By Valentine Obienyem
Yesterday, I attended the 7:30 am Mass at Regina Ceali Hospital, Awka. At every stage of the Mass, one cannot help but appreciate the profound wisdom of the Catholic Church.
The question arises: Despite being led by human beings, susceptible to weaknesses like all sons of Adam, how has the Church remained exemplary as the only institution founded by Christ? In Nigeria alone, the Catholic Church operates over 500 hospitals, most of which have fully functional chaplaincies guided by priests.
This is significant because chaplaincies in Catholic hospitals provide spiritual and emotional support to patients, families, and staff, ensuring a holistic approach to care that includes attention to spiritual well-being. Chaplains/Priest-managers offer sacramental ministries such as Anointing of the Sick, Holy Communion, and Confession, while also providing comfort in times of illness, surgery, or end-of-life situations.
They assist in making ethical decisions in alignment with Catholic teachings, extending the Church’s mission of compassion and care to the suffering, thereby promoting an environment that addresses both physical and spiritual needs.
During the Penitential Act at the Mass, the priest first and foremost remembered all the sick in the hospital, praying for God’s healing upon them.
The first reading was especially instructive and caught my attention. Joshua, in the reading, spoke directly to the youth of today who, out of ignorance, are longing for a return to paganism. Joshua made it clear that he and his household had chosen to serve the Lord, and he urged everyone to decide whom they would serve – whether living God, the gods of our ancestors or other gods. To illustrate this, the priest recalled the old catechism: “Obu nkafe bu isekpuru Alusi?”
I had hoped that every priest would seize the opportunity of yesterday’s reading to deliver this crucial message to our misguided youths, who, due to ignorance, are straying from the faith. In fact, my daughter informed me that for three weeks, our chaplain, Fr. Chigozie Jidere, has been speaking on neo-paganism. This concern should extend beyond priests – it is everyone’s responsibility now. We must continue to impress upon the minds of those affected, so they may recognise the misguided path they have taken.
The priest concluded his sermon by saying, among many others: “Onweru ka odi na ina aza pita, Pol na Stephen na achighari agwu nna gi.” This reflects the current situation where misguided individuals blame Nigeria’s problems on the Church, conveniently ignoring the fact that, just as Europe was converted, so too was Africa. We cannot place our failures at the feet of Christianity when the real issues that torment us lie within.
