Pope Francis has urged Catholics across the globe to ensure the spiritual and material growth of the church.
The pope spoke in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital during the ordination and installation of Rev Peter Chukwu as the third Catholic Bishop of Abakaliki following the retirement of Rev Michael Okoro, the former Bishop of the Diocese.
Pope Francis, represented by the Apostolic Nuncio, Rev Filipazzi Antonio, also called on Catholics across the globe to root out the seed of division and discord in the Catholic community.
He said Catholics all over the world were one family and must avoid particularistic and selfish attitudes.
The installation of the third bishop witnessed the presence of over 50 Catholic bishops, Governor David Umahi, his deputy, Dr Kelechi Igwe; Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Ogbonna Nwifuru, former Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief Martin Elechi; Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, National Assembly members from the state among others.
The pope further called on Christians to build the church as a family and make it necessary to avoid all ethnocentrism and excessive particularism.
“Try instead to consider reconciliation and grow communion between different ethnic groups.
“We Catholics are one family not because we have black ties that unite us. We are one family because we are saved by the one Redeemer, Jesus Christ, washed by one baptism marked by the same Holy Spirit, nourished with the one heavenly bread.
“I said this today because it is all about the occasion of the appointment of a bishop, but this particularistic and selfish attitude emerges. This must stop, this must stop. Without pointing the fingers on others, everyone in the church must root out from himself, from herself, any seed of division and discord.
“Dear brothers and sisters, as everyone in the Diocese of Abakaliki welcomes the new bishop, may all commit themselves to overcome what divides us at every level and to bring in truth, charity and humility, a true family within the great family of the universal church,” he told the church.
Francis, earlier in a letter to the new Bishop, urged him to zealously carry out the ministry entrusted to him as the Bishop of the Diocese describing him as manager of scarce resources with sound doctrine, pastoral diligence and an outstanding expert.
In his remark, Governor David Umahi said his administration has partnered with the Catholic Church which he said has rapidly transformed the state.
He described the ordination and installation of Chukwu as divine and highly acceptable by all the people of Ebonyi State and assured the new bishop of adequate support to succeed.
Responding, Chukwu said he felt inadequate to be the Bishop of the Diocese, but thanked Pope Francis for finding him worthy of the position.
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