Even without my needing to speak to you about it, my brethren, the season is enough to tell us that the anniversary of the Nativity of Christ our Lord draws near. Creation itself is expressing the imminence of an event that will restore everything for the better. It, too, looks forward to seeing its darkness illumined by a ray of sun even more bright than usual. This expectancy in creation of a renewal of its annual cycle invites us to wait for the birth of the new sun that is Christ, who lights up the darkness of our sins. The sun of justice (Mal 3,20), which is about to appear in all its strength, will cast out the darkness of our sins, already too long in continuance. He will not allow the course of our life to be stifled by the shadows of existence; he wants to expand it by his power.
So, just as creation sheds its light more widely during this time of solstice, let us also manifest our justice. Just as the light of this day is the common good of both rich and poor, let our gifts be extended to travellers and to the poor without reserve. At this time of the year the world holds back the duration of darkness; so let us, too, withdraw the shadows of our avarice… May all the ice in our hearts melt away; may the seeds of justice grow, warmed by the Saviour's rays.
Therefore, brethren, let us prepare ourselves to welcome the day of the Lord's birth by clothing ourselves in garments of shining whiteness. I am referring to those that clothe the soul, not the body. The garment that clothes our body is only a tunic of no value. But it is the body, that precious object, which clothes the soul. The former is woven by human hands; the latter is the work of the hands of God. This is why we must attend with the greatest care to preserving God's work from any spot… Let us purify our consciences from all their stains before the Nativity of the Lord. Let us come before him, not clothed in silk, but rather in works of merit… Let us begin, then, by decorating our interior sanctuary.
St Maximus of Turin (?-c.420), was bishop of Turin, Italy
Sunday, 18 December 2016
Saturday, 17 December 2016
The Phenomenon Of Pentecostalism In Nigeria Today And Its Effect On The Catholic Faithful.. Prof. Michael Ogunu
Conversion of Catholics to Protestantism
One of the most tragic effects of Pentecostalism on the Catholic faithful is its silent conversion of Catholics to become Protestants. Some Catholic Charismatic Communities are indeed Protestants who under the guise of “Catholic Charismatics” are working hard within the Church to turn Catholics away from their Catholic faith.
Writing in the Leader (a Catholic paper) of Sunday, May 4, 1997, Declan Biadue of St. Thomas Parish, Eziedu, Mbaise (Eastern Nigeria) complains as follows:
“I wish to use this medium to bring it to the attention of our spiritual leaders that Protestants have infiltrated into the Catholic Church.
The infiltrators will be found mostly among Catholic Charismatic Renewal (CCR) communities. Visit some of these charismatic communities and you will easily spot the infiltrators. They will never make the sign of the cross; they are anti-clerical; they will prefer their prayer meeting to the Holy Mass; they will never bring their rosaries to prayer meeting. They don't have any. The way they pray is absolutely un-Catholic. There is a world of difference between the way a Catholic prays and the way a Protestant prays. At many CCR prayer meetings you see many so-called Catholics praying like Protestants. They command God; they shout and babble.
Honouring the Blessed Virgin Mary is a remarkable characteristic of Catholics. Catholics compose hymns and prayers in her honour. But in many CCR prayer meetings, you hardly see members giving reverence to Mary. The unfortunate thing is that these infiltrators usually wangle their way into leadership positions. And when they get there, they use their position to turn a charismatic community that should be Catholic into a Protestant community.
I am therefore appealing to the leaders of the holy Catholic Church to please look into this. Let them be careful in assigning chaplains to Charismatic communities. A Charismatic chaplain should be someone who has the courage to go against the current.
My appeal also goes to parish priests since every Charismatic community has roots in some parish. Every parish priest should be an active member of a Charismatic group in his parish so that he can know what is happening and be able to direct members spiritually”.
The inter-denominational, Protestant stance of the Catholic Charismatic renewal movement in Nigeria is further confirmed by Rev. Dr. Taddeo Onoyima in the following statement from his paper titled “The Catholic Charismatic Movement and the Church” delivered at the Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu, 1984:
It is not surprising to see some of the members, Catholic and non-Catholic of our movement mount opposition against the Catholic Church. It could be because of the basic Protestant doctrinal stance which probably and consistently remain within the movement after its inception in Nigeria.
It is clear from the above that most of the Catholic Charismatic prayer groups in different Parishes and Mass Centres in Nigeria are inter-denominational prayer groups. Little wonder that Catholic teachings are either watered down or totally rejected to make the non-Catholics happy and comfortable.
Recommendations
What to do to stop the Exodus of Catholics to Pentecostal Churches
It seems obvious from the foregoing that Pentecostalism poses real danger to the Catholic faithful in our country who are exposed to the various devices aimed at winning them over to pentecostalism. The following measures are recommended to stop the drift:
1. There should be greater involvement of priests in the lives of the faithful. Efforts should be made to reach out to Church members and help fill the void in the various areas of their lives. To this end, counselling centres should be set up in each parish and a sound counselling programme installed to enable priests attend to the spiritual and other needs of parishioners. The Church should show more concern for the needs of its members. To this end, time should be created for counselling and prayers. There are many Catholics who flock to prayer houses and prophets for counselling and prayers. Some of the conditions they are given is that they should change their faith. As part of the concern, there should be visitation teams and the basic Christian Communities should be made more active.
2. The Church should make it mandatory for all parishes to have bible classes for children and adults outside the Scripture reading periods at Mass. Only Catholics of unquestionable orthodoxy should be in charge of such classes. The bible classes should be used as avenues of explaining the Mass and Catholic faith and doctrine. There should be a continuous study of the Catholic doctrines especially during the Mass and other Church celebrations. Emphasis should be placed on those controversial aspects of the doctrine. Also, seminars and workshops on the Catholic faith should be encouraged in Churches. Priests and Church leaders should spend more time in talking about the Word of God, especially at Mass than on other things like money, tithes and seed-sowing. The Sunday-Sunday Word of God which Catholics hear when they attend Mass is grossly inadequate. Bible reading/study should be a mandatory part of all zonal meetings and Church Societies. Church bulletins should carry out not just Bible readings but also explanations of the readings.
3. Effective guidance should be given to Catholic Charismatic Renewal groups. Only those Charismatic groups which are willing to abide by the directives and guidelines laid down by the Conferences of Catholic Bishops for the movement and are seen to be actually obeying the guidelines should be allowed to exist.
4.Bishops should not hesitate to discipline any erring charismatic priest who fails to observe the laid down guidelines however great his financial contribution to the Chancery may be. The salvation of souls should be the utmost consideration. 5. The faithful should be given adequate education on the teachings of the Church. Short-term (ranging from 3 months to a year) designed to give theological education to the Laity should be set up.
6. Outreach programmes – Rosary Crusades/Carnivals, Seminars, Workshops, and so on aimed at the spiritual enrichment of Catholics should be organised at parish, Deanery and diocesan levels.
7. There should be greater integration of youths in the life of the Church, especially at the parish level.
8. Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary should be intensified. More positive encouragement should be given to the daily recitation of the Rosary, while spiritual and material support should be given to Marian Societies, especially the Legion of Mary. Rosary walks, Rosary Crusades and Carnivals should be regular features in the programme of Parishes and Deaneries.
Prof. Michael Ogunu is the Supreme Chancellor of the Order of the Knights of St. Mulumba in Nigeria.
One of the most tragic effects of Pentecostalism on the Catholic faithful is its silent conversion of Catholics to become Protestants. Some Catholic Charismatic Communities are indeed Protestants who under the guise of “Catholic Charismatics” are working hard within the Church to turn Catholics away from their Catholic faith.
Writing in the Leader (a Catholic paper) of Sunday, May 4, 1997, Declan Biadue of St. Thomas Parish, Eziedu, Mbaise (Eastern Nigeria) complains as follows:
“I wish to use this medium to bring it to the attention of our spiritual leaders that Protestants have infiltrated into the Catholic Church.
The infiltrators will be found mostly among Catholic Charismatic Renewal (CCR) communities. Visit some of these charismatic communities and you will easily spot the infiltrators. They will never make the sign of the cross; they are anti-clerical; they will prefer their prayer meeting to the Holy Mass; they will never bring their rosaries to prayer meeting. They don't have any. The way they pray is absolutely un-Catholic. There is a world of difference between the way a Catholic prays and the way a Protestant prays. At many CCR prayer meetings you see many so-called Catholics praying like Protestants. They command God; they shout and babble.
Honouring the Blessed Virgin Mary is a remarkable characteristic of Catholics. Catholics compose hymns and prayers in her honour. But in many CCR prayer meetings, you hardly see members giving reverence to Mary. The unfortunate thing is that these infiltrators usually wangle their way into leadership positions. And when they get there, they use their position to turn a charismatic community that should be Catholic into a Protestant community.
I am therefore appealing to the leaders of the holy Catholic Church to please look into this. Let them be careful in assigning chaplains to Charismatic communities. A Charismatic chaplain should be someone who has the courage to go against the current.
My appeal also goes to parish priests since every Charismatic community has roots in some parish. Every parish priest should be an active member of a Charismatic group in his parish so that he can know what is happening and be able to direct members spiritually”.
The inter-denominational, Protestant stance of the Catholic Charismatic renewal movement in Nigeria is further confirmed by Rev. Dr. Taddeo Onoyima in the following statement from his paper titled “The Catholic Charismatic Movement and the Church” delivered at the Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu, 1984:
It is not surprising to see some of the members, Catholic and non-Catholic of our movement mount opposition against the Catholic Church. It could be because of the basic Protestant doctrinal stance which probably and consistently remain within the movement after its inception in Nigeria.
It is clear from the above that most of the Catholic Charismatic prayer groups in different Parishes and Mass Centres in Nigeria are inter-denominational prayer groups. Little wonder that Catholic teachings are either watered down or totally rejected to make the non-Catholics happy and comfortable.
Recommendations
What to do to stop the Exodus of Catholics to Pentecostal Churches
It seems obvious from the foregoing that Pentecostalism poses real danger to the Catholic faithful in our country who are exposed to the various devices aimed at winning them over to pentecostalism. The following measures are recommended to stop the drift:
1. There should be greater involvement of priests in the lives of the faithful. Efforts should be made to reach out to Church members and help fill the void in the various areas of their lives. To this end, counselling centres should be set up in each parish and a sound counselling programme installed to enable priests attend to the spiritual and other needs of parishioners. The Church should show more concern for the needs of its members. To this end, time should be created for counselling and prayers. There are many Catholics who flock to prayer houses and prophets for counselling and prayers. Some of the conditions they are given is that they should change their faith. As part of the concern, there should be visitation teams and the basic Christian Communities should be made more active.
2. The Church should make it mandatory for all parishes to have bible classes for children and adults outside the Scripture reading periods at Mass. Only Catholics of unquestionable orthodoxy should be in charge of such classes. The bible classes should be used as avenues of explaining the Mass and Catholic faith and doctrine. There should be a continuous study of the Catholic doctrines especially during the Mass and other Church celebrations. Emphasis should be placed on those controversial aspects of the doctrine. Also, seminars and workshops on the Catholic faith should be encouraged in Churches. Priests and Church leaders should spend more time in talking about the Word of God, especially at Mass than on other things like money, tithes and seed-sowing. The Sunday-Sunday Word of God which Catholics hear when they attend Mass is grossly inadequate. Bible reading/study should be a mandatory part of all zonal meetings and Church Societies. Church bulletins should carry out not just Bible readings but also explanations of the readings.
3. Effective guidance should be given to Catholic Charismatic Renewal groups. Only those Charismatic groups which are willing to abide by the directives and guidelines laid down by the Conferences of Catholic Bishops for the movement and are seen to be actually obeying the guidelines should be allowed to exist.
4.Bishops should not hesitate to discipline any erring charismatic priest who fails to observe the laid down guidelines however great his financial contribution to the Chancery may be. The salvation of souls should be the utmost consideration. 5. The faithful should be given adequate education on the teachings of the Church. Short-term (ranging from 3 months to a year) designed to give theological education to the Laity should be set up.
6. Outreach programmes – Rosary Crusades/Carnivals, Seminars, Workshops, and so on aimed at the spiritual enrichment of Catholics should be organised at parish, Deanery and diocesan levels.
7. There should be greater integration of youths in the life of the Church, especially at the parish level.
8. Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary should be intensified. More positive encouragement should be given to the daily recitation of the Rosary, while spiritual and material support should be given to Marian Societies, especially the Legion of Mary. Rosary walks, Rosary Crusades and Carnivals should be regular features in the programme of Parishes and Deaneries.
Prof. Michael Ogunu is the Supreme Chancellor of the Order of the Knights of St. Mulumba in Nigeria.
Before You Condemn, Think Twice:Homily For The Fourth Sunday Of Advent (year A) By Rev Fr Kenneth Ahanonu
First Reading : Isaiah 7:10-14
Second Reading : Romans 1:1-7
Gospel : Mathew 1:18-24
Since I came across this didactic story it has never ceased amazing me. I just want to bring it across to you. I hope you wouldn't mind?
“A king had a male servant who, in all circumstances always said to the king, “Do not be discouraged because everything God does is perfect, he makes no mistakes.”
One day, they went hunting and a wild animal attacked the king, the servant managed to kill the animal but couldn't prevent his majesty from losing a finger. Furious and without showing gratitude, the king said; “If God was good, I would not have been attacked and lost one finger.” The servant replied 'despite all these things, I can only tell you that God is good and everything He does is perfect, He is never wrong.' Outraged by the response, the king ordered the arrest of his servant. While being taken to prison, he told the king again, God is good and perfect. He is never wrong.
Another day, the king left alone for another hunt and was captured by savages who use human beings for sacrifice. On the altar, the savages found out that the king did not have one finger in place; he was released because he was considered not “complete” to be offered to their god.
On his return to the palace, he ordered the release of his servant and said: “my friend, God was really good to me, I was almost killed but for lack of a single finger, I was let go.” But I have a question, “if God is so good, why did He allow me to put you in prison?” His servant replied; “my king, if I had not been put in prison, I would have gone with you, and would have been sacrificed, because I have no missing finger.”
In today's Gospel reading, Joseph was faced with a challenging situation. He had been engaged to Mary but before they lived together, he found out that she was already pregnant. Being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, he planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for He will save his people from their sins” (Mt. 1:20-21).
My interest here is what Joseph did when he discovered that Mary was with a child not of his own seed ever before the revelation by the angel came. The word of God said that Joseph was unwilling to expose Mary to the public disgrace. He decided to dismiss her privately. There is this notion from the law that such a woman should be condemned to death. The law is however clear as stated in Deuteronomy 22:23 - “If there is a young woman, a virgin already engaged to be married, and a man meets her in the town and lies with her, you shall bring both of them to the gate of that town and stone them to death.”
Remember that Joseph did not initially know that Mary's conception was not of any man. What did he do? He showed compassion though he did not want to thwart the justice. In the face of such incidence, we are most often inclined to quick justice without giving room to compassion. This is why a boy, some said seven years old, was murdered in a broad daylight in Lagos in the presence of a crowd because they said he stole garri. Jungle justice always turns out to be a mistake because; there is no compassion in the justice.
To avoid such grave mistakes, we must be careful not to make hasty judgments with quick conclusions. In other words, we must think twice before we condemn. Joseph taught twice and in the process, the Holy Spirit revealed to him the exact nature of things: that Mary was actually pregnant but not by any man. She conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Appearance, they say, is deceptive. Things are not always the way they appear. There may be some hidden circumstances that we do not readily see. If we base our judgment on the outward appearance alone, it lands us into grave and regrettable mistakes. Just imagine what would have happened if Mary had been stoned to death for conceiving the Savior of the world. Salvation for all of us not only Joseph's own would be at stake.
Hasty judgment has a lot of implications and this accounts for greater percentage of problems we have in marriage and family life, work places, schools, market places etc. For instance, a man suspects that his wife is flirting and starts mistreating her without knowing exactly what happens. Guess what! Hot trouble in the family. A leader in an organization perceives that his vice is becoming more popular, what happens? A war is declared. One reads betrayal from the action of a friend and quickly concludes that the friend is not trustworthy. Guess the outcome. The list is quite endless. Such story is always chaotic.
Here are some of the causes of hasty and rash judgments:
1. When stressed up, one may be prone to rash judgments because one does not see reality as truly as it is.
2. Being tensed up and hot temperedness, diminish reasoning because one is already high. Actions taken in such moments tantamount to rash judgment.
3. Repeated incidence is another cause. If it is proven for instance that one normally steals, such a person may be held to ransom when a theft is reported around his area.
4. Deceptive appearance: we should always bear in mind that appearance is deceptive. Circumstances may bring someone into the spot of a crime he knows nothing about.
What are the ways out? To avoid hasty and rash judgment, it is necessary we take the following steps:
1. Give it time: Take some time to think about it. When possible, make some consultations.
2. Ask questions: Try to hear from the accusers and most importantly from the accused.
3. Take the matter bit by bit: By so doing, the truth or something near to the truth will start unveiling.
4. Place yourself in their shoes: Assume yourself to have fallen the victim. It will help you to judge with compassion.
5. Find if the crime is excusable: When you have exhausted all the excusable avenues and it still becomes clear that the crime is committed, the full justice must take place inevitably.
The way Jesus handled the issue of the woman caught in adultery (cf John 8:1-11) remains a classical example of justice and compassion in judgment. This is also seen in Joseph's decision in handling his family problem as seen in today's Gospel reading. Always bear in mind that in whatever circumstance you find yourself that God does not make a mistake as we heard in the story of the king and his slave. As we await the Messiah, always remember the lesson of this last Sunday of advent that before you condemn, think twice.
GOD BLESS YOU!!!
Second Reading : Romans 1:1-7
Gospel : Mathew 1:18-24
Since I came across this didactic story it has never ceased amazing me. I just want to bring it across to you. I hope you wouldn't mind?
“A king had a male servant who, in all circumstances always said to the king, “Do not be discouraged because everything God does is perfect, he makes no mistakes.”
One day, they went hunting and a wild animal attacked the king, the servant managed to kill the animal but couldn't prevent his majesty from losing a finger. Furious and without showing gratitude, the king said; “If God was good, I would not have been attacked and lost one finger.” The servant replied 'despite all these things, I can only tell you that God is good and everything He does is perfect, He is never wrong.' Outraged by the response, the king ordered the arrest of his servant. While being taken to prison, he told the king again, God is good and perfect. He is never wrong.
Another day, the king left alone for another hunt and was captured by savages who use human beings for sacrifice. On the altar, the savages found out that the king did not have one finger in place; he was released because he was considered not “complete” to be offered to their god.
On his return to the palace, he ordered the release of his servant and said: “my friend, God was really good to me, I was almost killed but for lack of a single finger, I was let go.” But I have a question, “if God is so good, why did He allow me to put you in prison?” His servant replied; “my king, if I had not been put in prison, I would have gone with you, and would have been sacrificed, because I have no missing finger.”
In today's Gospel reading, Joseph was faced with a challenging situation. He had been engaged to Mary but before they lived together, he found out that she was already pregnant. Being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, he planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for He will save his people from their sins” (Mt. 1:20-21).
My interest here is what Joseph did when he discovered that Mary was with a child not of his own seed ever before the revelation by the angel came. The word of God said that Joseph was unwilling to expose Mary to the public disgrace. He decided to dismiss her privately. There is this notion from the law that such a woman should be condemned to death. The law is however clear as stated in Deuteronomy 22:23 - “If there is a young woman, a virgin already engaged to be married, and a man meets her in the town and lies with her, you shall bring both of them to the gate of that town and stone them to death.”
Remember that Joseph did not initially know that Mary's conception was not of any man. What did he do? He showed compassion though he did not want to thwart the justice. In the face of such incidence, we are most often inclined to quick justice without giving room to compassion. This is why a boy, some said seven years old, was murdered in a broad daylight in Lagos in the presence of a crowd because they said he stole garri. Jungle justice always turns out to be a mistake because; there is no compassion in the justice.
To avoid such grave mistakes, we must be careful not to make hasty judgments with quick conclusions. In other words, we must think twice before we condemn. Joseph taught twice and in the process, the Holy Spirit revealed to him the exact nature of things: that Mary was actually pregnant but not by any man. She conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Appearance, they say, is deceptive. Things are not always the way they appear. There may be some hidden circumstances that we do not readily see. If we base our judgment on the outward appearance alone, it lands us into grave and regrettable mistakes. Just imagine what would have happened if Mary had been stoned to death for conceiving the Savior of the world. Salvation for all of us not only Joseph's own would be at stake.
Hasty judgment has a lot of implications and this accounts for greater percentage of problems we have in marriage and family life, work places, schools, market places etc. For instance, a man suspects that his wife is flirting and starts mistreating her without knowing exactly what happens. Guess what! Hot trouble in the family. A leader in an organization perceives that his vice is becoming more popular, what happens? A war is declared. One reads betrayal from the action of a friend and quickly concludes that the friend is not trustworthy. Guess the outcome. The list is quite endless. Such story is always chaotic.
Here are some of the causes of hasty and rash judgments:
1. When stressed up, one may be prone to rash judgments because one does not see reality as truly as it is.
2. Being tensed up and hot temperedness, diminish reasoning because one is already high. Actions taken in such moments tantamount to rash judgment.
3. Repeated incidence is another cause. If it is proven for instance that one normally steals, such a person may be held to ransom when a theft is reported around his area.
4. Deceptive appearance: we should always bear in mind that appearance is deceptive. Circumstances may bring someone into the spot of a crime he knows nothing about.
What are the ways out? To avoid hasty and rash judgment, it is necessary we take the following steps:
1. Give it time: Take some time to think about it. When possible, make some consultations.
2. Ask questions: Try to hear from the accusers and most importantly from the accused.
3. Take the matter bit by bit: By so doing, the truth or something near to the truth will start unveiling.
4. Place yourself in their shoes: Assume yourself to have fallen the victim. It will help you to judge with compassion.
5. Find if the crime is excusable: When you have exhausted all the excusable avenues and it still becomes clear that the crime is committed, the full justice must take place inevitably.
The way Jesus handled the issue of the woman caught in adultery (cf John 8:1-11) remains a classical example of justice and compassion in judgment. This is also seen in Joseph's decision in handling his family problem as seen in today's Gospel reading. Always bear in mind that in whatever circumstance you find yourself that God does not make a mistake as we heard in the story of the king and his slave. As we await the Messiah, always remember the lesson of this last Sunday of advent that before you condemn, think twice.
GOD BLESS YOU!!!
Be Like Mary – Say Yes To God, But Not Halfway, Pope Francis Says
When Mary says “I am the handmaid of the Lord” in response to the news that she will become the Mother of God, she doesn't say: “this time I will do the will of God, I am available, then I'll see,” the Pope said Dec. 8, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.
“Hers is a full yes, without conditions,” he said, noting that at times, instead of imitating this attitude, “we are experts in the 'half-yes:' we are good at pretending not to understand what God wants and consciousness suggests.”
We can also be “cunning” and avoid saying “a true and firm 'no' to God” by making excuses, such as “I can't,” or “'not today, but tomorrow...tomorrow I will be better, tomorrow I will pray, I will do good, tomorrow.”
However, by doing this “we close the door to good and evil profits from these missing 'yeses,'” Francis said, noting that each one of us has “a collection” of these missing yeses inside.
Each full and unreserved “yes” we say to God is the beginning of a new story, he said. Saying yes to God “is truly original, not sin, which makes us old inside.”
“Have you thought about this? That sin makes you age inside? It makes you age right away!” he said, adding that “every yes to God begins a story of salvation for us and for others.”
Pope Francis spoke to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square for his Angelus address marking the feast in which the Church celebrates the Immaculate Conception of Mary, honoring the Catholic dogma that she was conceived without sin.
In his Angelus address, the Pope said the day's readings from Genesis and the Gospel of Luke point to two “critical passages” in salvation history which point to “the origins of good and evil.”
Man's “no” to God at the very beginning is recounted in the passage from the Book of Genesis, which shows how “man preferred to look at himself rather than his Creator, he wanted to do his own thing, he chose to suffice with himself.”
By doing this, man left his communion with God behind, “lost himself and began to fear, to hide himself and to accuse those around him,” the Pope observed, explaining that once someone begins to accuse others like this, it means “you are distancing yourself from God” and “this makes sin.”
However, instead of leaving man at the mercy of the evil done, he steps in and immediately looks for him, asking “where are you?”
This question, Francis said, is “the question of a father or mother who looks for their lost child...and this God does it with so much patience, up to the point of bridging the gap that has arisen at the beginning.”
Pointing to the day's Gospel reading from Luke, which recounted the story of the Annunciation, the Pope said that Mary's “great yes” is what made it possible for God to come and live among us.
“Thanks to this 'yes,' Jesus began his journey on the path of humanity; he started it in Mary, spending the first months of life in the womb of his mother.”
Jesus didn't come as an adult, already strong and full grown, but decided to follow the exact same path of the human being, doing everything in exactly the same way “except for one thing: sin.”
Because of this, “he chose Mary, the only creature without sin, immaculate,” he said, noting that when the angel refers to Mary with the title “Full of Grace,” it means that from the beginning there was “no space for sin” inside of her.
“Also we, when we turn to her, we recognize this beauty: we invoke her as 'full of grace,' without the shadow of evil.”
While the “no” of man at the beginning closed the passage from man to God, Mary's “yes” opened the path for God to be among us, Pope Francis said, explaining that Mary's response “is “the most important 'yes' in history.”
“It's the faithful 'yes' that heals disobedience, the available 'yes' that flips the selfishness of sin,” he said, encouraging attendees to use Advent as an opportunity to renew their own “yeses” to God, telling him “I believe in you, I hope in you, I love you; accomplish in me your good will.”
“With generosity and confidence, like Mary, let us say today, each one of us, this personal yes to God,” he said, and led pilgrims in praying the traditional Marian prayer.
“Hers is a full yes, without conditions,” he said, noting that at times, instead of imitating this attitude, “we are experts in the 'half-yes:' we are good at pretending not to understand what God wants and consciousness suggests.”
We can also be “cunning” and avoid saying “a true and firm 'no' to God” by making excuses, such as “I can't,” or “'not today, but tomorrow...tomorrow I will be better, tomorrow I will pray, I will do good, tomorrow.”
However, by doing this “we close the door to good and evil profits from these missing 'yeses,'” Francis said, noting that each one of us has “a collection” of these missing yeses inside.
Each full and unreserved “yes” we say to God is the beginning of a new story, he said. Saying yes to God “is truly original, not sin, which makes us old inside.”
“Have you thought about this? That sin makes you age inside? It makes you age right away!” he said, adding that “every yes to God begins a story of salvation for us and for others.”
Pope Francis spoke to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square for his Angelus address marking the feast in which the Church celebrates the Immaculate Conception of Mary, honoring the Catholic dogma that she was conceived without sin.
In his Angelus address, the Pope said the day's readings from Genesis and the Gospel of Luke point to two “critical passages” in salvation history which point to “the origins of good and evil.”
Man's “no” to God at the very beginning is recounted in the passage from the Book of Genesis, which shows how “man preferred to look at himself rather than his Creator, he wanted to do his own thing, he chose to suffice with himself.”
By doing this, man left his communion with God behind, “lost himself and began to fear, to hide himself and to accuse those around him,” the Pope observed, explaining that once someone begins to accuse others like this, it means “you are distancing yourself from God” and “this makes sin.”
However, instead of leaving man at the mercy of the evil done, he steps in and immediately looks for him, asking “where are you?”
This question, Francis said, is “the question of a father or mother who looks for their lost child...and this God does it with so much patience, up to the point of bridging the gap that has arisen at the beginning.”
Pointing to the day's Gospel reading from Luke, which recounted the story of the Annunciation, the Pope said that Mary's “great yes” is what made it possible for God to come and live among us.
“Thanks to this 'yes,' Jesus began his journey on the path of humanity; he started it in Mary, spending the first months of life in the womb of his mother.”
Jesus didn't come as an adult, already strong and full grown, but decided to follow the exact same path of the human being, doing everything in exactly the same way “except for one thing: sin.”
Because of this, “he chose Mary, the only creature without sin, immaculate,” he said, noting that when the angel refers to Mary with the title “Full of Grace,” it means that from the beginning there was “no space for sin” inside of her.
“Also we, when we turn to her, we recognize this beauty: we invoke her as 'full of grace,' without the shadow of evil.”
While the “no” of man at the beginning closed the passage from man to God, Mary's “yes” opened the path for God to be among us, Pope Francis said, explaining that Mary's response “is “the most important 'yes' in history.”
“It's the faithful 'yes' that heals disobedience, the available 'yes' that flips the selfishness of sin,” he said, encouraging attendees to use Advent as an opportunity to renew their own “yeses” to God, telling him “I believe in you, I hope in you, I love you; accomplish in me your good will.”
“With generosity and confidence, like Mary, let us say today, each one of us, this personal yes to God,” he said, and led pilgrims in praying the traditional Marian prayer.
$30bn Loan: FG Turns To IMF, World Bank
The Federal Government has said it was looking the way of the International Monetary Fund, (IMF), and the World Bank for some of its external borrowings to bail the nation's economy out of recession.
This came as the Debt Management Office, (DMO) said, it had raised the N1.18 trillion, which is the domestic component of the 2016 budgeted borrowing.
According to the government, both institutions have some “concessionary terms” attached to borrowing packages.
A statement signed by Media Adviser to the Minister of Budget and National Planning, James Akpandem, quoted the Minister, Senator Udo Udoma, as stating this at a meeting with the Assistant Secretary for Multilateral Affairs of the Trade and Policy Department at the French Treasury, Mr Guillaume Chabert, in Abuja.
Udoma re-emphasised that Nigeria's borrowings were solely to fund infrastructure projects, adding that “the stimulative effect of investing in infrastructure was enormous and was the surest way of setting the country on the path of growth and sustainable development.”
The minister told the Assistant Secretary, who was accompanied by the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Denys Gauer, that the Federal Government was working on a National Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, which was tailored to move the country's economy out of recession and set it on a growth path.
“Our plan is that we should be able, within that plan period (2017– 2020), to achieve not less than 7% growth. For one to get out of economic recession, we will need to harness resources by plugging revenue leakages and by looking at new revenue sources in order to generate the resources required to spend our way out of recession, particularly focused on infrastructure,” he added.
The minister explained that while government was exploring other means of generating revenue internally, “we will need to borrow, part of which has to be sourced internationally from sources that can give concessionary terms, like the International Monetary Fund, IMF, and World Bank.
“We know we need to look at upgrading our oil revenue in order to generate the resources to spend our way out of dependence on oil; which means we have to focus our attention on reducing the disruptions in the Niger Delta, so that we can get our production back to a minimum of 2.2 million barrels per day. That is the fastest way to generate resources.”
He pointed out that government alone could not do it, saying that was the reason government emphasised on creation of an enabling environment for effective private sector participation in growing the economy. He said the government was also going into partnership with the private sector in critical areas of infrastructural provision and concessioning. He said: “Our intention is to make the private sector to lead the way in social housing.
“We will kick-start the process and intend to make some provision for it in the 2017 Budget. Then we are also looking at manufacturing. One of the ways is by developing export processing zones where we will have all the required infrastructure including power, rail and security, to encourage manufacturers to relocate to Nigeria. We want to make sure that the growth will be an inclusive one.
“ In the past, we used to have growth that was not inclusive. We were growing but poverty was increasing. We want to make sure that the growth is inclusive. One of the ways is to give preference to labour-intensive activities to create jobs, which is the fastest way to reduce poverty. In addition to that, we will continue with our social intervention projects.”
The Assistant Secretary, Mr Chabert, while appreciating the economic challenges the country was currently facing, said the French government would be willing to support Nigeria surmount the challenges. “It is in our interest that Nigeria succeeds,'' Chabert said, promising to make some input into the country's economic plan once the framework was made available.
Meanwhile, the Debt Management Office (DMO) has raised the N1.18 trillion which is the domestic component of the 2016 budgeted borrowing. Director-General of the DMO, Dr Abraham Nwankwo, disclosed this while receiving some senators on oversight visit to his office in Abuja on Thursday. He said that the balance of N635 billion in the 2016 borrowing plan would come from the African Development Bank, AfDB, which had pledged $1 billion out of which $600 million had been released, as well as other sources.
Nwankwo admitted that in spite of the effort of the federal government to secure the rest, it was having challenges in that regard. He said government “can fall back on domestic borrowing”, adding that the “DMO is working to see that the $1 billion Eurobond is mobilised by second quarter of 2017.” The federal government, he said, had been servicing its debt as at when due and that it had paid N1. 09 trillion of the debt service obligation for the year.
This came as the Debt Management Office, (DMO) said, it had raised the N1.18 trillion, which is the domestic component of the 2016 budgeted borrowing.
According to the government, both institutions have some “concessionary terms” attached to borrowing packages.
A statement signed by Media Adviser to the Minister of Budget and National Planning, James Akpandem, quoted the Minister, Senator Udo Udoma, as stating this at a meeting with the Assistant Secretary for Multilateral Affairs of the Trade and Policy Department at the French Treasury, Mr Guillaume Chabert, in Abuja.
Udoma re-emphasised that Nigeria's borrowings were solely to fund infrastructure projects, adding that “the stimulative effect of investing in infrastructure was enormous and was the surest way of setting the country on the path of growth and sustainable development.”
The minister told the Assistant Secretary, who was accompanied by the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Denys Gauer, that the Federal Government was working on a National Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, which was tailored to move the country's economy out of recession and set it on a growth path.
“Our plan is that we should be able, within that plan period (2017– 2020), to achieve not less than 7% growth. For one to get out of economic recession, we will need to harness resources by plugging revenue leakages and by looking at new revenue sources in order to generate the resources required to spend our way out of recession, particularly focused on infrastructure,” he added.
The minister explained that while government was exploring other means of generating revenue internally, “we will need to borrow, part of which has to be sourced internationally from sources that can give concessionary terms, like the International Monetary Fund, IMF, and World Bank.
“We know we need to look at upgrading our oil revenue in order to generate the resources to spend our way out of dependence on oil; which means we have to focus our attention on reducing the disruptions in the Niger Delta, so that we can get our production back to a minimum of 2.2 million barrels per day. That is the fastest way to generate resources.”
He pointed out that government alone could not do it, saying that was the reason government emphasised on creation of an enabling environment for effective private sector participation in growing the economy. He said the government was also going into partnership with the private sector in critical areas of infrastructural provision and concessioning. He said: “Our intention is to make the private sector to lead the way in social housing.
“We will kick-start the process and intend to make some provision for it in the 2017 Budget. Then we are also looking at manufacturing. One of the ways is by developing export processing zones where we will have all the required infrastructure including power, rail and security, to encourage manufacturers to relocate to Nigeria. We want to make sure that the growth will be an inclusive one.
“ In the past, we used to have growth that was not inclusive. We were growing but poverty was increasing. We want to make sure that the growth is inclusive. One of the ways is to give preference to labour-intensive activities to create jobs, which is the fastest way to reduce poverty. In addition to that, we will continue with our social intervention projects.”
The Assistant Secretary, Mr Chabert, while appreciating the economic challenges the country was currently facing, said the French government would be willing to support Nigeria surmount the challenges. “It is in our interest that Nigeria succeeds,'' Chabert said, promising to make some input into the country's economic plan once the framework was made available.
Meanwhile, the Debt Management Office (DMO) has raised the N1.18 trillion which is the domestic component of the 2016 budgeted borrowing. Director-General of the DMO, Dr Abraham Nwankwo, disclosed this while receiving some senators on oversight visit to his office in Abuja on Thursday. He said that the balance of N635 billion in the 2016 borrowing plan would come from the African Development Bank, AfDB, which had pledged $1 billion out of which $600 million had been released, as well as other sources.
Nwankwo admitted that in spite of the effort of the federal government to secure the rest, it was having challenges in that regard. He said government “can fall back on domestic borrowing”, adding that the “DMO is working to see that the $1 billion Eurobond is mobilised by second quarter of 2017.” The federal government, he said, had been servicing its debt as at when due and that it had paid N1. 09 trillion of the debt service obligation for the year.
Obama Makes Farewell Calls To World Leaders
Outgoing United States (US) President, Barack Obama, has commenced farewell phone calls to world leaders who are U.S. allies during his eight-year presidency.
The White House said on Wednesday, in New York, that Obama made farewell telephone calls to President François Hollande of France and Prime Minister John Key of New Zealand.
In readout of Obama's call to Hollande, the White House said that the U.S. leader thanked his French counterpart for his support to him during his presidency.
“President Obama spoke today by phone with President Francois Hollande of France, to offer his appreciation for their close partnership since President Hollande took office in 2012.
“President Obama thanked President Hollande for his leadership and expressed his appreciation for France's steady contributions to the strength and unity of the trans-Atlantic alliance.” Similarly, the readout of Obama's call to the New Zealand leader said the U.S. president thanked him for their close friendship and partnership during his two-term presidency.
“President Obama spoke by phone with Prime Minister John Key of New Zealand, to thank him for the close friendship and partnership the two leaders have enjoyed over the last eight years. “During that time, U.S.-New Zealand cooperation reached unprecedented level.
“The President underscored that New Zealand would remain one of the United States' closest partners as we continue to work together on a wide array of issues. These include contributing to global peace and security, encouraging sustainable and inclusive economic growth, and addressing climate change and conservation challenges.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Obama, a Democrat, was inaugurated as the 44th U.S. President on Jan. 20, 2009, the first Black man to be elected president in the history of U.S. NAN also reports that Obama's tenure will end on Jan. 20, 2017 when Republican President-elect Donald Trump is expected to be inaugurated as the 45th U.S. President.
The White House said on Wednesday, in New York, that Obama made farewell telephone calls to President François Hollande of France and Prime Minister John Key of New Zealand.
In readout of Obama's call to Hollande, the White House said that the U.S. leader thanked his French counterpart for his support to him during his presidency.
“President Obama spoke today by phone with President Francois Hollande of France, to offer his appreciation for their close partnership since President Hollande took office in 2012.
“President Obama thanked President Hollande for his leadership and expressed his appreciation for France's steady contributions to the strength and unity of the trans-Atlantic alliance.” Similarly, the readout of Obama's call to the New Zealand leader said the U.S. president thanked him for their close friendship and partnership during his two-term presidency.
“President Obama spoke by phone with Prime Minister John Key of New Zealand, to thank him for the close friendship and partnership the two leaders have enjoyed over the last eight years. “During that time, U.S.-New Zealand cooperation reached unprecedented level.
“The President underscored that New Zealand would remain one of the United States' closest partners as we continue to work together on a wide array of issues. These include contributing to global peace and security, encouraging sustainable and inclusive economic growth, and addressing climate change and conservation challenges.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Obama, a Democrat, was inaugurated as the 44th U.S. President on Jan. 20, 2009, the first Black man to be elected president in the history of U.S. NAN also reports that Obama's tenure will end on Jan. 20, 2017 when Republican President-elect Donald Trump is expected to be inaugurated as the 45th U.S. President.
Archbishop Valerian Okeke Marks Day With Students
At the Centenary Field of the Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity Cathedral, Onitsha, on Saturday, December 3, 2016, His Grace, Most Rev. Valerian Maduka Okeke, the Catholic Archbishop and Metropolitan of Onitsha Ecclesiastical Province, rallied schools under the Archdiocese of Onitsha for a get-together.
The ceremony tagged, 'Archbishop Valerian Okeke Day with Students', attracted all mission schools within the Onitsha Archdiocese, as well as education secretaries, managers, principals and teachers from different schools.
The event started with a Eucharistic celebration presided over by the Archbishop himself and concelebrated by many priests.
In his homily during the Holy Mass, the prelate said that the event was the first of its kind in the archdiocese and that it would be an annual ceremony, henceforth.
The objective of the new initiative, according to the archbishop, is to inspire healthy competition among the young ones, build them up to work hard and also to reward those that excel in hard work and good values.
“This newly introduced ceremony, is meant to inspire healthy competition among students and build them up in the virture of hard work. This kind of initiative will expose the students to different healthy competitions that will make them better and more inspired citizens.
“I will urge all the students and pupils to make the best use of opportunities being offered to them. With this new development, very soon, people will come from different states and different parts of the world to emulate and learn the secrets behind the great transformation going on in our schools. I want you to be the best in your academic endeavours,” he said.
He commended teachers and managers of schools in Onitsha Archdiocese, saying that their efforts and sacrifices had continued to bring out the best in the students.
The event featured march pasts among secondary schools, cultural displays and musical renditions, among other activities.
In the march past, Christ the King College (CKC), Onitsha, came first; St. Anthony of Padua Secondary School, Nkpor, came 2nd, while the Queen of Rosary College (QRC), Onitsha, took the 3rd position.
Students that excelled in the Archbishop's Science Competition held among secondary schools under the Archdiocese, were also rewarded with cash prizes, gifts and certificates.
Ezeani Oluebube, student of Dominican Girls' Secondary School, Abatete, Idemili North LGA of Anambra State, came first in the junior category of the science competition; while Abodike Chimdindu Rejoice, a student of Maria Foundation Secondary School, Oraukwu, Idemili North LGA of Anambra State, came first at the senior secondary category.
Each of the two went home with cash prize of N50,000, together with brandbrand new laptop and certificate. Their science teachers got N40,000 each, while their schools got a brand new white board. Other participating schools and students also got consolation prizes.
In an interview with our reporter, the first prize winner in the senior category of the science competition, Abodike Rejoice, said that persistency in studying her books helped her to excel. She commended Archbishop Valerian Okeke for the initiative and further urged government at all levels to cooperate with him, so that the Archbishop would achieve his set goal.
The ceremony tagged, 'Archbishop Valerian Okeke Day with Students', attracted all mission schools within the Onitsha Archdiocese, as well as education secretaries, managers, principals and teachers from different schools.
The event started with a Eucharistic celebration presided over by the Archbishop himself and concelebrated by many priests.
In his homily during the Holy Mass, the prelate said that the event was the first of its kind in the archdiocese and that it would be an annual ceremony, henceforth.
The objective of the new initiative, according to the archbishop, is to inspire healthy competition among the young ones, build them up to work hard and also to reward those that excel in hard work and good values.
“This newly introduced ceremony, is meant to inspire healthy competition among students and build them up in the virture of hard work. This kind of initiative will expose the students to different healthy competitions that will make them better and more inspired citizens.
“I will urge all the students and pupils to make the best use of opportunities being offered to them. With this new development, very soon, people will come from different states and different parts of the world to emulate and learn the secrets behind the great transformation going on in our schools. I want you to be the best in your academic endeavours,” he said.
He commended teachers and managers of schools in Onitsha Archdiocese, saying that their efforts and sacrifices had continued to bring out the best in the students.
The event featured march pasts among secondary schools, cultural displays and musical renditions, among other activities.
In the march past, Christ the King College (CKC), Onitsha, came first; St. Anthony of Padua Secondary School, Nkpor, came 2nd, while the Queen of Rosary College (QRC), Onitsha, took the 3rd position.
Students that excelled in the Archbishop's Science Competition held among secondary schools under the Archdiocese, were also rewarded with cash prizes, gifts and certificates.
Ezeani Oluebube, student of Dominican Girls' Secondary School, Abatete, Idemili North LGA of Anambra State, came first in the junior category of the science competition; while Abodike Chimdindu Rejoice, a student of Maria Foundation Secondary School, Oraukwu, Idemili North LGA of Anambra State, came first at the senior secondary category.
Each of the two went home with cash prize of N50,000, together with brandbrand new laptop and certificate. Their science teachers got N40,000 each, while their schools got a brand new white board. Other participating schools and students also got consolation prizes.
In an interview with our reporter, the first prize winner in the senior category of the science competition, Abodike Rejoice, said that persistency in studying her books helped her to excel. She commended Archbishop Valerian Okeke for the initiative and further urged government at all levels to cooperate with him, so that the Archbishop would achieve his set goal.
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