Christian men have been tasked to embrace their role as disciples of Christ, as they are urged to listen to Christ through His words, Sacraments, Church teachings, and always remember that they have a mentor in the Lord Jesus Christ and his foster Father, St. Joseph. The charge was given by Very Rev. Fr. David Akala, Chaplain, Catholic Men Organisation, Lagos Ecclesiastical Province during the Fathers’ Day celebration, organised by the Catholic Men Organisation (CMO), St. Catherine Catholic Church, Alakuko, Lagos, held recently in the Church premises. Fr. Alaka asked the fathers to ensure that they model their homes after that of the Holy Family, adding that all things that we call challenges, God is always there to make us pass through them, by His grace.
He urged all fathers in the country to turn to God in prayers, and that they should emulate St. Joseph, their patron saint, and continue to listen to the voice of God. According to Fr. Alaka, “St Joseph listened to the voice of God, even when he was about to take a decision that was going to tarnish His image. But He heard the voice of God through the angel in Matthew 1 as we are told, and immediately, he forgot what he had planned to do, and acted as the angel instructed him. “Let our men continue to follow in the example of their patron saint, St. Joseph, whether in the Parish, in the Deanery or in the Archdiocese, or Nigeria as a whole, we have to emulate him.”
The priest urged the government to lead the people in fear and love always, bearing in mind that God the creator is responsible for whatever position one occupies currently. In his opening remarks, the Parish Priest, Very Rev. Fr. Jude Abulu urged the fathers as well as mothers and young ones to participate with rapt attention and ensure they get things they would apply in their homes, to help them become better individuals, families, and in the long run, enable the society, community. to become a much better place where we can rejoice and where we can work together as children of God. For his part, Mr. Vernatius Egbe, the Parish CMO Chairman, said this year’s theme, handed down by the Catholic Men Organisation of Nigeria CMON, titled, “Responsible Christian fatherhood”, exposes men’s role as fathers as a crucial factor in shaping society, noting that it is their divine responsibility as fathers to shape lives that will be directly impacted by the action of their fatherhood.
