The Knights and Ladies of St. Mulumba, Sancta Maria Sub-Council, Owerri joined their counterparts in Nigeria to celebrate the feast of the Unborn Child, March 25, 2014.

The International Year of the Unborn Child is observed on March 25.  It was established by Pope John Paul II to coincide with the feast of Annunciation.

The occasion began with Mass celebrated at the Claret Chapel New Owerri by Rev. Fr. Stanley Ogaraku (Cmf), who represented the Chaplain of the sub-Council, Rev. Fr. Christian Eke (Cmf).

In his sermon, Fr. Ogaraku reflected on the readings and highlighted the role played by Blessed Virgin Mary in the salvation of man.

On the feast of the Unborn Child, Fr. Stanley said that life is sacred and condemned abortion and euthanasia (mercy killing), describing the practice as dangerous and anti-life.

After the Mass, the Sub-Council took the pro-life campaign to the senior students of Claret Academy Secondary School, New Owerri, where they enlightened the students on the feast of Unborn Child and the need to protect him/her by avoiding contraception and abortion.

The lecture was delivered by Dr. C.N. Egwim, the Worthy Physician of the Sub-Council with interjections by Dr. Meltus Chukwuezi and Mrs. Ann Ogbonna.

In the lecture, they explained the relationship between the feast of Unborn Child, feast of Annunciation and Feast of Christ Conception.

They said, according to Pope John Paul II, the feast of Unborn Child is the day of celebration of the value and dignity of every human person from the moment of conception, as well as the day of remembrance for those unborn children who have lost their lives to the violence of abortion.

They also said that the feast is an international one not exclusively for Catholics or Christians but are celebrated by people of all groups who have interest in pro-life.

They stressed the need for all to participate in celebrating the feast in every level they find themselves, including spiritually adopting an unborn baby and praying for him and the mother for 9 months, organize Rosary procession, offer Mass or prayer for life and join in fundraising for pro-life activities.

The importance of the celebration, according to the lecturers include: to create awareness of the day of unborn child, to remember in prayer unborn children who lost their lives in violence of abortion, to avoid acts which lead us to temptation of seeking abortion, to know that God values life and that Catholic Church condemns any attempt to directly kill unborn child.

During the lecture, the lecturers demonstrated the pictorial stages of growth of the unborn child in the womb.

The lecture was moderated by the Worthy Lecturer of the Sub-Council, Bro. Ukwuoma.

The Worthy GK, Bro. Theodore Onyeneke gave words of advice and a student gave a vote of thanks where he expressed their happiness over the lecture and information they gathered about the need for them to shun and condemn abortion and anti-life campaigns.

The Sub-Council also thanked the principal of the school for his cop-operation during the sensitization lecture.

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