Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the health-check domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /nas/content/live/brownpelican/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6121

Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the mfn-opts domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /nas/content/live/brownpelican/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6121
Fr. Nnamdi Moneme, OMV: How and Why Do We Become Corrupt? – Brown Pelican Society of Lousiana

Fr. Nnamdi Moneme, OMV: How and Why Do We Become Corrupt?

The Devil and the Duckspeakers, by Francis X. Maier
October 8, 2025
Trust, Tribalism, and the Church, by James Kalb 
October 8, 2025

The Bosses of the Senate by Joseph Keppler. Image from Wikimedia Commons

By Fr. Nnamdi Moneme, OMV, Catholic Exchange, Oct. 7, 2025

Fr. Nnamdi Moneme OMV is a Roman Catholic Priest of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary currently on missionary assignment in the Philippines. He serves in the Congregations’ Retreat Ministry and in the House of Formation for novices and theologians in Antipolo, Philippines. He blogs at www.toquenchhisthirst.wordpress.com.

Fr.-Nnamdi-Moneme_avatar-1A prelate gave a homily some weeks ago about widespread corruption in the government. His homily irritated some of his audience who took to social media to remind him that the Catholic Church too had its own issues of rampant corruption among her clergy. One commentator even cited the ongoing fraud, corruption, and coverup in the Vatican bank. Another commentator questioned the right of the bishop to call out corrupt politicians while ignoring the rot among the priests in his own diocese. In short, the bishop’s wise words about corruption were lost because of the unchecked moral and financial corruption in the Church.

Reflecting on this painful and embarrassing exchange on social media, I found myself wondering why we give in to corruption today? Why do educated people, many of them people of faith, become corrupt? How do we priests, who have no families to take care of, become corrupt? How do civil and religious leaders with so much respect throw away all their trustworthiness by falling into corruption? …