Ene Oshaba
The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, His Grace, Most Rev. Dr. Ignatius Ayau Kaigama, has called on all to be sensitive to the needs of others as the world celebrates communication’s day, stressing that only when the ”Spirit of Ubuntu” is embraced by all can lasting peace and unity be achieved in the country.
Archbishop Kaigama, made the call in Abuja during his visit to Mater Dei Catholic Church Gwagwalada to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation on 117 recipients and Blessing of the church Tabernacle, maintaining that social vices has persisted because people no longer listen to each other.
Kaigama expressed worry on the high level of disconnect, rivalry, disunity, injustice and insecurity bedeviling the nation today, noting that the killing of Deborah, a student in Sokoto state was sad and unfair, adding that she symbolizes the unjust treatment of people all over the country and the world.
”When people are treated unjustly, deprived of their wages and all, it amounts to killing them. Deborah stands for justice, fairness, and for the dignity of life, to take life that you did not make is totally unfair and I don’t want any Christian to take the life of any Muslim or traditional worshipper when they feel offender for anything because that is categorically wrong. Similarly no Muslim should take the life of anyone because I know that the sacred books forbids that because life is sacred Deborah is a symbol that should remind us to be careful and to respect life,” he said.
”As we celebrate the 56th world communication’s day the pope advises us to listen to each other with our hearts and if we allow the word of God to sink and penetrate our society will be transformed and the social vices we witness will all be gone or drastically minimized, the activities that destroy lives , terrorist attacks and killings that go on will vanish but the problem is that we hear but we don’t listen.
”We frequent the Churches on Sundays and the Mosques on Fridays and come back as we are but the idea is that there should be an interior transformation, the word of God is meant to impact and transform our lives so that the way I talk to you as a neighbor or colleague is different.
”When we see each other as enemies, as people to be dealt with, people to abuse and insult it is not right so I’m hoping that we use our gifts of listening rightly not just listening with the ears but with the heart and using it for the welfare of the society. Let us all embrace the spirit of Ubuntu which says I am because you are so that peace can reign,” he urged.
The Archbishop also worried that money politics has replaced integrity, noting that the just concluded primaries left many Nigerians flabbergasted and sad and if it continues like this there is no future for children.
”It is not encouraging instead of demonstrating love for democracy what I hear is money in action and so it’s all about money and not who can be our leader to lead the country out of the terrible predicament we are going true. It is sad that they are not concerned about leaders who will lead with passion,” he lamented.
Earlier, the Parish Priest Rev. Fr. James Akpaamo, explained that the sacrament of confirmation places a responsibility on the shoulders of recipients to be ‘Soldiers of Christ” in a world of today where the faith is constantly threatened.
“St. Ambrose charges the recipients of confirmation thus: recall that you have received the spiritual seal, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgement and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence, the spirit of holy fear in God’s presence. Guard what you have received,” he urged.
World Communications Day was established by Pope Paul VI in 1967 as an annual celebration that encourages us to reflect on the opportunities and challenges that the modern means of social communication (the press, motions pictures, radio, television and the internet) afford the Church to communicate the gospel message.