Catholic Priest reveals what he was trying to do when he disguise as a beggar
A Catholic priest and Spiritual Director of Jesus and Mary Adoration Ministry, Nnewi, Anambra State, Rev Fr Thadeaus Ilechukwu, has explained why he often disguise as a beggar to test his congregation.
According to The PUNCH, a video resurfaced on social media recently showing the Catholic priest who disguised as a beggar at the gate of a church.
Explaining the reason behind the move, the cleric said: “I am the Parish Priest of St Monica’s Catholic Church, Nnewi. I am popularly known as ‘Father Egwu Mmonso’ which means ‘terror to demons’. People call me this name because of a particular kind of deliverance we carried out in 2015 when the ministry was still in Amichi.
“The video first went viral precisely on July 7, 2018, but it was shot on July 5, 2018, at Jesus and Mary Adoration Ground when I was at St James’ Catholic Church, Amichi, before I was transferred to St Monica’s Catholic Church in Nnewi. The person that captured the video posted it online on July 7, 2018, and then within 24 hours, it made over one million views. It started trending again in 2022 during the Lenten period and it has started trending now. Many people have been calling me to tell me that this video is trending again. It keeps trending as if it is new because of the teaching and the message it carries.
“I got that inspiration when I went for an assignment in Lome, Togo. It was impromptu. I did not see it in a movie. The thought just came and I decided to try it in Nigeria. In June 2018, I preached about charity and giving. Every month, we have a monthly declaration and assignment and I told the congregation that in July, every adoration member must be charitable and do works of charity by giving to the poor and the needy. I told them that everyone must have something to give and that they must not be very rich before they give because there are people poorer than them. So, on the first Thursday of the month (July 5, 2018), I wanted to have a unique way of disseminating this gospel of charity. What came to my mind was to disguise as a beggar and sit among the adoration members and beg or to disguise as an ordinary person and sit among the members and beg. I knew that if I disguised myself as an ordinary person, people would easily recognise me.
He further explained: “As the thoughts of the method to adopt were running through my mind, I came across a lady who is a makeup artist in Lagos. I saw her on Facebook, so I contacted her and eventually, she agreed to come down to Anambra State and do the makeup for me. So, that day, she applied makeup on me, wore me a wig, attached beards that made me look like Abraham, and gave me tattered clothes,” he added.
