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This year marks the 30th anniversary of the First World Day of Prayer for Peace that St. John Paul convened back in 1986, an historic event which saw world leaders of different religions come together for the very first time to pray for peace. Over 450 religious leaders of different Faith gathered to pray for peace and strengthened dialogue in the spirit of Assisi.

A Communiqué at the End of the Second Plenary Meeting of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) at Domus Pacis Pastoral Centre, Igoba, Akure, Ondo State, 8-16 September, 2016.
 
1. PREAMBLE
We, the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria, held our Second Plenary Meeting of the year at Domus Pacis Pastoral Centre, Igoba, Akure, from 8 to 16 September, 2016. Having prayerfully reflected on the issues affecting the Church and our country, we now present our Communiqué.
 

For Bishop Matthew Kukah, persecution is not just the history of the Church. It’s a reality that he lives every day.

In the diocese of Sokoto, located in northern Nigeria, ministry includes not only the normal sacramental and pastoral concerns of any other diocese. It also includes regularly responding to violence and attacks against the small Christian minority living in the majority-Muslim area.

Christians living in northern Nigeria today wonder “why have they and their institutions become target practice,” Bishop Kukah told CNA.

During Canonization Mass, Pope Francis Suggests to Some 120,000 Faithful to Carry Her Smile in Their Hearts

“I think, perhaps, we may have some difficulty in calling her “Saint Teresa”: her holiness is so near to us, so tender and so fruitful that we continual to spontaneously call her ‘Mother Teresa.'”

‘Let us carry her smile in our hearts and give it to those whom we meet along our journey, especially those who suffer.’

Here is the Vatican-provided translation of Pope Francis’ homily at the canonization of Blessed Mother Teresa, held in St. Peter’s Square this morning:

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“Sacred music in Mass is different from the devotional and folk music that impacts so many of our lives”

This is the latest column from Bishop James Conley of Lincoln, Nebraska, reprinted from the Southern Nebraska Register.

“Sacred music in Mass is different from the devotional and folk music that impacts so many of our lives”

Below is Pope Francis’ message for the World Day of Prayer for Creation released this morning, entitled  ‘Show Mercy to Our Common Home:’

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MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS
POPE FRANCIS
FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE
WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE CARE OF CREATION

1 SEPTEMBER 2016

Show Mercy to our Common Home

His Lordship Most Rev. Dr. Mathew Hassan Kukah marks his birthday today with a Holy Mass at St. Bakhita Secretariat Chapel.

In attendance was the Chancellor of the Secretariat Rev. Fr. Sixtus Onuh, members of staff of the Secretariat and other Faithful of the diocese.

«Non-Violence: A Style of Politics for Peace». This is the title of the Message for the 50^th World Day of Peace, the fourth of Pope Francis.

Violence and Peace are at the origin of two opposite ways to building society.

Pope Francis has received the founder and CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, in the Vatican.

Director of the Holy See Press Office, Greg Burke, confirmed this 20-minute encounter in a statement released this morning, noting the young entrepreneur was accompanied by his wife, Priscilla Chan, for the meeting which took place in the Pope’s residence of Casa Santa Marta.

Ever wanted to have a better idea about what teddy bears, Christmas lists, and miracles meant to young Joseph Ratzinger? And if not before, are you curious now?

Special moments in the early life of Pope Benedict were the discoveries to find on an ‘Inside the Vatican’-run pilgrimage this summer that retraced the life of Benedict XVI throughout Bavaria and Rome, guided by well-known historian Michael Hesemann, the co-author with Georg Ratzinger of “My Brother, the Pope.”

Christians have been challenged to live up to their faith and not allow secular trends douse their commitment to God. This submission was made by the Catholic Archbishop of Calabar, Most Rev. Dr. Joseph Ekuwem at St. George’s Catholic Church, Gliwice-Labedy, when the Parish played host to some Nigerian contingents who participated in the 2016 World Youth Day held in Poland from July 25 - 31, 2016.

The Kukah Centre with the support of the Ford Foundation last Wednesday, 10th August 2016 held the Second Edition of “The Podium”, a forum where important issues of governance in Nigeria are discussed.

“The Podium” which is a key component of the fix Nigeria Initiative and a signature project of the Kukah Centre, strives to provide a platform of engagement between public officials and the citizens of Nigeria.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Old Airport road was filled to capacity on the 29th Day of June being a memorable day in the Diocese as the Presbytery increased in number.

It was the Ordination of Rev. Habila Bala Sama'ila to the Catholic Priesthood.

The Profile of Rev. Habila Sama’ila Bala

Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah is in New York raising awareness about the plight of Nigerian Christians

Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of Sokoto, Nigeria, said Islam “has to rescue itself from extremists.”

The bishop made the comments in an interview with Catholic New York during a visit to the archdiocesan newspaper’s offices at the New York Catholic Centre in Manhattan.

He was in the United States to raise awareness of the plight of Nigeria’s Christians in his home diocese in northwestern Nigeria.

Catholic Radio & Television Network, CRTN interviews Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah during his visit to Wurtzburg, Germany.

Holy Mass celebration for the Jubilee year of mercy was celebrated in the Holy Family Cathedral church on today.

The event of the grand opening and commissioning of St. Bakhita Secretariat for the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto was graced bby dignataries from different part of the Country...

Catholic Diocese of Sokoto celebrated her 50^th year (Golden Jubille) anniversary on December 18^th and 19^th 2014, at Holy Family Catholic Cathedral Church, Sokoto

PREFACE

“As the sower went out to sow, some seeds fell on patches of rock …” Lk. 8:5

Većina običnih ljudi koji se ne bave svjetskom niti afričkom politikom zasigurno ne zna mnogo o Nigeriji niti o tamošnjoj Katoličkoj Crkvi. Prve stvari koje nam padaju na pamet kada spomenemo tu zemlju su korupcija, otmice, plemenske i vjerske napetosti te nafta. Zapravo i bit ćemo u pravu jer Nigerija je zemlja paradoksa. Najveći je afrički proizvođač nafte, ali je, bez obzira na to, većina građana na rubu siromaštva. 

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