…As St. Jude Society holds 2024 Provincial Day
The absence of love among people has been identified as the root cause of most problems confronting the country, as Nigerians and the entire human race are called to be their brother’s keeper and show love to one another in order to make the world a better place. This was posited by Very Rev. Fr. Anthony Fadairo, Parish Priest of St. Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland, Lagos and Episcopal Vicar, Ikeja Region, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, while delivering the homily at Mass during 2024 Provincial Day celebration/funfair of Lagos Ecclesiastical Provincial Council, St. Jude Society, held recently at St. Leo Catholic Church, Ikeja, Lagos. Fr. Fadairo who represented Most Rev. (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins, Archbishop of Lagos at the event with the theme “One love keep us together”, said if there is love, then people will care and help their neighbour to live well according to God’s plan.
Stating that the current situation of the country reflects lack of love among the people, adding that when few persons decide to take what belongs to all to themselves, that is lack of charity. “If you truly love, even things you worked for, you would be ready to share, with those who are less privileged”, he said. On the gathering, Fr. Fadairo said it enables the members to talk about happenings in the different dioceses that make up the province, as well as share experiences and challenges, and seek ways to grow the society. He asked the people to pray, as he urged the government to listen to the voice of the masses and fulfill the promise made to them.
On palliatives, he said this measure is one that would last for a short period, as he noted that Nigeria is too big a nation to depend on palliatives, calling on government to do more and the people to be patient. He asked the government to deal with insecurity to enable people go to their farms, adding that the ministry of agriculture must have a clear-cut plan on how to develop agriculture in the country with vast availability of land. Harping on the importance of prayer, he said, “During Mass, we pray for Nigeria in distress. We are in need of prayers. We must live in accordance to what we pray. If you pray for love, you must be ready to show love.”
The priest urged the people to pray for their leaders’ eyes to be opened to the needs of the led, and for God to give them (leaders) the grace and courage to do the right thing. For his part, Mr. Romanus Onyeulor, President, Lagos Ecclesiastical Provincial Council said that the programme afforded the province, made up of Lagos Archdiocese, Abeokuta and Ijebu-Ode Dioceses, to come together to celebrate their patron saint, St. Jude Thaddeus, as well as to synergise within themselves in order to foster unity among the members. He revealed that St. Jude Thaddeus, the patron saint is amiable and loving, adding that the members needed to come together, evangelise and touch more lives and bring more souls to Christ. The celebration also featured rite of investiture of Patrons and Patronesses of St. Jude, renewal of marital vows and launch of a N15million evangelisation bus.
