CANONIZING TWO ROLE MODELS OF THE CHURCH

Today, two giants of the Roman Catholic faith will become saints and millions of people, including Nigerians have traveled to Rome for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Pope Francis’ decision to declare two of his predecessors, Pope John XXIII and John Paul II saints at the same time is unprecedented and taking the world by storm. The church offers the lives of outstanding women and men to us as models of holiness, declaring them “Blessed” or “Saint”. This is not a statement about perfection. It does not mean that the person was without imperfection or sin. Beatification and canonization mean that a person lived his or her life with God, relying totally on God’s infinite mercy, going…

Becoming Holy Humans In Christ, A 2014 Easter Message

On Sunday the 27th April 2014, Divine Mercy Sunday, Blessed Pope John XXIII and Blessed John Paul II, will be canonized, that is officially proclaimed saints by Pope Francis at the St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, Rome. Over a million pilgrims catholic and non-catholic from all over the world are expected at the canonization. Nigerians, including a number from Imo State will be there to represent us.   Although Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II continue to have enormous influence in our contemporary world and Church it is the holiness of their personal human lives that is the reason for their canonization. With this event they become for all Christians and humans heroes…

Jonathan, Obama Visit Pope

It was a busy time for His Holiness Pope Francis following the visits of two heads of state recently. First to storm the Vatican was Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan who was accompanied by his wife Patience and other top government officials. That was on Saturday, March 22. On Thursday, March 27, President Barak Obama of the United States of America took his turn. Both heads of State were visiting Pope Francis for the first time. Reports say President Jonathan and‎ Pope Francis held extensive discussion on Nigeria’s position on same-sex marriage which was recently outlawed in the country. The  Executive Secretary of Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission, Kennedy Opara, disclosed this to journalists at the Holy…

Pope Francis‎ discuss extensively on same-sex marriage with President Jonathan As Nigeria, Vatican partner in education, health

President Goodluck Jonathan and‎ Pope Francis ‎yesterday held extensive discussion on Nigeria’s position on same-sex marriage law recently passed in the country. The Executive Secretary of Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission, Kennedy Opara, disclosed this to newsmen yesterday at the Holy Sea after President Jonathan’s audience with the Pope as well as his tour of the Vatican City. Opara said the President used the opportunity to state Nigeria’s position on same sex-marriage while the Pope commended Jonathan’s effort in tackling the various challenges facing the country. The Pilgrims from Anambra, Kaduna and the Federal Capital Territory, were part of President  Jonathan’s delegation to Vatican City in Rome, Italy but remained at the courtyard while the audience…

Lent: Don’t be discouraged by sin – Pope

Returning to the Vatican after a week of Lenten spiritual exercises, Pope Francis emphasized that we should not be discouraged by sin, but rather renew our commitment to following Christ. “We are all sinners but we want to follow Jesus,” the Holy Father said upon departing from the annual retreat for the Pope and members of the Curia. The retreat took place outside the Vatican for the first time this year; it was held in the nearby town of Ariccia. Pope Francis thanked Father Angelo de Donatis, who preached the Lenten retreat on the subject of “purification of the heart.” “I would like  to offer you thanks on my behalf and on behalf of all…

Pope Francis has a lamb draped around his neck during nativity visit

  The pontiff was visiting the parish of St Alphonso Maria de ‘Liguori, in the district of Justine, on the outskirts of Rome when an onlooker placed the animal over his neck. He was at the site to spend the afternoon of the Epiphany festival there where parishioners had set up a special nativity scene. Pope Francis lived up to his role as the shepherd of God’s flock when he was given a lamb to carry on his shoulders. Local people had recreated Bethlehem at the time of Jesus’s birth, with shops, stalls, inns and other scenes of everyday life. Pope Francis ended his visit with a visit to the stable where he blessed a…

Blessed John XXIII and Blessed John Paul II To Be Canonized on April 27th

In the first consistory that he has convened, Pope Francis has announced that the canonization of Blessed John Paul II and Blessed John XXIII will be held on Sunday, April 27th, 2014 in Rome. During his return trip from World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro, the Holy Father indicated Divine Mercy Sunday, which falls on the same day, as a possible date. The Pope stated that having the canonization in the winter would make it difficult for pilgrims with limited resources to attend. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims, particularly from Poland are expected to attend the canonization. Several months ago, the Holy Father paved the way for the canonization of Blessed John XXIII, authorizing…

Interview with Pope Francis – A Big Heart Open to God (1)

“Talking with Pope Francis is a kind of volcanic flow of ideas that are bound up with each other.” Editor’s Note: This interview with Pope Francis took place over the course of three meetings during August 2013 in Rome. The interview was conducted in person by Antonio Spadaro, S.J., editor in chief of La CiviltàCattolica, the Italian Jesuit journal. Father Spadaro conducted the interview on behalf of La CiviltàCattolica,America and several other major Jesuit journals around the world. The editorial teams at each of the journals prepared questions and sent them to Father Spadaro, who then consolidated and organized them. The interview was conducted in Italian. After the Italian text was officially approved, America commissioned…

Meeting With Pope an ‘Unforgettable Day’ -Lionel Messi

Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi, Wednesday, August 14,  said “today is an unforgettable day” because he was able to meet the Holy Father in the lead up to the friendly soccer match between Italy and Argentina. The game was been organized in honor of Pope Francis, who has commented many times on his love for the sport. Messi and the captain of Italy’s team, Gianluigi Buffon, spoke at a press conference following their audience with the Pope. The Italian goalkeeper said that “it is an honor to be able to participate in the event. He also assured it was a special day that will stay in their minds and hearts forever. In regard to Francis,…

Pope Calls on Athletes to Be Good Role Models – Discourages Turning Sport into Merely a Big Business

Pope Francis last Wednesday met with members of the Italian and Argentinian national soccer teams. They are in Rome for a friendly match that has been organized for Wednesday night in honor of Pope Francis. Speaking in both Italian and Spanish, the Holy Father expressed his hope that the match would truly be a friendly one. He reminded the players that they are role models and encouraged them to take that responsibility seriously. He asked them to foster the beauty, generosity, and camaraderie that sport can produce – and called for even professional athletes to recover the ideals of being an amateur, of recovering the initial vocation of the athlete. Pope Francis also warned about…

Pope expands role, reach of Vatican Financial Intelligence Authority

As part of the Vatican’s ongoing efforts to ensure that all its financial activities comply with international standards, particularly those aimed at preventing money laundering and the financing of terrorism, Pope Francis has expanded the role and the reach of the Vatican’s Financial Intelligence Authority. Less than a month after he updated the Vatican’s criminal code to include all Vatican employees around the world and not just those working in Vatican City, Pope Francis issued new rules Aug. 8 broadening Vatican City finance laws to cover all the offices of the Roman Curia. The rules also apply to the non-profit organizations operating out of the Vatican, including Caritas Internationalis and Aid to the Church in…

Onah becomes second Catholic bishop of Nsukka

His Eminence, John Cardinal Olorunfemi Onaiyekan, July 4, ordained and installed Rt. Rev. Monsignor Godfrey Igwebuike Onah as the second Catholic Bishop of Nsukka Diocese in Enugu State. Onaiyekan was assisted in the consecration by Most Rev. Valerian Okeke, the metropolitan Archbishop of Onitsha and the Bishop Emeritus of Nsukka Diocese, Most Rev. Francis Emmanuel Okobo. In a homily, the Bishop of Awgu Diocese, Most Rev John Okoye noted that insecurity in any form and nature including armed robbery, rape, violent crimes and terrorism had taken the centre stage of the country’s problems and urged government to address the issues as they portray the country in very bad light throughout the world. Okoye also said…

Blesseds John Paul II and John XXIII to Be Canonized Before the End of This Year

On Friday, July 5, Pope Francis received Cardinal Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, where he approved the cause of several Blesseds and Venerables, most notably, Blessed John Paul II and Blessed John XXIII. Regarding Blessed John Paul II’s canonization, the Holy Father approved the second miracle attributed to the intercession of the late Pontiff. Fr. Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See Press Office, confirmed reports that a Costa Rican woman was cured from a severe brain injury through the intercession of Blessed John Paul II. Regarding the significance of the approval of the miracle, Fr. Lombardi noted that “this means that we are going forward with the canonization…

Pope Francis’ First Encyclical, ”Lumen Fidei” Released

The Holy See on July 5, presented the first encyclical of Pope Francis’ papacy entitled “Lumen Fidei” (The Light of Faith). Presenting the new work was Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, along with Archbishop Gerhard Muller, prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization. Archbishop Gerhard Muller explained the content of the encyclical, which is divided into four parts. “In the first part”, he said, “we move from the faith of Abraham, the man who recognised in the voice of God ‘a profound call which was always present at the core of his being’, to the…

Orlu celebrates Archbishop Brian Udaigwe

It was a joyful and memorable day, Saturday, May 13, 2013 at Holy Trinity Cathedral Orlu, as the diocese trooped out en masse to receive Archbishop Brian Udaigwe, who was recently appointed a Titular Archbishop of Suelli and Apostolic Nuncio to Benin Republic.  The occasion began with a Pontifical Holy Mass officiated by Archbishop Brian Udaigwe himself. Delivering a homily during the Mass, the Bishop Emeritus of Orlu Diocese, Most Rev. Gregory Ochiagha described it as an occasion for thanksgiving and the first official Holy Mass of the new Archbishop.  The Prelate noted that within five years, the diocese of Orlu had been blessed with two Bishops to perpetuate the work of Christ.  He added…

Msgr. Emma Ogu celebrates 40th anniversary of priesthood

It was another remarkable day in the life of Very Rev. Msgr. Emma Onyebuchi Ogu, Spiritual Director, Mater Ecclesiae Seminary Nguru Aboh Mbais as he celebrated 40 years of his priestly ordination on April 28, 2013 at St. Anthony’s Parish Umunama. He was ordained priest on April 28 1973. The celebration attracted a cream of the society, priests and religious, members of the House of Senate, House of Representative, Honourable Members of Imo State House of Assembly, Knights of the Church, Royal Fathers and top civil servants. Delivering the homily at the solemn Mass presided over by Msgr. Emma Ogu and assisted by 35 other priests including Rev. Fr. Peter C. Osuagwu, Parish Priest, Rev….