Author
Fr Chikiadi J Anyanele, CMM (Ph.D)
Congregation of Marianhill Missionaries Central
European Province Wurzhburg Germany
+2347025339574
Abstract
This paper argues that the centralised model of
governance in the Catholic Church, rooted in medieval
hierarchical structures and reinforced through centuries
of institutional development, has systematically excluded
Igbo women from meaningful participation in Church
governance. Drawing on the Igbo Ohakrasi model of
decentralised, participatory governance as an alternative
framework, and engaging critically with Vatican II’s
ecclesiological reforms, this paper makes the case for a
more inclusive governance model that honours the
dignity, gifts and lived experience of Igbo women within
the Catholic community in South-eastern Nigeria.
Key Concepts
Vatican II Council, Centralised and
decentralised governance, Igbo
Ohakrasi women and Catholic Church.
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