A Catholic priest has raised concerns over the reported rejection of African names during baptism by some Catholic priests on the continent, questioning the practice and its implications for African identity.
In a statement shared on social media, the priest claimed that, based on reports he has received in recent times, no European Catholic priest has rejected the use of an African name during baptism. He alleged that such rejections have instead come from African priests.
“From all the reports I have received in recent times, no European priest has ever rejected the use of an African name for baptism. All the rejections so far have come from our own native priests,” he wrote.
The priest further questioned what he described as a tendency among some Africans to reject aspects of their own cultural identity, asking, “That brings me to the question: who taught us to hate ourselves?”
His remarks have sparked discussions on the relationship between Christian practice, African cultural identity, and the use of indigenous names in the Catholic Church.