The 3rd National Pastoral Congress Hosted In Benin

November 11, 2022281 views0

The 3rd National Pastoral Congress Hosted In Benin

2022-11-11T12:27:23+01:00

By Church News

The 3rd National Pastoral Congress of the Catholic Church in Nigeria was held on the 9th of November 2022 in the ancient city of Benin.The Archbishop of Benin City, Most Rev. Augustine Obiora Akubeze, Bishop Donatus Ogun (OSA) of Uromi Diocese, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Fr Edwin Omorogbe with some priests of the Archdiocese, and the Director of Pastoral Affairs of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Very Rev Fr. Michael Ayanleke Banjo received the visitors at the Bishop Kelly Pastoral Centre before the commencement of the congress.The programme started with the exposition and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and morning prayer, after which the official Opening Mass and the Opening Session commenced.Archbishop Augustine Akubueze in his welcome address reflected on the theme of the programme, For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission and stated, “The Church in Nigeria at the various local levels in response to the call of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, has been engaged in listening to each other without censoring the opinion of anyone because no one has the monopoly of the Holy Spirit.“I hope and pray that one of the fruits of this Congress will be the active participation of our faithful in civil politics. We pray at this Eucharistic celebration for a Nigerian Government at all levels, that will listen to the cries of her citizens; a government that will listen to the pains and plights of the people, and come to the help of the many victims of terrorism, flood, and poverty, he added.”Some of the participants in attendance include John Cardinal Onaiyekan and Peter Cardinal Okpaleke, the President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, Archbishop Alfred Martins of Lagos, Archbishop Matthew Ndagoso of Kaduna, Archbishop Valerian Okeke of Onitsha, Archbishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama of Abuja, Emeritus Archbishop of Ibadan, Most Rev Alaba Job, many other Bishops, Officers and Staff of the Catholic Secretariat led by the Secretary-General, Fr. Zacharia Nyantiso Samjumi, Rectors of Seminaries, Priests, Religious and Laity from different dioceses across the country.The Congress hosted by the Catholic Archdiocese of Benin was also graced by personalities including the Minister of Health, Doctor Osagie Ehanire, who represented President Muhammadu Buhari, Wife of Edo State Deputy Governor, Mariam Shaibu, Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare the Second.ALSO READ SIGNIS Africa Discusses Church Communication Structures In Rwanda