In what looks like his last homily as the Parish priest of St. Cyprian’s Catholic Church, New Oko-Oba, Agege, Lagos, Very Rev. Fr. Augustine Nnaemeka on Sunday, January 17, 2021 advised the faithful to resist the temptation of visiting those he described as palm readers, soothsayers, dream interpreters, fake healing and adoration centres who are in the business of deceiving people and destroying family unity. Fr. Nnaemeka, who until now also doubles as Dean of Agege Deanery of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos and reassigned Dean of Apapa Deanery, noted that those who think their coming to the Catholic Church is to seek for healing and miracle as the main attraction, should better forget the idea and look elsewhere, where miracles and healings are dispensed with a price tag. He told the congregation that the Catholic Church is all about salvation of souls and call to holiness which is at the centre of its worship, noting that healings and miracles can only take place when one is pure and in the state of grace.
He reiterated that the Church instituted the Sacrament of reconciliation to bring us back to God when we offend Him or derail through our sins. Like Andrew in the gospel who called his brother, Simon Peter and brought him to Jesus, Very Rev. Fr. Nnaemeka tasked the parishioners to invite their friends and acquaintances to embrace the Catholic faith. The outgoing priest who has worked in the parish for over eleven years later held a meeting with members of the Parish Pastoral and Laity Councils where he made his valedictory remarks and asked them to give the incoming Parish priest their full cooperation extended to him. The Parish Pastoral Vice Chairman, Dr. Uche Okereke thanked Fr. Nnaemeka for the meritorous service to the church and wished him well in his new place of posting. The clamour for him to write down or record his homilies which they described as unique for the Church and posterity was unanimously endorsed by the Counsellors.
