The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, His Lordship Most Rev Dr. Matthew Hassan Kukah has emphasised on the need for intensive evangelisation.
The Bishop emphasized this during the deanery meeting and Cathedraticum at St. Martin De Porres Catholic Church, Katsina on 5th - 6th March, 2018
The meeting had in attendance, Rev. Frs. Eugene Nwachukwu, Joseph Dube and other priests in the Deanery as well as the heads of the lay apostolate organisations including CMO, CWO, CYON, and the Knights. The Bishop welcomed them and reflected on the challenges facing the Church in Sokoto Diocese. He cited the decline in the catholic population and emphasised the need for intensive evangelisation. He called for volunteers for such mission and promised that they would be properly trained for the mission.
He announced that Sokoto Diocese will be hosting the September Plenary meeting of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, and the building of a pastoral centre. He solicited the support of all in the Diocese to ensure success.
During the Cathedraticum proper on the second day of the visit, Bishop Kukah while delivering his homily made known that “to be a Christian in this present day, especially in Nigeria is not an easy task considering the level of vulnerability of Christians in the country in view of the persecution, frustration and discrimination they are suffering in their own fatherland”
He pointed out that the situation in the country had made many Christians who would prefer not to go against their conscience to lose their jobs and means of livelihood to the system. He was however quick to add that the grace of God would continue to be sufficient to Christians noting that whatever they are going through was not new as others had gone through even more difficult situations in the past. He reiterated the need for intensive evangelisation and the calling back of Catholics who had strayed.
Speaking to the 58 candidates who received the Sacrament of Confirmation during the event, the Bishop made them aware that by virtue of their confirmation, they were now soldiers of Christ. He stressed that as soldiers of Christ, they are expected to fight evils in all its ramification and stand for the truth at all times. He charged parents to always prepare their children according to the dictates of the Holy Gospel. The Bishop called on the Godparents of the newly confirmed to ensure that they are nurtured to very high spirituality.
The Dean of the Katsina Deanery and parish priest of St Joseph’s Jibiya, Very Rev Fr. Eugene Nwachukwu expressed the appreciation of the Deanery to the Bishop for choosing Katsina Deanery as the first in the diocese to host the 2018 cathedraticum. He thanked the Bishop for his fatherly care to all the as Chief Shepherd of the flock in the diocese.
In his vote of thanks, the Parish Priest of St Martin De Porres, Very Rev Fr. Joseph Dube in whose parish the cathedraticum took place, reiterated the appreciation of the Deanery to the Bishop for choosing Katsina as his first port of call for the 2018 cathedraticum. He also expressed appreciation to all those who contributed in making the event a huge success. He specially thanked governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State for his kind support to the Church and prayed to God to continue to give us good leaders.
Bishop Kukah thanked the priests and the laity of the Deanery for their achievements in the development of the Church in the Deanery. He urged the lay faithful not to engage in gossips about their priests and the leaders of the Church adding that their criticism should be constructive and properly channelled to the appropriate authorities.
Highlight of the event was the presentation of 52 cows valued at N2, 650,200 to the Bishop by the various parishes in the Deanery.
