Nigerian Bishops to the
people: Do not shun Christmas
 |
| Street vendors sell hats and Christmas items along a street in Lagos (Nyaneto Nwanri) |
Telling Nigerians that “Our help is in the name of the Lord”
the President of the Episcopal Conference, Archbishop Akubeze, has advised
Nigerians to celebrate Christmas.
Paul Samasumo – Vatican City
Notwithstanding the many security challenges Nigerian people
and pastoral agents are undergoing, Archbishop Augustine Akubeze of the Benin
Archdiocese and President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN)
is encouraging Nigerians to celebrate Christmas.
In his Christmas message to the Nigerian people, Archbishop
Akubeze has urged them not to give in to despair but to celebrate Christmas
gladly.
In the face of many security challenges
“Many Nigerians both Christians and Muslims have
condemned the invasion of innocent people’s farmlands by herdsmen. Some of our
people have questioned what is the need to celebrate when some of our priests,
consecrated men and women are kidnapped while going about their pastoral work?
A significant number of our lay faithful have also been victims of these
crimes. Sadly, though, some have lost their lives during this terrible ordeal
which is becoming too frequent in Nigeria. How do we celebrate Christ the King
of Peace when some of our brothers and sisters in northern Nigeria and,
especially in the northeastern part are constantly being attacked
unprovoked? How do we celebrate when we have witnessed many mass burials
of our people killed by Islamic fundamentalists? How do we celebrate when our
Churches and Mosques come under attack; and soldiers are being killed? How do
we celebrate under these conditions?” Archbishop asks.
A reason to celebrate
Archbishop Akubeze has called on all Nigerians to place
their ultimate hope in God.
“We celebrate because we do not place our hopes in mere
mortals. Ours is not going to come from our politicians. Our help is in the
name of the Lord who made heaven and earth,” the Archbishop said.
Keep partisan politics away from the pulpit
The President of the Nigerian Bishops’ Conference has
further reiterated the recent directive of the Bishops to pastoral agents to
keep politics away from the pulpit.
“It is unfortunate, that some people in the Church are using
the Church for political pronouncements. The pulpit is meant for the
proclamation of the message brought to us by the Infant Jesus. Christ himself
avoided getting into secular politics….No religious body should set out solely
to promote (a particular) political agenda,” Akubeze said.
In February 2019, Nigeria head to the polls in a
nationwide general election.
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