What is the significance of this event?
I represented the Provincial Superior of the Spiritans, Very Reverend Doctor Ayodele Ayeni (CSSP), who was unavoidably absent due to his mission in Canada. He mandated me as the assistant to honour this day. We are happy as a congregation of the Spiritans to be associated with the parishioners of St. Francis of Assisi, Mando, and to the outstation, St. Pius Afaka. This current administration, as you know, was brought to birth here (Kaduna). I think last year September, we gathered for our chapter and it was during this occasion that the administration of Father Anyani and the Council was instituted. We want to sincerely thank the parish priest, Reverend Father Peter Ocholi Okolo CSSP.
The event is very significant to our faith, as more than 25 couples took the decision to draw closer to God by accepting the sacrament of matrimony. I think it is wonderful. We also had more than 14 lectors who were commissioned, and who by implication, have committed their lives to proclaiming the word of God. The parish priest himself, Revd Father Okolo, also thanked God for the celebration of his birthday. I think it is a moment of grace.
What is your advice to the couples who got married?
I think I will take from the message of the preacher, Father Peter Okolo, who stated during the homily that they should always remain committed to God. They should practically commit themselves to working towards always seeing that the grace received today is sustained. They should focus on the message of St Paul to the Colossians in the Bible, which states that they should always ‘see the things that are above, where Christ is, at the right hand of the Father.’ In that lies the success of their marital life.
What is your message to the newly commissioned lectors?
Saint Jerome states that ‘ignorance of the scripture is ignorance of God.’ As they have chosen this path today, they should dedicate their lives more to the reading and understanding of the Scripture, for there lies God Himself. When they do this, the joy of the gospel will never depart from them.
In what ways have the parish been affected by recession?
Recession or no recession, it is just semantics, just words. There are difficult moments in our lives. For instance, what the economists today, refer to as recession are moments we call the Lenten periods of our lives. The Easter celebration gives us the message that we know that in whatever situation we find ourselves, things will get better. After every Lent comes Easter and this is what Jesus demonstrated. He went through the difficult moments; there was Good Friday and Easter Sunday. We should know that our lives as Christians are not defined by material well-being; any encounter with our Lord Jesus Christ brings about joy. That is why Pope Francis says there is nothing like a sad Christian, for our joy does not come from the economy; our joy is not derived from material things; our joy does not come from the world. Rather, our joy as Christians is derived from our attachment and encounter with the person of Jesus.
and then