“Suspended Catholic Priest Got Married Because He Felt Lonely”- Sister Claims

• Rev. Fr. Daniel Okanatotor Oghenerukevwe from the Warri Diocese made headlines after he left his priesthood to marry in Dallas, USA.

The sister of a Catholic priest, who was suspended for breaking his vow of celibacy to get married, said he did it because he felt lonely.

Rev. Fr. Daniel Okanatotor Oghenerukevwe from the Warri Diocese made headlines after he left his priesthood to marry in Dallas, USA.

The priest married his wife, Dora Chichah, at the Stream of Joy Church in Dallas, USA, on December 29, 2024, before getting permission from the universal Church to end his priestly duties.

As a result, the church authorities suspended him from his role.

A woman, who said she is the biological sister of the suspended Catholic priest Mary Okanatotor, insisted that it was the best choice for her brother.

Okanatotor explained on Sunday evening that he made this decision because of his feelings of loneliness.

Mary revealed that Oghenerukevwe had struggled with mental health problems for a long time and found it hard to cope with the loneliness of being a priest.

She stated, “Thank you all for the comments. The said priest is my brother, and it was the best decision for him because he had a lot of issues with his mental health for a long time and couldn’t deal with the loneliness.

“We his family members, are not with him to give him support physically. Thank you for your encouraging words.

“This is a trying time for our family, but he who finds a wife finds a good thing.

“Secondly, he did not do a secret marriage as he wrote to the diocese to inform them of his decision.”