Parishioners at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Umuogor, Aba South Council Area of Abia State, celebrate the recent visit of the bishop of the Aba Diocese, Prof. Augustine Echema, to their parish.

It was the first pastoral visit of the bishop to the parish since it was established six years ago.

In his address at the event, Bishop Echema said there was much bickering in the land among the rich and the poor in the pursuit of wealth.

He admonished Nigerians, irrespective of ethnic nationalities or religion, to have a love for their country and one another, and to be acceptable before God.

He urged the youths not to sit at home waiting for the wealth their parents will leave for them, but rather to strive and hustle to create their legacies while they continue believing and serving God in whose hands life and death revolved.

He said, “Our youths are dynamic but quarrelling over properties left over by their fathers has created problems and even brought destruction on families that ought to be united in love, peace and societal development. Stop discriminating against one another and focus your attention on God because everyone is a stranger wherever he found himself to reside.”

As soldiers of Christ, he challenged the parishioners to be steadfast in working for God in faith and prayed that they will receive His blessings as a reward.

The parish priest, Rev Fr Obiji, in his brief remarks, thanked the bishop for the historic visit to the parish and commended the members for their faithfulness.

No fewer than 485 new members were inducted into the sacrament of holy communion, with 15 couples joined in mass wedding, while 37 church supporters received the bishop’s awards at the occasion.

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