St Peter Clavers Nnewich Nnewi Celebrates Her Elders

The clergy and the faithful of St. Peter Clavers Catholic Church, ,  Nnewi on Sunday,  December 11, rolled out the drums to celebrate their elders who have attained the ages of 80 years and above.
The octogenarians who were 44 in number; comprising 30 women and 14 men, were all radiating with smiles and happiness in the occasion which was started with a Mass officatiated by Rev Fr Johnpaul Okonkwo and concelebrated by the parish priest of the parish Rev Fr. Edmund Nwagbala and Rev Fr Peter Onwuka.
        Also the parishioners used the occasion to send off  Fr. Okonkwo who was with them for two years before, he was posted to St. Michael Catholic Church Eziora Ozubulu.
In his homily, Fr. Onwuka, noted that the Church was in the third Sunday in  Advent which was a special time for all to prepare for the coming of our Saviour Jesus Christ in the same way that celebrating the elders of the parish that day would be a fitting prelude to the celebration of the birth of Christ in a few weeks ahead and congratulated the elders on the event.
He further noted that the reading of the day were all referring to the coming of the birth of Christ adding that his coming was for all especially the poor in our midst.
  Fr. Onwuka urged all to endure whatever they are undergoing now knowing that Christ was coming to take care of all our problems, this he said was the reason which explains why God told us to be happy because Jesus Christ was coming.
The homilist noted that as we were about to celebrate the birth of our saviour , that our encounter with him would make us special as no one encounters Christ and remains the same again and called on all to be happy on the great event of the celebration of the birth of Christ.
  He also reminded all that God fulfils His promises to all and as such, we should be rest assured that He would meet up with all His promises in our lives saying that even if He did not do that here on earth that He would fulfill it in the next world as He never failed in any promise He made to His people.
  In his prayer at the reception for the elders the parish priest, Fr. Nwagbala thanked God for the longevity He gave to the celebrants noting that they were grateful for their lives and prayed that He would grant them more good health and more blessings.
  The chairman of the planning , Sir Pius Onwuka in an interview said that the parish decided to celebrate them because of the regard they have for them noting that it was note easy for one to attain such an age in this hard time in the country. He congratulated them and wished them more good health.
The occasion was chaired by Chief Christopher Osuojukwu, Chairman Agboedo Market Traders Association who commended the parish for celebrating their elders and congratulated the celebrants.
One of the highlights of the occasion was the cutting of the cake by some of the octogenarians who were present and the giving of gift items to all of the 44 celebrants or their representatives.