Owo Attack: Catholic Church to re-open Easter Sunday

About 10 months after the attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo state, by some gunmen, the church would be reopen for worshippers on Sunday.

The Bishop of the Ondo Diocese, Most Rev Bishop Jude Arogundade, who disclosed this in Akure, the state capital, said all is set for the reopening of church where 41 worshippers were killed by the suspected terrorists on June 5, 2022.

Arogundade who recalled that the church has been locked after the gory incident for security reasons said that all is set for its reopening of the church which had been locked after the attack on worshippers.

He said “Since the unfortunate incident that befell our members at the saint Francis Cathedral in Owo on June 5 2022, the church has been closed down for security reasons and as a mark of respect for our fallen brothers and sisters.

“The church shall be opened again for Easter Sunday. The government of Ondo state is as well planning to commemorate the one year anniversary of the massacre in honor of our fallen heroes”

Speaking earlier, the Knights of Saint John’s Easter retreat, Rev Fr. Augustine Ikwu, admonished members to be committed to living their lives according to the standard laid down for Christians.

The cleric who spoke on the topic “life before, during and after lent” charged participants to take time in reflecting on their life and never return to their past ungodly deeds as Lent is coming to a close.

“The season of length is a sacred period in the Catholic Church as it prepares us for the celebration of Easter.

“This is expected to be a time of deep retrospection of the past, conscious analysis of the present and strong reflection on the future.”

He urged participants to desist from the evils they have abstained from during the period of the Lent and never be like a dog that returns to its vomit.