society-thus bring the necessary reforms and justice. Hence, why would the bishop make such statements when ills in St. Kizito had been brought to his attention for redress?

It beats my imagination that the archbishop would make such an assertion about the national government when right in his back yard (St. Kizito & other churches), parishioners are yearning to weed out corrupt catholic priests. During my investigation, I learned that Mr. James Wreh, Comptroller of the Liberian Water & Sewer Corporation, headed the 2011 Harvest Committee of the St. Kizito Catholic Church. Mr. Wreh is reported to have raised over U.S.$35,000 for the Church. It is alleged that Rev. Fr. Ambrose Kromah intimidated and harassed Mr. Wreh to hand over to him said amount, which was already deposited in a separate bank account. Even though, Mr. Wreh, a seasoned accountant, initially refused but agreed and finally gave the full amount to Fr. Kromah due to his persistence and harassment.

Mr. Wreh has since left the St. Kizito Parish after such altercation with the Catholic prelate and now worships with St. Joseph’s Parish. A glance at one of the purported financial address by the Fr. Kromah revealed that the parish raises over LD.$2.5 million dollars  and U.S. $200,000 annually and boast of running a balance budget in expenditure to match revenue collected. Can you imagine this? The Church is now competing with Monrovia City Hall, PA Rib house and others where St. Kizito Parish now charges US$600 for its multi-purpose hall rental, excluding fuel, stipends for priest and generator maintenance. Is the archbishop really serious about ridiculing the president’s war on corruption? The Ministry of Finance needs to visit the St. Kizito Parish to levy taxes for marketing and revenue generation.

Before my travel to the States, St. Kizito used to be a happy, joyous and family community. It is evident that the parish is now divided under the current resident priest and the manner in which the archbishop handled the various allegations against the resident priest was appalling and lacks all elements of administrative procedures. Is the archbishop really ridiculing the president’s fight on corruption? I beg to differ! Let the Archbishop kindly clean his back yard before commenting on national issues of such nature. Nowadays, many of Liberian Priests hardly wear priestly garments outdoors; many are seen in clubs, amusement centers, casinos, etc. This makes me to really miss former archbishop, Michael Kpakala Francis, who had them under some sort of control and reminded them of their celibacy. Oh, yes, not under his watch as it is now. Is the archbishop (Zeigler) really serious about the ridiculing the president’s corruption war? Isn’t this politics he spoke about at St. Kizito? The story of the animal farm-second time around, it seems here.

In conclusion, I understand the archbishop defense of his priest. But let the archbishop knows that he cannot defend the indefensible. There are more ridicules with some of his priests that is shaming those of us who are true believing Catholics. And he needs to address those concerns ranging from various parishes instead of ridiculing the President’s corruption war. Standing on the podium and making such declaration cannot erase the scalp and hurts of the parishioners at St. Kizito. The archbishop was ill-advised and he needs to rethink before it gets too late to handle as I saw it. Yes, there are corruption and other vices to ridicule in the Monrovia Catholic Church before clearing the log in the eyes of the national government. Is the Archbishop really serious about ridiculing the government’s war on corruption?

Emmanuel Jlah Wettee

Monrovia, Liberia

Amb. Barnes Reacts to Observer Editorial

Dear Mr. Editor:

I read your editorial entitled “Congrats, Mr. Barnes, But…” in the Tuesday, April 10, 2012, edition of your newspaper and was appalled and saddened by the fact that the Daily Observer, considered the bastion of objective news reporting in Liberia, would resort to such a speculative, juvenile and jaundiced editorial. As a matter of fact, had this editorial appeared under other circumstances, I probably would have discounted it as sensational and tabloid junk. But considering the perceived credibility and global reputation of your institution, I am left with little choice but to respond to the editorial.