Archbishop Cornelius Esua, Bishop Bushu should step down

There will not be new Bishops in the Bamenda and Buea Arch Diocese and Diocese respectively this Easter even though the frail Arch Bishop Cornelius Esua and Bishop Bushu no longer have the physical strength to do justice to their offices.

It was reported to Cameroon Concord by a priest of the Buea Diocese that both Archbishop Cornelius Esua and Bishop Bushu have very serious health problems.

Both men have blatantly refused to take the brave and humble action from the former Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI to retire. The Bamenda and Buea Diocese are run like a CPDM section with ailing Bishops not willing to step aside and indulged their lives to study, prayer and reflection.

Archbishop Cornelius Esua is not considering stepping down even though he reportedly spent more than six months in an Italian hospital and doctors had advised him not to take any more pastoral missions and trips. We learnt that, ArchBishop Esua has increasing difficulty walking, but resignation as part of a natural process is off the table. Age is weighing on him, but the Archbishop wants no rest.

The strength of mind and body of Bishop Bushu of the Buea Diocese has deteriorated to the extent that he recognizes his incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to him by the Holy Father. We gathered from our recent visit to the Bomaka and Molyko parishes that the strengths, due to an advanced age and cancer are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry by Bishop Immanuel Bushu

We of this publication are well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering.

However, like Pope Benedict XVI noted: “In today's world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strengths of mind and body are necessary”.

For this reason, it is vital for both ArchBishop Cornelius Esua and Bishop Bushu to renounce the ministry of Bishop of the Bamenda ArchDiocese and Bishop of Buea entrusted to them by the Holy Father.If both ArchBishop Cornelius Esua and Bishop Bushu should step aside, many will recognise it to be a decision of great courage and characteristic clarity of mind and action.

Many Roman Catholic Christians in the Bamenda ecclesiastic province recognises the challenges facing the Church and that strength of mind and body are necessary for the tasks of governing the Church and proclaiming the Gospel, which ArchBishop Esua and Bishop Bushu no longer have.

We of Cameroon Concord are asking people of faith to keep both ArchBishop Cornelius Esua and Bishop Bushu in their prayers with great affection and the highest esteem for their ministries. Both Esua and Bushu have worked tirelessly to strengthen the Bamenda ecclesiastic province with great respect and affection.

Like Bishop Emeritus Francis Lysinge, they now need rest. This editorial has been written most carefully and after much prayer and reflection. If both ArchBishop Esua and Bishop Bushu should resign, it will be seen as a profound act of humility.

The Lord Jesus now wants Arch Bishop Esua and Bishop Bushu to use their remaining physical and spiritual energies to serve the church in prayer.