...turning lives to Christ
N500
Vol. 4 No.111, August - September, 2018
Pope revises catechism to say death penalty is ‘inadmissible’ The Church in Ahiara will Continue to Move Forward – Bishop Ugorji
Our 4-point Agenda Generates Membership Growth – John Aigbokhaode
Lagos Archdiocesan CMO Yearns for Refocusing
Empowering our Children for Financial Independence
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Contents
Vol. 2 No.111, August - September, 2018
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Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Njoku Remigius Chukwuemeka Phone: 08023165432; 07080129333 E-Mail: njokundii@yahoo.co.uk Editorial Cosultants Eric Okeke Emma Onwumere Simon Njoku Editorial Advisers Robert Ogbuagu Anikwe Isaac Okorafor Stanley Egbochukwu Chinedu Anamelechi Onyekachi Nwosu Rev. Fr. (Dr.) Peter Onyekwelu Okafor Graphics/Designs Kelechi Okoro Emmanuels Marketing Reginald Onwuchuruba Andrew Kelechi Njoku Romanus Egbulefu Hilary Agu
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Online Editor Owotoke Bamidele Francis Contributors Mark Oguh Dr Patrick Ijewere Dr Eze Godwin Chidi Nduka Ajah Prof. Michael Ogunu Most Rev. Lucius I. Ugorji Very Rev. Msgr. (Dr) John Asuqor Aniagwu Very Rev. Msgr. Livinus Ukah Very Rev. Msgr. Francis Ogunmodede Rev. Fr. Innocent Ikazobor Opogah Rev. Fr. Anthony Mario Ozelle Rev. Fr. James Mary Chiemenem Rev. Fr. Anthony Nwosu Rev. Fr. Anthony Eboh Rev. Fr. Iuvenis Iheme Rev Fr. Dayo Jenfa Rev. Cyriacus Nnadozie Onwuhara Rev. Fr. Bournaventure Ashibi Rev. Fr. Kingsley Idaewor Rev. Fr. Michael Afrifa Rev. Fr. Kenneth Eze Rev. Fr. Benedict Okolo Rev. Fr. Nicholas Ibeneme Valentine Agwulonu Romanus Egbulefu Rev. Sr. Eunice Ikufisile Rev. Sr.Philomena Ezeji Rev. Fr. Charles Uganwa Ambruse Njoku Rev. Fr. Protase Anyanwu
Lagos Archdiocesan CMO Yearns for Refocusing PAGE 14-15»
Why are young Nigerians abandoning the Church for Pentecostalism?
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Why should we hire you? PAGE 18» Empowering our Children for Financial Independence
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Legal Advisers Barr. Maurice Nnadi
...turning lives to Christ
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Published by Economic News Associates Ltd Suite A3, Glory Shopping Complex, 229 Ikotun- Idimu Road, Council Bus Stop Idimu, Lagos, Nigeria. Phone: 07080129333 e-mail: info@nigeriancatholicreporter. com Website: nigeriancatholicreporter.com
Vatican Roundup
Pope revises catechism to say death penalty is ‘inadmissible’ PAGE 16-17»
Hope In The Midst Of Suffering PAGE 22» Nigerian Catholic Reporter
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Vol. 4 No.111, August - September, 2018
Editorial Suite
…Turning Lives to Christ
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Remigius Emeka Njoku
ike wine that gets better with time, the Nigerian Catholic Reporter is getter better; serving you the word of God refreshingly, pleasurably and differently through its print and regular online publications. This is our promise which we have kept for nearly five years, and we are getting better …turning lives to Christ. This edition has been carefully packged to coincide with the 2018 Annual Convention and Inductions of the Lagos Archdiocesan Catholic Men Organization (CMO) slated for 10th – 12th August 2018. The convention is themed: ‘Stand up for Jesus and eliminate the vacuum.’ It is on this premise that the editorial Board of Nigerian Catholic Reporter has carefully chosen to anchor this edition with a reflection of the key objective of the CMO – “To bring all men to God, make them better pillars and builders of the church, based on the Catholic faith.” Worthy of note is the fact that the organization will in the next few weeks elect new leaders to run its affairs for the next four years, thus the need for review and projections. We are particularly excited with the exclusive interviews from the president of the organisation, Mr John Aigbokhaode, and the coordinator of Isolo Deanery, the most populous deanery in the Archdiocese, Chief Chukwudi Boniface Okparaku, hence our resolve to use the interviews as our cover for this special
convention edition. We strongly believe it will be worth your time not just to read, but to reflect upon. We also want to use this edition to educate the Catholic faithful on the issues of responsible parenting, with special focus on empowering our children for financial independence; and why our youths are fast abandoning Catholicism for Pentecostalism.
Since you’re here …
… we have a small favour to ask. More people are reading Nigerian Catholic Reporter than ever but advertising revenue across the media are falling fast. And unlike many news organisations, we haven’t put up a paywall especially on our online publications– we want to keep our journalism as open as we can. So you can see why we need to ask for your help. Nigerian Catholic Reporter’s independent, engagement journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because of our strong desire to use this platform to redirect the warped thinking of perceived citizens of God’s kingdom towards biblical injunctions and God’s desired culture for His people. If everyone who reads our reporting, who likes it, helps fund it; our future would be much more secure. For as little as N500, you can support the Nigerian Catholic Reporter. Thank you.
Support Nigerian Catholic Reporter: All payments to be made to: ECONOMIC NEWS ASSOCIATES LTD (Publishers of Nigerian Catholic Reporter) Bank: United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc Account No: 1020298037
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Worthy of note is the fact that the organization will in the next few weeks elect new leaders to run its affairs for the next four years, thus the need for review and projections.
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Vol. 2 No.111, August - September, 2018
Letters
The magazine that tends to emphasize engagement
igerian Catholic Reporter is another brilliant effort aimed at re-defining news. It is an attempt to help the Catholics, in particular, to lead their lives. It is a unique demonstration of obsession with the community, an appreciation of the changes that are taking place in the media business, influenced mainly by the impact of the new media and the widening digital space. The name of this niche publication describes its objective – It is the report devoted to the Nigerian Catholics; the reporter for the community. It is apparent that this huge community or target market does not have the Catholic-specific news even with the inherent era of unlimited or infinite information. Nigerian Catholic Reporter is a multi-media enterprise whose time has come. It will seek to fill the demand gap for profit and more importantly, for the benefit of the teeming Catholic population. As the character of news changes, content is no longer key. What appears to be key now is engagement. The demand for content has shifted away to the desire to satisfy the needs and wants of the target market effectively and efficiently. Any newspaper or magazine that under-
stands this critical shift is more likely to succeed. The Catholic community has too many high-net-worth individuals and groups that need or want additional values than the Sunday-Sunday teachings from the pulpit. These mostly educated adherents need other relevant information on how to grow their businesses; how to conduct their affairs; how to overcome or meet their various challenges they face in their day-to-day living. They need to read about other people’s experiences and how they overcame their challenges. It is now apparent that people’s media attention span is being spread to so many places other than news. People now self-administer huge amounts of content that relates to their lives, while news, at best, will win a few minutes of their attention per day. In all of these, people still live in communities and they still get up every morning with things they need to do in the local space, places they need to go, things they need to buy or sell, interests they want to satisfy, problems they need to solve. So they still need local information — far more, in fact, than they need news, which now seems to be everywhere. People want the kinds of personally relevant local in-
May God grant success to the work of your hands
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laud the efforts you are making to help promote the Catholic faith especially within the Archdiocese of Lagos. May God reward you accordingly. I believe the Parish Priests will be ready to support your initiative as appropriate. Kindly engage them in discussion of the areas you wish to ask for collaboration.
As you contribute towards the growth of the Church and the work of evangelization, may God grant success to the work of your hands. With every good wish and prayers. Yours Faithfully, Alfred Adewale Martins Archbishop of Lagos.
formation that will help them get things done in their lives. The identification of these needs may have contributed immensely to the birth of the Nigerian Catholic Reporter which implies a vital awakening in local media businesses. The reason for the magazine compels the need to stop thinking only of our communities as places where news happen and are reported. The magazine appears to have already started thinking of communities as places where people lead their lives and are helped to do it. The magazine has also tried to figure out how to provide solutions that people regard as essential in their own lives and will use over and over every day. The example of facebook and some other social media is a living proof that generic information like news is being swamped in massive amounts of interpersonal information. It was Steve Gray, formerly of the International Press Institute, that stated and rightly so, that news was no longer enough to support a geography-based media business model. Stanley Egbochukwu Publisher Manufacturing Today
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News
Vol. 4 No.111, August - September, 2018
Bishop Elue to ordain 9 Priests for Issele-Uku Diocese By Fr Charles Uganwa
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he Catholic Bishop of IsseleUku Diocese, Most Rev Dr Michael Elue will this August ordain nine young men for the diocese of Issele-Uku to the sacred priesthood. Those to be ordained are: Adigwe Dennis, Brown Anthony, Ijeh Victor, Kawekwune Felix, Ogoh Emmanuel, Okpala Francis, Onochie Dennis, Osamor Michael and Osiegbu Gabriel The ordination which is expected to take place at St Paul Cathedral, IsseleUku, Delta State will kick off at 10 am within a holy mass to be celebrated by Bishop Michael Elue and concelebrated by other priests from within and outside of Issele-Uku diocese. It is equally expected to attract priests, family members of the deacons, lay faithful and many others from all walks of life. The new priests to be ordained after their post-primary study, have all been educated and formed in the Seminaries of All Saints, Ekpoma, Edo State and Ss Peter and Paul, Bodija, Ibadan, Oyo State after their one - year spiritual formation. They were all ordained deacons by Most Rev Dr Michael Elue at the St
Pauls Cathedral Issele-Uku in December, 2017. Prior to that date, they had been in the past initiated into candidacy for celibate priesthood and have received the ministries of lector and acolyte. These are necessary steps towards the priestly ordination. Equally, the candidates have been found worthy of the call by both the team of formators
in the seminaries and the diocesan authority to be trusted with the responsibilities of the sacred priesthood. Academically, they have all bagged degrees in philosophy and theology and have equally studied related disciplines and have excelled in scholarship and learning. They have also been exposed to seminars, conferences and workshops while in the seminaries aimed at equipping them with leadership qualities and important techniques for pastoral ministries to face the contemporary society. Pastorally, the candidates during the holidays were attached to parishes for pastoral assignments and they equally spent one full year during the course of studies acquiring pastoral experiences for the ministry. Spiritually, they are well equipped through daily prayers, spiritual direction, and detailed study on spirituality and have spent one year on spiritual activities and studies before venturing into the major seminary. The candidates have been evaluated and have been comprehensively prepared for the services of God, humanity and the Church as priests and have undergone for several years serious training on the Catholic priestly formation.
Archbishop restates call for restructuring
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he Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Dr. Alfred Adewale Martins, has restated his call for restructuring of the nation, stressing that almost 58 years of independence, it is wrong for anyone or group to arrogate to themselves the unwarranted role of deciding the country’s restructuring. Lending his voice to recent upsurge of agitations for the restructuring of the nation, Archbishop Martins acknowledged that Nigeria is passing through very disturbing times, because some people “have turned the nation
Nigerian Catholic Reporter
to their play fields and fiefdoms that should be exploited and balkanized for their selfish ends.” Briefing newsmen at the end of a thanksgiving service to mark the 6th anniversary of his installation as Catholic Archbishop, he lamented that the polity is continually being heated up by the political elites who have paid attention to the various calls against perceived injustices across the country. Pointing out that Nigeria belongs to all Nigerians, the cleric maintained that it is therefore “wrong for
any group of individuals, under any guise to arrogate to themselves the unwarranted role of deciding who gets and does not get what in a country that belongs to all. He said: “Unfortunately, we see this playing out every day in the name of party politics whereby a group of individuals ‘scramble’ for, and selfishly allot to themselves and their cronies the wealth and resources of this great country while leaving little or nothing for the masses of the people of Nigeria.”
Vol. 2 No.111, August - September, 2018
News ISSELE-UKU DIOCESE
Rev. Fr. Charles Uganwa Director of Social Communication Issele-Uku Diocese
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“Be totally detached from materialism,” Bishop Okpaleke tells new Priest in Illah Monastery
By Fr Peter Mokwunye
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he Bishop Emeritus of Ahiara Diocese, Most Rev Peter Okpaleke has enjoined new priest and monks to be unconditionally detached from the things of the world for the fullest embracement of the evangelical counsels. He made this appeal on Saturday, 14th July, 2018 while preaching homily in Our Lady of the Holy Cross Cistercian Monastery, Illah during the priestly ordination of Rev Cyril Ejezie (OCSO) and the solemn monastic profession of Bro. Mary Levi Enyi (OCSO). The celebration was presided over by Most Rev Peter Ebere Okpaleke and concelebrated by other priests from within and outside Issele-Uku diocese. Most Rev Okpaleke reminded the ordained and the candidate for solemn monastic profession that the ordination and monastic profession is likened to the call of Abraham. Citing Gen 12: 1 – 4, he outlined the implications of the call of Abraham which serves as model for the monastic vocation. According to him, “Chiefly, the call of Abraham caused him to leave his father to a land God will show
Bishop Okpaleke, and other priests after Mass him. Monastic vocation demands the movement away from home in order to find another home. As God prepared Abraham for the journey, so has he prepared the ordained and the candidate for the monastic profession. The blessings of God did not depart from Abraham, so that through him all are blessed,” he said. “He congratulated the families of Rev Cyril Ejezie and Bro. Mary Levi Enyi for offering their sons to God that they may serve him in monastic life. He also congratulated their various dioceses of Awka and Abakalilki
respectively. He also admitted the efforts of their various home parishes and all those that contributed to the training of Rev Cyril Ejezie in the major seminary. The Chancellor, Very Rev Fr. John Ike Aduba, Issele-Uku Diocese represented the bishop of the diocese, Most Rev Michael Odogwu Elue who was unavoidably absent. In his address, he recognized the inevitable role of the monastery in the life of the Church and conveyed the Bishop’s good tidings to the monastery and to all in attendance.
St. Mulumba Catholic School, Okpanam Marks End of Session with Thanksgiving By Lady Florence Ifeanyi Chidobi (LSM
The students, teachers, parents and well-wishers of St. Mulumba Catholic School Okpanam, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, danced down the aisle to the Alter of St. Mulumba Chaplaincy on Sunday, 15th July, 2018 in thanksgiving to God Almighty for the successful completion of the 2018/2019 academic session and also for their resounding success in the recently released West African Examination Council (WAEC) result. Preaching the homily of the 8:am Mass, the Chaplain, Rev. Fr. Francis
Onwordi (Jr.), advised those called as instrument of God’s mission to work without any fear or favour, noting that God has given all those He has called the authority and grace through the Holy Spirit. Speaking further, he admonished them that those called have no choice but to be obedient to God and remain faithful, citing the case of Jonah. In an interview with our reporter, Lady Florence Ifeanyi Chidobi (LSM), the Principal of the Catholic school, Rev Fr Francis Onwordi (Jr.), appreciated God for the increase in the population strength of the school. He highlighted that there is a tremendous increase in the number of stu-
dents from his resumption in 2016/17 academic session. Commenting on the school’s first attempt of West African Examination Council (WAEC), he expressed satisfaction, pointing out that the result was awesome while he dedicated the excellent result to God Almighty, still believing God that the National Council Examination result to be released will be wonderful. The principal applauded the teachers who he remarked worked assiduously to ensure the students get the best, emphasizing that the school does not only care for academics, but also for the moral and the spirituality of the lives of their students.
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Vol. 4 No.111, August - September, 2018
St Anthony Society Celebrates Patron Saint in Grand Style By Lady Florence Ifeanyi Chidobi (LSM)
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he members of the Guild of St. Anthony of Padua from the parishes of Issele-Uku Diocese thronged the premises of St. Patrick Catholic Church West-End, Asaba to celebrate and honour their Patron Saint, the Saint of Padua and also the Saint of the whole world, Saint Anthony of Padua on Sunday, 24th June,2018.
Delivering the homily of the 10am Mass, co-celebrated by the Diocesan Chaplain of the Guild of St. Anthony, Rev. Fr Emmanuel Ikenga, Rev. Fr Anthony Uche Onyegesi from St. Theresa Parish Okwe, enjoined all the members of the Guild to emulate the works of their patron by keeping the fire of the love of God to continually be kindled in their hearts, minds and souls by living out their patron’s life as good Christians and followers of the Saint of Padua. Delivering his speech, the Issele-Uku
Diocesan President of St. Anthony, Brother James A. Ojeah, appreciated all members of the Guild for their contributions towards the success of the year 2018 feast and for the recorded progress of the Guild in the diocese. Speaking further, he implored them to remain committed to the principles of the wonder-working Saint Anthony while assuring them of the Saint’s powerful intercession of his ardent followers. Finally, he reminded them of the need to keep St. Anthony’s flag flying in the diocese.
Missionaries of Love Applause, Glamour as St. Brigid’s Girls’ Coland Mercy professes 4 lege Showcases Musical Talents of Students By Our Correspondent
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t was a solemn day as Missionaries of Love and Mercy organized first profession for its four members. The profession which took place at the Church of Ascension, Asaba on June 9th attracted many from all walks of life including the Vicar General of Issele-Uku diocese, Msgr Michael Mozia. Speaking while preaching a spirit–filled homily during the Eucharistic celebration, the chief celebrant, Monsignor Mozia charged the new life missionaries to carry Jesus to the world as missionaries on the move. The professed brothers are: Joseph kingsley, Emmanuel Nazombe and Joseph Chanka from Malawi while Onesimus Kioko is from Kenya. We thank God for the First Religious Profession of these Brothers. Missionaries of Love and Mercy is an Institute of Consecrated Life. It is a Household of Disciples who have responded to God’s call to follow Jesus closely and to whom He has entrusted the mission of spreading the fire of His Love and Mercy to the suffering poor all over the world so as to realize His great desire to see the whole world ablaze that His Glorious Reign may echo again across the whole earth. The profession was based on the theme: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, He has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and new sight to the blind, to free the oppressed and announce the Lord’s year of Mercy.”
Nigerian Catholic Reporter
By Chioma Ajafuo
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ducation has always been the greatest asset any child can have in order to stand firm in the society and school apostolate in Catholic Church is taking the lead in offering holistic education to students and pupils in their Schools of which St. Brigid’s Girls’ Grammar School is one. The evidence of this was showcased recently as Students of St. Brigid’s Girls’ Grammar School,
The Principal, Sr. Celene Onafowope
Asaba displayed wonderfully well during the Maiden Musical Concert organized by the School. The event which took place on Saturday, 14th day of July, 2018 at the school hall attracted many people from all walks of life, lay people, priests and religious. Speaking at the occasion, the chairman, Mr. Patrick Ononye thanked the Principal of the School for involving the students in Music thereby harnessing the hidden talents in them and finally enjoined all present at the occasion to support the school and the students in making an envious career in music by the students. Also in her address, Principal of the School, Sr. Celine Onafowope (OSF), noted that Music is essential to human life and that it gladdens the heart irrespective of age, tradition, religion and social status at various times and places. In his presentation, the Music Director, Mr. Clement Ogheneochuko expressed joy over the cooperation and collaboration he got from the students and the Principal during the preparation of the event. He thanked God for the high intellectual quotient of the students as they learnt very fast at his speed.
Vol. 2 No.111, August - September, 2018
Cover
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Our 4-point Agenda Generates Membership Growth – John Aigbokhaode
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System of administration
e have tried to instill accountability into our affairs. The era of impunity and secrecy in the affairs of CMO is over. We have also successfully introduced the use of Committee System into our structure such that it is now statutory. In our office administration, we have introduced the use of accounting software and try to digitalise our operations. Membership strength Today, no Parish can host our general meeting alone. It is now a deanery affair. That is a testimony to the level we have reached in membership growth. We have set out with a Four Point Agenda: Credibility, Visibility, Spirituality and Empowerment. We are grateful that officers and members have keyed in and this has positively affected membership growth. That does not mean that we do not have one or two deaneries that have not opened up, but we will all get there.
Mr. John Aigbokhaode is the 4th President, Catholic Men Organization (CMO) of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos. Having assumed oďŹƒce in November 2015, his tenure will elapse in November 2018 when he will be handing over to a successor that will emerge after an election that will hold in October 2018. In this interview with Nigerian Catholic Reporter, he talks about the organisation he has led for three years
Briefings
Accountability We have tried to lead by example. I have always told members and officials that they should not come to me privately to discuss any rumour they hear concerning any form of abuse of resources on my part. I have encouraged them to ask on the open floor of the meeting so that I can explain to everybody. I have also put them on alert that I will do the same thing for any official I hear about
Nigerian Catholic Reporter
10 their misdemeanor. There have been allegations of fraudulent practices around the Group Life Insurance Scheme, what is the true situation, and how have these issues been resolved? We have run the Group Life Insurance for six years as at October 2017. In this period, we have paid N117,000,000.00 to our members as claims. Considering the number of persons involved, this is an unusually high claim ratio. We are therefore looking at various ways to stem this tide and we have adopted some measures. It’s true that some of our members have been involved in activities not compatible with our status as a Catholic Organisation. Such situations we deal with through our Disciplinary Committee system which we introduced. There is no official too high to go before this committee and we have the support of the leadership on this, so the scheme is still on. It has also been adopted by the National Catholic Men Organization across all provinces. Skills Acquisition Centre We have been having challenges raising money but we have concentrated our efforts in buying more land for the Centre in the past two years with the little money we are able to scrap from our various operations. Having done that, we also decided to adjust the project scope to provide accommodation on site as hostel for distant students. We have just again mobilized the contractor to return to site so that by the end of October 2018, we are projecting to have roofed the modified building. It is unfortunate that only a very negligible number of CMO members can beat their chest and say they have contributed to this project. I will be surprised if they are up to ten even if I count those that paid less than One Thousand Naira. Welfare of members We have encouraged parishes to form co-operatives societies and have run model empowerment seminars every March before our Annual General Meetings as well as during our Annual Conventions. At the Archdiocese level, we can only make policies and set the tone for the parishes to follow. With the number of invitations I have been
Nigerian Catholic Reporter
that can really comment on our general growth, CMO cannot really write its own appraisal. What do you think is the greatest challenge facing the organization? I think that some of us are still stuck in the old ways. So they believe that things should be done as it has always been so they are not embracing the reforms that we have tried to introduce. How do you think you will be remembered when you leave office? I really don’t know. You cannot get a 100% approval rating. While some may applaud what you are doing, others may feel that you are the worst thing that ever happened to CMO and cannot wait to see your back. In every situation, we try to do what we have said we will do, the best way that we could and then let posterity judge.
One thing I can say is that we have grown in membership as well as the quality of membership. I think we are beginning to be more relevant in the affairs of the church in the Archdiocese.
receiving and attending, there is a lot being done to enlighten and empower our members. Unfortunately, many still see the attending of empowerment seminars as theories and do not bother to follow up. Some even call me one year after we have opened up an opportunity which may have passed. General growth of the organization One thing I can say is that we have grown in membership as well as the quality of membership. I think we are beginning to be more relevant in the affairs of the church in the Archdiocese. However, it is for those that have been observing the Organisation like you
What is the character of the man you would want to succeed you in office? Personally I would prefer a levelheaded person who is as soft as wool and tough as steel. He must be a stinker for good corporate Governance. We must continue to practice it at the center and enforce it down the hierarchy. What is your message to CMO members? It is what you label yourself that people call you. You label yourself by what you do and what you say. We cannot just say we are members of Catholic Men Organisation; we must wear it like a cloak. We cannot be Catholic Men in one area and something else in the other. Our behaviour in all areas of our life; the way we conduct our meetings and our affairs must reflect that name. I am not saying that we all have to be saints; I am not one; but we must make efforts so that people at least perceive us in a positive way. Life is about perception and we have not been very high in that scale as an Organisation. We all have to join hands to give our Organisation a good image. It is all about all of us.
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Vol. 2 No.111, August - September, 2018
Strictly Catholic
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Why are young Nigerians abandoning the Church for Pentecostalism
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By Festus Iyorah
oung Catholics are being drawn away from the Church. Can anything stop the exodus? Susan Onyedika was born 22 years ago into a Catholic family in Lagos, Nigeria’s bustling commercial city. When she was a child, she took part in the Block Rosary Crusade (where an image of the Virgin Mary visits family homes), as well as catechism classes in her parish. But as she matured into a teenager she started having doubts about the faith she had practised from childhood. In her secondary school, she met Pentecostal Christians and began to compare their beliefs with those of Catholics. “I needed more spiritually,” she tells me. “I needed to understand the Scriptures. They [the Catholic Church] don’t break down the Bible for you. They don’t pray the way most Pentecostals pray. “I also had issues with praying through Mary because I feel that you can reach God directly, you can talk to him directly. You don’t have to go through someone to intercede for you.” Susan joined her secondary school fellowship without telling her parents or siblings. “They didn’t know I joined the Pentecos-
tals,” she remembers. “They were not aware. Just my close friends were.” Her departure from the Catholic Church was gradual. “I had the opportunity of meeting with Pentecostals. From there my orientation about the Catholic Church changed. The prayers, the preaching differs,” she reflects. With 186 million people, Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country. The population is evenly distributed between Christians in the south and Muslims in the north. Of the roughly
80 million Christians, around 20 million are nominally Catholic. But many of the baptised are leaving the Church in their teens and twenties for Pentecostal denominations. Throughout the 20th century, the Catholic, Anglican and Methodist churches were dominant. But as the century came to an end, there was an explosion of Pentecostal and Evangelical churches, such as the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Living Faith Church Worldwide, Deeper Christian Life Ministry and
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Christ Embassy. Denominations that describe themselves as “new generational”, which have a particular focus on youth, innovation and technology, have sprung up in Nigeria, luring young people away from Catholicism and mainline Protestant churches. Without his mother’s knowledge, Victor Ejechi left the Catholic Church when he was still in secondary school. Now 25, he tells me that, as a child, he relished the rituals of Holy Mass, the Legion of Mary and catechism classes. But as he grew older he started asking questions about the Sacrament of Penance and the rosary. “Why would I confess my sins to the priest?” he asks. “Is he holy? Why must I pray through the rosary when I can speak in tongues?” He says that no one was able to answer his questions. Sunday Elom, who recently graduated from the University of Nigeria in Nsukka, tells me how he drew away from the Church. He had had reservations about images of the Virgin Mary, but again no one gave him a convincing answer. “Although I never had access to the priests, I asked those who were strong Catholics but they didn’t give me a clear answer,” he recalls. Susan, too, says she couldn’t find anyone capable of assuaging her doubts. “When I started having that curiosity at 15, I asked questions but I was always shut off. They’d tell me to just believe it,” she says. “I asked my Mum and she can’t really explain anything. She just beats around the bush like every other person. She says: ‘Just accept it. It’s always been like that.’ ”
Nigerian Catholic Reporter
The experiences of Susan, Victor and Sunday underline the challenge facing the Nigerian Catholic Church. Many young Catholics have only a shallow understanding of Church teaching. While some do make the effort, a lot leave before they have found answers to their questions. Fr Gabriel Ezema, a former student chaplain at the University of Nigeria, insists that the Church is well equipped to respond to young people’s questions. He notes that there are plenty of pious societies that can help them gain a deeper understanding of Catholic doctrine. “We have resources available but they fail to make use of them,” he says. “How many of those students attend Sunday school instructions in the evening? “The Church provides various spiritual organisations to respond to individual temperaments and needs. For instance, we have Charismatic Renewal, the Legion of Mary, St Jude and so on. Do such individuals join such spiritual organisations? Not at all.” Many young Catholics come into contact with Pentecostals while away from the watchful eyes of their parents at secondary schools and tertiary institutions across Nigeria. When they return home for the holidays they pray the rosary with their parents and follow them to Masses without revealing that they are exploring another branch of Christianity. “I started hiding in my first year,” says Susan. “When I come back home for holiday, I practise Catholicism and am always anxious to leave again for school to join the Pentecostals.” Perhaps parents share some respon-
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sibility for this drift away from the Church. Many stop overseeing their children’s religious development when they leave for secondary school or university. This lack of contact means it’s difficult for them to recognise that their children are wandering off. Susan’s mother, a devout Catholic, got wind of her daughter’s switch to the Pentecostal Church through rumours. “My mum had been hearing it as a rumour,” Susan says. “She did not believe until she asked me. I denied it the first time. She asked me the second time. I denied it again. Then one day she caught me speaking in tongues. She was disappointed. The house was on fire that day.” Victor joined a Bible-sharing community, commonly known as “hometo-home visitation”, in secondary school through his Pentecostal friends who “were better off in the knowledge of the Scriptures”. At first, he didn’t tell his mother or siblings. When they found out, there were serious arguments. “I was exposed to other churches, other doctrines,” he says. “My mind was quite open for change. That was when I knew I had to leave the Catholic Church.” When Pentecostals encounter Catholics they often promise that they will see miracles, signs and wonders. They emphasise that they will be taught how to pray, speak in tongues and quote the Scriptures. Fr Ezema says: “Many join those churches not because the Catholic Church is not doing enough but because the teaching they get at those churches is what they want to hear. They want to hear that they will get married by next month; they will get a job before graduation if they pay their tithe.” Susan sees it differently. She says the reason she left the Catholic Church wasn’t tied to the vain things of life. She was seeking knowledge. “You need to clarify [things to] people before they will believe you,” she suggests. “I didn’t see anyone who could give me cogent reasons for the doctrines. They say seeing is believing. If you can explain to me explicitly, why won’t I believe you?” Festus Iyorah is a freelance journalist in Nigeria. This article first appeared in the February 2 2018 issue of the Catholic Herald - http:// catholicherald.co.uk
Vol. 2 No.111, August - September, 2018
The Church in Ahiara will Continue to Move Forward – Bishop Ugorji By Rev Fr Protase Anyanwu
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he Apostolic Administrator of Ahiara Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Lucius Ugorji has expressed thanks to God that the crisis that rocked the diocese for more than six years has come to an end, saying, “It is now forward ever, backward never. The process of healing must continue.” Bishop Ugorji made this declaration during the Eucharistic celebration of installation of candidates as acolytes and incardination of candidates for the diaconate. The ceremony was held at the Maria Mater Ecclesiae Cathedral Ahiara on Thursday July 26, 2018. He lauded the candidates for their patience all these years when there were no installations held in the diocese on account of the bishopric crisis. By this singular act of patience, the candidates “have shown their love for God and the zeal to work for the salvation of souls when they eventually get into the ministry. According to the prelate, “it is God who calls people into the ministry; it is He who gives us the grace to answer the call and also
to remain steadfast in the call.” He called on the candidates to give thanks to God for giving them the grace to answer the call towards the priesthood. It is a call in which “the candidate must be ready to be burnt off in order to bring light to the world,” the bishop said. Reflecting on the gospel where Jesus Christ multiplied the loaves and fishes and fed the five thousand, the Apostolic Administrator drew out two very important points. Firstly, the episode has a link with the Eucharist which means thanksgiving. Secondly, it emphasizes the power of God in every situation, in this case in multiplying the loaves and fish for feeding the people. According to the bishop, “God has the power of transformation; the power of sustaining His creatures in being, the power of sustaining our vocation and of sustaining our life. This power is made manifest in several ways and on daily basis. Hence, we are enjoined to give thanks to God in all things.” With this, the process of installation and ordination has started to move again. According to the bishop, “the Church in Ahiara will continue to move forward.
The Catholic Diocese of Ahiara-Mbaise on July 28th, 2018, installed 38 candidates Acolytes; another eight (8) were ordained deacons on the 2nd August 18. Picture: Bishop of Umuahia Diocese and Apostolic Administrator of Ahiara Diocese, Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji (middle), and the eight deacons after their ordination on August 2nd, 2018 at the Mater Ecclesiae Cathedral, AhiaraMbaise, Imo State.
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Ahiara Diocese Agog with Ordination of Deacons
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t was celebration time in Ahiara diocese, Imo State as family members, friends and well-wishers celebrated with eight sons, who recently were ordained deacons at the Maria Mater Ecclesiae Cathedral Ahiara Mbaise on Thursday August 2, 2018. The newly ordained deacons are: Revs. Victor Iwu, Franklin Ndukwu, Laserian Iwu, Bede Ukaibe, Fabian Njoku, Augustine Ukawuba, Joachim Nnanna and Noel Ikeri. In his homily at the ordination Mass, the ordaining prelate and the Apostolic Administrator of Ahiara diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Lucius Ugorji while reminding the people that it is God who calls men into the ministry; thanked all who contributed to the formation of the newly ordained deacons. The Apostolic Administrator said that the deacons are called to assist the priests and bishops in the work of evangelization. But more importantly, the duties of deacons are on tripartite. First is the service of the word. Second is service of charity. And the third one is service of the altar. The key word he emphasized is service. “The office of the diaconate is an icon of Christ, who came not to be served, but to serve. It is an icon of Christ who washed the feet of his apostles and asked them to wash the feet of their neighbours. It is an icon of Christ who though being God emptied himself of his divinity and became a servant”, the bishop emphasized. He goes on to say that the status of the deacon as a servant does not end. Service is part and parcel of the ministry. He reminded them that both the priests and bishops are servants. Even the Pope is the ‘servant of the servants of God.’ As servants of the word, Bishop Ugorji enjoined the deacons to strive and believe what they read and live what they teach. The deacon is given the mandate (missio canonica) to teach in the name of the Church. He must teach the authentic teaching of the Church, in word and in deed, because action speaks louder than word. Highlighting the other duties of the deacon such as administering baptism, witnessing at marriages, celebrating benediction among other functions, he charged them to endeavour to rise to the demands of their new office. The Bishop equally called on the faithful to support them in their ministry, by prayer and also in helping to provide whatever they will need to make their duty untrammelled.
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Vol. 4 No.111, August - September, 2018
INTERVIEW
Lagos Archdiocesan CMO Yearns for Refocusing - Chief Chukwudi Boniface Okparaku
Chief Chukwudi Boniface Okparaku is the Managing Director of South-East Pacific Services Limited, a transport company. He is currently the Coordinator of the CMO in the most populous deanery in the Archdiocese of Lagos, Isolo Deaney, and the immediate past deputy-Coordinator of the deanery. He has also served the organisation in his parish, St Maria Goretti Catholic Church,Abaranje, Ikotun, Lagos as Station Coordinator, and when the out-station was elevated to the rank of a quashi parish, he was made the parish chairman of CMO of the parish. In this exclusive interview with NCR, Chief Okparaku speaks on the newness and improvement that the CMO in Isolo Deanery is experiencing since he assumed office in January 2018; how he has been coping with the challenges of leadership; and his views on the leadership of Lagos Archdiocesan CMO. Motivation:
First, I must say my motivation comes from God. Second, my father is someone I must say that I took after. As a child, he would always take me to the church. On Sunday after mass he would remain behind attending council meetings and other meetings till late in the evening. From there I found love in the church. At a point I was taken to a priest with whom I lived for many years. For me, the church has been my place and I believe so much in God. Since then I have never looked back. The positions I have held in the church, I must also say is something that comes from God.
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He has a way of giving his creations different kinds of gifts. When I work, I work with my whole heart, and I give all – my time, my talent and my treasure.
Coping with Challenges of leadership:
To succeed as a leader, one must put oneself in the position of a servant. This is because the leader is not to be served but to serve. I have always taken cognisance of the fact that God created all of us differently, with different desires, needs and wants; actions and reactions. I have always
strived to be dynamic in my approaches to issues; having a listening ear, being able to give proper assessment to developments; and taking rational decisions in every organisation that I find myself. Humility and gentleness are also my watchwords. All these coupled with the kind of charisma that God has endowed in me, have always afforded me the opportunity to excel in every leadership role that I have undertaken.
Secret behind an improved Isolo Deanery CMO:
I think the secret is the desire to
Cover Vol. 2 No.111, August - September, 2018 er for us to be brothers and being our brothers’ keepers. We had requested all parishes to submit nominal rolls of their members. Let us know their populations. This is all about unification. We should know our numerical strength. I find it difficult to believe that in Isolo Deanery of 15 parishes, and lots of out-stations, we do not know each other and hardly interact. This was not the case when we were in the old Badagry Deanery. I want to improve on the welfare issue. By the time we have achieved a proper and accurate record of our numerical strength, we should be able to come up with welfare packages that will impart positively on each member and give each member a sense of belonging. Imagine a situation where all CMO members in the deanery gather at the housewarming, wedding or wake keep of a member, this will not only encourage and grow membership, or bind members together, it willalso act as great opportunity for evangelism. This is being our brothers’ keepers. We must live up to the key objective of our organisation which is bringing all men together under one umbrella. From there we would pool resources together to assist the church, the clergy, and ourselves. That is my target. make changes. During my younger days I played football. I am a very good match reader; and played from the central defence. When I came on board as Coordinator of Isolo Deanery CMO, I discovered that a lot of things needed to be changed and I started working in those areas. I tried creating sub-committees, which however faced some resistance. However, I decided that things would not continue theways they were going. Some of these included the number of meetings which was in excess, punctuality to meetings, and prolonged meetings. These were great challenges. I am happy we are overcoming them. All what we are looking forward to now is to improve on the achievement so far, meet our set targets. Of great importance to us is the CMO Skills Acquisition Centre located at Idimu. We have to find a way of bringing families together and see how we can generate fund in order to fund the development of the Centre.
Welfare of members:
Isolo Deanery is a unique deanery. My focus is to bring all men to togeth-
Redirection of focus at the Archdiocesan level:
If I have the opportunity of being the president of the Archdiocesan CMO, one of my focal points would be in the area of accountability. We should also create more programmes that will be beneficial to men in the Archdiocese. When I look at the annual conventions we hold, I see the need to improve on various aspects of the programme. I am not oblivious of the fact that it was approved by the Archbishop, and therefore not against the convention. But we should review the financial commitments. This should not become a burden on members and prospective members. Quite often prospective members are discouraged by the financial implications. Times are hard. Another area is the Skills Acquisition Centre in Idimu. It is a noble venture because for each person that benefits from the project, a family has been empowered. However I am against the current plan and method of execution. For instance, I learnt that over N50million has already been spent on the project. Personally, if I have such amount of money, I
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would have a modern Skills Acquisition centre that is up and running. What we need are simple workshops and studios that are conducive for learning, rather than embarking on a white-elephant type of project that will take till infinity to complete. Reasonably, N10million would have given us the required structure for the take-off, while the remaining N40million will have gone into the purchase of equipment. It is easy to partner with technical companies both locally and overseas who would come here for transfer of technology. These are the kind of things I am planning to introduce in Isolo Deanery. I have already made contact with some of my technical friends and partners in Japan and China. All I am waiting for is for us to sort out a few things and we in Isolo will take off. I am targeting such skills as auto repairs, computer and phones repairs, and other skills that can equip the average person including students. Who should be a leader of the Catholic men? It should be a man who is well lettered, outspoken, honest, and possessed the strong will to take meaningful decisions. The organisation requires a leadership the will run an open door policy; be a father to all, and not a dictator.
Hijacked offices:
The impression most members from many deaneries across the Archdiocese have is that the leadership of CMO in the Archdiocese has been hijacked by a particular deanery. Even on the CMO social media platforms you see people boasting that the presidency of the Organisation is their “birth right”. This should not be the case. We are in the church. We should be mindful of the fact that leadership comes from God. However, of paramount importance should be that the right person is elected, and that all deaneries are given equal opportunity to field candidates for such sensitive positions. But a situation where the presidency continues to emerge from a particular deanery calls for a rethink. There are already grudges and resentments coming from different deaneries. The same situation is evident in the formation of committees. When these happen, the other deaneries will start asking such questions as it they don’t have competent hands responsible enough to fit into these committees.
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Vol. 4 No.111, August - September, 2018
Vatican Round-up
Pope revises catechism to say death penalty is ‘inadmissible’ Commits the church to working toward its abolition worldwide
By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service
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atican City — Building on the development of Catholic Church teaching against capital punishment, Pope Francis has ordered a revision of the Catechism of the Catholic Church to assert “the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person” and to commit the church to working toward its abolition worldwide. The catechism’s paragraph on capital punishment, 2267, already had been updated by St. John Paul II in 1997 to strengthen its skepticism about the need to use the death penalty in the modern world and, particularly, to affirm the importance of protecting all human life. Announcing the change Aug. 2, Cardinal Luis Ladaria, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, said, “The new text, following in the footsteps of the teaching of John Paul II in ‘Evangelium Vitae,’ affirms that ending the life of a criminal as punishment for a crime is inadmissible because it attacks the dignity of the person, a dignity that is not lost even after having committed the most serious crimes.” “Evangelium Vitae” (“The Gospel of Life”) was St. John Paul’s 1995 encyclical letter on the dignity and sacredness of all human life. The encyclical led to an updating of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which he originally
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promulgated in 1992 and which recognized “the right and duty of legitimate public authority to punish malefactors by means of penalties commensurate with the gravity of the crime, not excluding, in cases of extreme gravity, the death penalty.” At the same time, the original version of the catechism still urged the use of “bloodless means” when possible to
punish criminals and protect citizens. The catechism now will read: “Recourse to the death penalty on the part of legitimate authority, following a fair trial, was long considered an appropriate response to the gravity of certain crimes and an acceptable, albeit extreme, means of safeguarding the common good. “Today, however, there is an increas-
Vol. 2 No.111, August - September, 2018 ing awareness that the dignity of the person is not lost even after the commission of very serious crimes. In addition, a new understanding has emerged of the significance of penal sanctions imposed by the state. Lastly, more effective systems of detention have been developed, which ensure the due protection of citizens but, at the same time, do not definitively deprive the guilty of the possibility of redemption,” the new section continues. Pope Francis’ change to the text concludes: “Consequently, the church teaches, in the light of the Gospel, that ‘the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person,’ and she works with determination for its abolition worldwide.” In his statement, Cardinal Ladaria noted how St. John Paul, retired Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis had all spoken out against capital punishment and appealed for clemency for death-row inmates on numerous occasions. The development of church doctrine away from seeing the death penalty as a possibly legitimate punishment for the most serious crimes, the cardinal said, “centers principally on the clearer awareness of the church for the respect due to every human life. Along this line, John Paul II affirmed: ‘Not even a murderer loses his personal dignity, and God himself pledges to guarantee this.’” Pope Francis specifically requested the change to the catechism in October during a speech at the Vatican commemorating the 25th anniversary of the text’s promulgation. The death penalty, no matter how it is carried out, he had said, “is, in itself, contrary to the Gospel, because a decision is voluntarily made to suppress a human life, which is always sacred in the eyes of the Creator and of whom, in the last analysis, only God can be the true judge and guarantor.” Cardinal Ladaria also noted that the popes were not the only Catholics to become increasingly aware of how the modern use of the death penalty conflicted with church teaching on the dignity of human life; the same position, he said, has been “expressed ever more widely in the teaching of pastors and in the
sensibility of the people of God.” In particular, he said, Catholic opposition to the death penalty is based on an “understanding that the dignity of a person is not lost even after committing the most serious crimes,” a deeper understanding that criminal penalties should aim at the rehabilitation of the criminal and a recognition that governments have the ability to detain criminals effectively, thereby protecting their citizens. The cardinal’s note also cited a
Pope Francis specifically requested the change to the catechism in October during a speech at the Vatican commemorating the 25th anniversary of the text’s promulgation.
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letter Pope Francis wrote in 2015 to the International Commission Against the Death Penalty. In the letter, the pope called capital punishment “cruel, inhumane and degrading” and said it “does not bring justice to the victims, but only foments revenge.” Furthermore, in a modern “state of law, the death penalty represents a failure” because it obliges the state to kill in the name of justice, the pope had written. On the other hand, he said, it is a method frequently used by “totalitarian regimes and fanatical groups” to do away with “political dissidents, minorities” and any other person deemed a threat to their power and to their goals. In addition, Pope Francis noted that “human justice is imperfect” and said the death penalty loses all legitimacy in penal systems where judicial error is possible. “The new formulation of number 2267 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church,” Cardinal Ladaria said, “desires to give energy to a movement toward a decisive commitment to favor a mentality that recognizes the dignity of every human life and, in respectful dialogue with civil authorities, to encourage the creation of conditions that allow for the elimination of the death penalty where it is still in effect.”
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Vol. 4 No.111, August - September, 2018
Career
Chidi Ajah
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or many job seekers, “Why should we hire you?” is one of the most difficult interview questions to answer. Many are known to have lost plum jobs because of inability to answer the question. So, it has come to be a dreaded question that many wished is never asked. Why do interviewers ask this question? The interviewer’s job is to hire the best person for the position. Most of the candidates that make it to the interview stage are qualified for the job. The winning candidate must be more than qualified, especially in a very competitive job market. Every hire is a risk for the company. Your interviewer will also be taking a personal career risk in recommending a particular candidate to hire. If the candidate performs well, Mr. Interviewer looks brilliant and gets a pat on the back (and maybe a bigger annual bonus). If the candidate turns out to be a dud (doesn’t perform well, doesn’t get along with the team, leaves the job prematurely, etc.), the interviewer looks like a dummy and his professional reputation suffers.
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Why should we hire you? With this question, your interviewer is asking you to sell him on you and your status as the best person for the position. Make his job easier by convincing him that: • You can do the work and deliver exceptional results • You will fit in beautifully and be a great addition to the team • You possess a combination of
skills and experience that make you stand out from the crowd • Hiring you will make him look smart and make his life easier
How to Answer: Why Should We Hire You?
This is your chance to wow them with your highlight reel. Your answer should summarize the top
Vol. 2 No.111, August - September, 2018 essential to performing the job and advancing in your career. That includes software and hardware proficiency, specialized knowledge, etc. However, transferable skills can be just as important, if not more important. It’s imperative that you understand the job extremely well and can address the technical and transferable skills. You do not have to address every single skill in your answer, as that will take too long. Begin your answer with something similar to the following: “I have a thorough understanding of the role and am confident I can meet the challenges it presents. For example, you require excellent leadership abilities, which I’ve demonstrated in every position I’ve had. You also need someone who can improve the visibility of your organization …” You can cite additional examples. Just don’t belabour the point.
2. You will do the job
best reasons to hire you. It’s better to have three or four strong reasons with memorable descriptions and/or examples than to rattle off a laundry list of twelve strengths without context. To answer this question, therefore, you have to articulate what the interviewer is trying to ascertain. In addition, you have to make your answer relevant to the job at hand and demonstrate the value you’ll bring to the company. In other words, you can’t use a canned answer for every employer with whom you interview. The secret to answering this question is that you must address the three things employers look for in their employees. The first is that you can do the job, the second is that you will do the job, and the third is that you will fit in.
The interview will also want to know if you’re in love with the responsibilities of the role and the mission of the organization. Will you work until the job is finished? Will you overcome obstacles? Why you want to work for the company is another concern they’ll have. I tell my clients that no company wants someone who’s just looking for any job they can get. Here’s an example of how you might address your motivation to do the job: “This position presents an exciting opportunity to take on new challenges that I will embrace. I’ve always stood up to obstacles and worked to overcome them. In addition, I’ve researched this organization and am truly impressed with the product you produce and your mission of helping special groups.”
3. You will fit in
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Whether or not you’ll be a good fit is a major concern many employers have, and it’s also a tough thing for you to prove. It’s all about your personality. A company doesn’t want to hire someone it will have to let go because the hire couldn’t get along with their co-workers. Of the three components employers look for in their employees, this might be the most important. There are plenty of talented people out there who can hit the ground running, but not everyone can play well with their colleagues. Your fit is difficult to prove without data or good recommendations from your references, but try to provide as much hard proof as possible: “In my performance reviews, I’ve always scored high on interpersonal skills. I know the clients you serve; it will require excellent teamwork in order to serve them effectively. If you ask my former colleagues and supervisors, I’m sure they’ll tell you how I’ve pitched in when needed and without being asked.”
Tying it all together
Explain how you’ll exceed the employer’s needs based not only on being able to meet the three major components, but also by emphasizing how you will be integral to the success of the company. Going into the interview, know how important your role to the organization is: “The next marketing specialist you hire will be crucial in creating a strong presence in the direct community and beyond. I can assure you, based on my experience with doing this, I am your person. This is ultimately why you should hire me.” Beyond this, remember that recruitment and hiring managers would rather hire someone who has a little less experience, but who is driven and motivated to learn and succeed.
Your fit is difficult to prove without data or good recommendations from your references, but try to provide as much hard proof as possible:
1. You can do the job
Having the technical know-how is
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Vol. 4 No.111, August - September, 2018
Personal Finance Mark Oguh
Empowering our Children for Financial Independence
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ave you ever wondered why children who served as house helpers to the rich and wealthy of yesteryears seemed to outperform the children of their masters much later in life? Instances abound of orphans or other less privileged children from poor homes who were given out in service to other well-to-do families, becoming more prosperous than the children of their masters and mistresses who they served in those days. These house helpers attended evening schools, did all the house chores, slept latest and were always the first to wake up in the early hours of the next day. They ate leftovers after the household had had their fill and sometimes, for some reason, they are left to starve. In most cases, they were ill-treated and told that they were from the gutters and could be thrown back there if they didn’t behave themselves. Newspapers are awash with stories of how some of these “unfortunate children” (domestic helpers) are subjected to extreme physical and psychological torture almost on a daily basis. Some are beaten to a pulp for no just course, some sexually abused, and others severely tortured for eating a piece of meat from the pot or not answering the masters’ or their privileged kids’ calls at first instances. Some of these “disposables of society” remain resilient, taking all the pains with calculated calmness and decorum having their eyes on the ball. The determination to succeed
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fuels their resistance to take the easy way out (quit) and in so doing, they acquire one of the fundamental habits of success – forbearance. Above all, they learn the value of little things
No matter how rich you are, make sure you get your children to roll-up their sleeves and do some house chores. Distribute work at home so each child has a list of responsibilities.
(Sir. 19:1; Jon 6:1-13). According to Dr. Jack Hyles (1926 – 2001), the greatest difference between success and failure is the importance placed on little things. Ahamefuna (Ahamefula or Ahamefule in different Igbo dialects) is a popular name across the Igbo communities that is translated as “may my lineage never cease to exist”. Families are losing their names due to poor parenting. In a bid to display wealth, we over pamper our children to the point that they lose the value and meaning of life. The unfortunate
Vol. 2 No.111, August - September, 2018 one is that in years past, children were more careful and had a healthy fear for their fathers than their mothers; but today, fathers have become much softer, so much so, that they treat their children with an extreme level of pampering. In some families today, a child will report the Mum to the Dad for “spanking him/ her” while the Dad was away, and you see the Dad saying “sorry my darling; don’t mind your mother”. Don’t get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with being a loving father. We must show our children the right type of love; but allowing them to have everything they want is a destructive show of love, and will never do them any good. When everything is done for a child, he/ she acquires a false sense of abundance and develops an entitlement mentality.
cient wealth to live on without having to depend on any one person or income from a particular employment. Every parent would love to see their children prosper in all aspects of life. The prosperity of the children is manifested in their ability to provide for their family’s well-being in due time. The way children are treated, growing up will determine their ability to achieve this goal. Empowering children is not an overnight venture. It takes planning and hard work. Nurturing skills and character of success in children is a critical responsibility of parents, especially the fathers. A culture of hard work, creativity and dedication is built through action and not just words. Examples are the best ways to impart such virtues.
My advice:
No matter how rich you are, make sure you get your children to roll-up their sleeves and do some house chores. Distribute work at home so each child has a list of responsibilities. This enforces a sense of accountability and duty. It builds a habit of industry, discipline and order – basic habits of highly successful people.
Our generation of parents have a unique feature in the sense that after taking care of our own parents, ourselves and our children, we now also continue to cater for our children’s children because of the lack of sense of responsibility. It should be the other way round because “Onye amuru ya muta ibe ya. Empowering children to be financially independent means raising children who are wired to achieve a state of financial freedom from their parents, and assume personal responsibilities as soon as they become adults. Technically defined, financial independence describes a state where an individual or household has suffi-
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Create an environment of constructive competition. Let your children be streetwise. They must know the concept of “zero-sum game”. Challenge them to win prizes, come tops in their classes and get a gift. They must have a sense of achievement and reward that follows success. Do not help them pass exams by looking for magic or “special centres” where even ill-prepare candidates are promised superior performance. Don’t give bribe for admission into universities. If they fail to secure admissions in one year, let them try the next year. When you “sort” them into the university, they will “sort” themselves (with your money) through the university and then graduate and come and sit with you at home and you continue to feed and clothe them. It is possible that if any of them would spend an extra year before going into the university, the Lord had fashioned it that they would use that year to learn a skill or gain an experience that they need to succeed in life. When you package them by all means into the tertiary institution they lose that chance of a life time. The consequence is a long period of suffering and anguish. Take them to your office from time to time. Let them learn how you make money and what you go through in generating income, either through your paid employment, or through your private business. If they are old enough to work, give them some tasks in your business, and pay allowances to them when they are on holiday. If you fail to recognize that they need to work, you might realize when it is too late. Children must appreciate at an early age in their lives that nothing comes easy. Teach them the habit of savings. Set savings target for them even while you are still paying their school fees and giving them “pocket money”. The children must be able to save from their upkeep allowance while in school. Above all, constantly commit them, their future and the investment you are making in them into the hands of our Lord and savior through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Parents have a special obligation to pray for their children. Don’t absolve yourself of that responsibility, and don’t forget that you have that intercessory powers. The fervent prayer of the righteous avails much (James. 5:16). Mark Oguh, a Fellow of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and a Financial Management Expert wrote in from St. Anthony’s Parish, Gbaja, Surulere, Lagos. Contact mark.oguh@ gmail.com
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Vol. 4 No.111, August - September, 2018
Hope In The Midst Of Suffering Prof. Michael Ogunu
President of the Executive Board of the World Apostolate of Fatima in Africa
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bout a century after the death of Christ, a deacon named Euplius was tortured at Catania in Sicily, simply because he was a Christian. The dialogue between the judge and the deacon was taken down by the court stenographer, and has survived to this day. It wonderfully illustrates the Christian attitude to pain and his hope in a life beyond the grave. While he was being tortured, Euplius said: “I thank you, Christ; protect me while I suffer this pain for you”. “Get rid of this madness, Euplius”, pleaded the judge, Calvisanius. “Adore the gods and you will be set free”. “I adore Christ. I despise demons. Do what you will, I am a Christian...” After long and severe torture, the judge appealed to him: “Sacrifice if you wish to be freed, worship the gods Mars, Apollo, and Aesculapius”. “I am now sacrificing myself to Christ, who is God”, Euplius replied. There is no more that I can do. Your attempts are in vain”.
Again and again the martyr cried out:
“Thank you O Christ. Christ come to my assistance for you I am suffering this torment”. And when his strength finally failed him, and he could no longer make any sound, he kept repeating with his lips these and other words until he died. What was it that kept the martyr strong in his resistance against the temptation to worship false gods despite the horrible torture? It was his faith in Christ, and his (martyr’s)
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hope of attaining eternal life. It was that kind of hope which Pope Benedict XVI in his Encyclical Letter - Saved in Hope - refers to as “redemptive hope”. In this article the writer will provide the reader with examples of men and women whose lives of courage in adversity are lights of hope for the sick and suffering in this dark world of sin. The well-known Trappist monk writer Rev. Fr. Raymond O.C.S. produced a book which has a very special significance for those who are sick. The title of the book is “Your Hour”. It is the story of seven people who had to carry a particularly heavy cross of illness. Most of them, indeed, had to carry it through the very gates of death. The individuals described here met their destiny with fortitude and clear awareness of the tremendously important mission they were fulfilling in life. It is this sense of purpose that Fr. Raymond is anxious to instil in the hearts of all who suffer. The striking thing about the people in this book is that their ailments were incurable, and they knew it. Rev. Fr. Carl Miller, a Jesuit missionary for 22 years in India was brought back to the United States suffering from cancer of the pancreas. Shortly before he died he could confide to a friend: “My best work for India began when I arrived at St. Joseph’s Infirmary”. Joan Gasser was a student nurse in a large city hospital who suddenly became the victim of the fatal Hodgkin’s disease. She was fully aware of her condition; yet she could tell a friend with a smile: “I feel as if I were just coming alive”.
John Leonard was the hard-working father of nine children suddenly prostrated by spinal bulbar polio, and destined to spend the next and last eight years of his life gasping for breath in an iron lung, yet never losing his deep trust in God. Here also is the story of how a truly Christian family reacted to the birth of a mongoloid child. Here is the account of a busy pastor, the victim of inoperable cancer, who each day said this prayer: “Most Holy Trinity, I thank you for the pain of the past, I love you for the pain of the present Please send me such pain in the future as will make you loved by myself and others. Help me to mean what I say”. The last chapter in the book is concerned with Mary Ellen Kelly, of Marcus Iowa, who died May 9, 1961. For years she was the victim of rheumatoid arthritis, completely dependent on others, yet she organized a solidarity for bed-ridden patients and reached an ever widening audience by her writing until the day she died. Lozano Garrido (1920-1971), a Spanish Journalist spent 28 years in a wheelchair. He entered the Catholic Action group when he was 11 years old. During the Spanish civil war, he distributed Holy Communion to the imprisoned. His long illness began in 1942 and just one year afterward, he began to need a wheelchair. Twenty years later, nearly 10 years before his death he lost his sight. From his wheelchair, with progressive paralysis affecting more and more of his body, he became a recognized writer and journalist. His professional life led to many publications, including reports to the Associated Press and nine books on spirituality. When his right hand became paralyzed, he learned to write with his left, and when that hand too lost movement he would dictate his words. He died in 1971.
Continues NEXT EDITION
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Vol. 4 No.111, August - September, 2018
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