The Catholic Church nonetheless remains the fastest-growing denomination in Africa, with an estimated 8 million new members in 2019.
Njogu, who spent eight years at the Vatican, said he is surprised to see blessings for same-sex unions taken more seriously at the summit than marriage for priests.
“We are going to defy this. … I want to tell them they are wrong. Most of the people here are Christians and are not happy with this,” he said.
In Uganda, the Rev. Anthony Musaala, a popular preacher and gospel music artist who was suspended for two years from the priesthood for advocating for married clergy, said he was not concerned that the celibacy issue was not gaining traction at this synod. “It is a long-standing issue and it will eventually be addressed,” said Musaala.
In 2013, Musaala published an open letter calling for a realistic dialogue about Catholic priests being allowed to marry and claiming that many Catholic priests and bishops in Uganda and elsewhere in Africa were not practicing celibacy or chastity. He was reinstated in 2017 but has since dedicated himself to his music.
“There are many people in the church and outside who disagree with (celibacy). When you disagree with the church, there is not much you can do but leave,” he told Religion News Service. “It is unfortunate that people have to leave the church because of this issue.”
This article originally appeared here.
 when he married a woman and was ordained in the Catholic Charismatic Church, a splinter tradition, on the same day.){kind=link}