A woman claiming to be the sister of Rev. Fr. Daniel Okanatotor Oghenerukevwe has provided insights into his recent marriage, which led to his suspension from the Catholic Church.
As a reminder, Rev. Fr. Oghenerukevwe faced disciplinary action for abandoning his celibacy commitment to marry.
His sister has stated that he decided to wed due to feelings of loneliness.
Rev. Fr. Oghenerukevwe, from the Warri Diocese, drew attention online when he chose to leave his priestly vocation and marry a woman named Dora Chichah in Dallas, Texas, on December 29, 2024, without formally resigning from his clerical duties.
This unexpected decision led to the Church suspending him from his ministerial role.
Mary revealed that her brother has struggled with mental health issues for an extended period, which made coping with the isolation of priesthood difficult.
She expressed, “Thank you all for your comments. The priest is my brother, and marrying was the best decision for him as he faced many mental health challenges and couldn’t handle the loneliness.”
“Our family is not always able to be there to support him in person. We appreciate your encouraging words.”
“This is a challenging time for us, but finding a partner is a blessing.”
“Moreover, he didn’t have a secret wedding; he communicated his plans to the diocese before proceeding.”