“God loves you” – Bishop Onah tells excited young people

“God loves you” – Bishop Onah tells excited young people

By Eva Chuma Nnamene and Alphonsus N. Ogili

Excited, joyful and cheerful youths listening to the chief Shepherd of the Diocese

As an expression of his love for young people, and knowing that they form a great percentage of his flock, the Catholic Bishop of Nsukka, Most Rev. Godfrey Igwebuike Onah invited all the young people of his diocese to St Theresa's Cathedral Nsukka on 12th November 2016 to share the Holy Eucharist with them; and to keep the 2016 Nsukka Diocesan Catholic Youth Day. It was the second time Bishop Onah held such function for the young people. His first encounter with young people was held on 10th October 2014, at the beginning of his Episcopacy.

On that eventful day, St. Theresa's Cathedral Parish – venue for the 2016 Nsukka Diocesan Catholic Youth Day was full to brim. The Cathedral premises wore a very colourful atmosphere as it went agog with unquantifiable jubilations of the youths as they gathered in their thousands for the Holy Eucharist under the umbrella of the Catholic Youth Organization of Nigeria (CYON) Nsukka Chapter. The joyous event took place a day before the Catholic Diocese of Nsukka ended her Holy Year of Mercy.

The youths in attendance at St Theresa's Cathedral on 12th November 2016, mostly clad in white and black uniforms, assembled from various parishes in the diocese, to take part in the celebration. The attendees, who numbered over 6,000, were in high spirits as they listened with keen interest to the teachings of the Chief Shepherd Bishop Onah. The tremendous number of young people that poured into the Cathedral was reminiscence of the World Youth Day in the Universal Church. It is pertinent to remark that World Youth Days was started by the Saint Pope John Paul II who invited about 300,000 youths from across the countries at the close of the Holy Year of Redemption in 1984. He gradually established the World Youth Day, and the first one was held in 1986 in Rome, Italy with the theme: “Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who calls you to account for the hope that is in you” 1 Peter 3: 15. Ever since then, that amazing celebration has gone on in the Universal Church.

Before he began the Holy Mass, Bishop Godfrey Onah broke the message of God's love to the youth. “I speak to you as a successor of the Apostles, and as the representative of Jesus Christ in Nsukka diocese, God loves you”. As soon as he pronounced God's love upon his audience, the mammoth crowd was electrified, and waves of excitement, jubilation resounded everywhere amongst them as they bellowed “Amen!!!” with tremendous applause. “Because God loves you”, the Bishop continued “He does not want you to be lost. He wants you for Himself in this world, and in His Kingdom. Now all of us make mistakes, and all of us commit sins. If there is any sin you have committed up till today; whether you were a member of a cult, or you have committed two hundred abortions, or you have been an armed robber, or kidnapper, or a liar, or anything, God is able to forgive you today”. Another applause from the youths received Bishop's proclamation of God's forgiveness upon them. Bishop Godfrey Onah encouraged them to repent of their sins, confess them, and obtain God's full forgiveness.

During the homily, the Catholic Bishop of Nsukka, Most Rev. Godfrey Onah sent a strong message of love to the excited youths. He told them “I need you. The Church needs you and Jesus Christ needs you. To show you how much I need you, I am begging you at this Holy Mass to pray for me and my priests. This is a very difficult time for us because the temptations of the Devil are too many these days,” he added.

Father Bishop urged the young brethren to be prayerful; noting that prayer is to man what network service is to devices such as telephone, radio and television. Electrical waves and magnetic waves are available. But they could only be received when one has the channel, and tunes into it. He remarked that, though, God already knows all the needs of man, it is still important for man to pray to God for such needs as it constantly reminds Him them.

Bishop Onah continued: “If Christianity is all about doing good things and obtaining all the blessings immediately in this earth, it becomes a business and no longer Christianity. Christianity is a journey of faith because you do not even know what God will give you until the end of time. But once you are doing His will, you will have an inner peace that only God can give.”

Father Bishop finally enjoined the youths to pray God to increase their faith, saying that that is the only condition that enables them to be of the habit of forgiving one another. He noted that it is true some people do not even ask for forgiveness but however, he urged all that it is still important to forgive such people as it is the only means of receiving God's forgiveness.

Priests in attendance include the Cathedral Administrator, Rev. Fr. Dr. Eugene Odo; the Diocesan Chaplain for youths, Rev. Fr. Jude Odo, Bishop Onah's Personal Secretary, Rev. Fr. Malachy Idogwu and a host of other priests and religious.

Immediately after the Eucharistic celebration, a question and answer session was organized. During this time, Bishop Onah gave heart-warming answers to those important issues that border young minds in the Church and Nigeria at large.

KMFB holds Annual General Meeting: ready to open 4 new branches

KMFB holds Annual General Meeting: ready to open 4 new branches

By Alphonsus N. Ogili

Kenechukwu Microfinance Bank (Nig.) Ltd. (KMFB) has, on Friday October 28th, 2016, held its 6th Annual General Meetings (AGM) and declared a 25 kobo dividend per share for every N1.00 for its shareholders. The bank has equally unveiled plans to open up 4 new branches to better serve its customers well. 

The meeting held at the Princess Alexandra Auditorium, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and attended by many including its numerous shareholders; saw the management and staff of the bank portray the financial institution as the vanguard of grassroots banking in Nsukka metropolis for the year ended 31st December, 2015.

Presenting a critical analysis of the period under review, the Chairman, Board of Directors, KMFB, Dr. Steve A. Okolo noted that the period 2015 was, without doubt, a trying year.

He said that, in spite of the alarming level of the present economic hardship rocking the country and the challenges posed to financial institutions in Nigeria, KMFB, Nsukka has remained financially robust within the last few years of its operation.

“Many macro and micro trends first seen in 2014 intensified in 2015, to the detriment of the global and Nigerian banking industry. Overall, 2015 was a trying year,”he said.

The Chairman who commended the management of the bank for their foresight and proactive planning which ensured that the bank did not fare worse however said that “Careful spending reviews and cost cutting initiatives ensured that our bank operated efficiently, with significant annual increase in profits.”

To the excitement of the shareholders, Dr. Steve announced that the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN) has given the bank its nod to open 4 new branches in Enugu-Ezike in Igbo-Eze North; Ibagwa-Aka in Igbo-Eze South; Adani in Uzo-Uwani and Ogbede in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Areas in addition to the 2 already existing branches at Orba and Obollo-Afor both in Udenu Local Government Area.

Commenting on the strategic nature of the proposed areas for the new branches, Dr. Okolo said, “We have carried out feasibility studies in these 4 locations and the reports of the studies affirm that these 4 locations are viable, though not without risks for our bank to do microfinance business there.”

To the esteemed shareholders, the Chairman equally announced the resolve of the bank to pay the sum of 25 kobo per share of N1.00 owing to the approval of the shareholders, adding that it will represent an increase of 20 percent on the previous year's dividend.

In his review, the Managing Director/CEO, KMFB, Mr. Christopher O. Ezema extolled the management of the bank, saying the financial institution has maintained steady growth in microfinance industry in the country and has generated satisfactory results in the year under review.

“In 2015, Enugu State government selected 7 microfinance banks out of 22 microfinance banks in the state including our bank to disburse the CBN Micro, Small and Medium Entrepreneur (MSME) loans to beneficiaries in the state,”he said.

“In the first batch of the exercise, we received N29, 020,000.00 of the fund and disbursed the entire amount to the beneficiaries. The loans we disbursed in this first batch had 12 months tenure and we have recovered N28, 253,000.00 from the borrowers and have returned same to the CBN,” continued Ezema.

He added that in the second batch of the activity, the bank received and disbursed the sum of N56, 000,000.00 to various beneficiaries. According to him, the loans in this batch have 3 years tenure and as a result are still running.

The Catholic Bishop of Nsukka and Chief Promoter of the bank, Most Rev. Godfrey I. Onah, in his address, enjoined the management and shareholders of the company to be sincere with one another in their daily transactions.

“Our mission is to show the rest of Igbo people that it is possible to be honest and still rich and great; this microfinance bank is an example,”the cleric said.

Bishop Onah further commended the bank's management team, remarking that KMFB has been able to make steady progress despite the fact that microfinance banking is a very difficult area of investment. He noted that this is why the Central Bank is so strict in its rules in microfinance banking in the country.

According to the Chief Shepherd, the outstanding performances of KMFB over the years was the motivating factor behind the approval by the CBN for the company to open 4 more branches at a time when the same CBN is closing down some microfinance banks in the country.

Highlights of the meeting included question and answer session, refreshment and staff decoration.

Bishop Onah installs Blessed Sacrament at St. James, Umakash

Bishop Onah installs Blessed Sacrament at St. James, Umakashi

By Alphonsus N. Ogili

St. James' Catholic Parish, Umakashi in Nsukka, Enugu State was filled with people from various nooks and crannies of the town and beyond following the installation of the Blessed Sacrament in the chapel of the parish by Bishop Godfrey Igwebuike Onah of the Catholic Diocese of Nsukka on 4th November, 2016.

The parish wore a colourful and cheery atmosphere as the pastoral visit witnessed unending jubilation and unquantifiable songs of praise to God by members of the parish who happily gathered to witness the event.

The installation ceremony commenced with the celebration of a Holy Mass by bishop Onah who was assisted by some priests.

In his homily, bishop Onah began: "Except you eat of His flesh and drink of His blood, you will have no life in you. Anyone that eats the flesh of the son of man and drinks His blood, I shall dwell in him, and such a person will dwell in me."

Expressing dissatisfaction over how some Catholics have failed to value this special gift of body and blood of Christ bishop Onah remarked that the people of Nsukka Asadu are very lucky ones. He noted that as the Blessed Sacrament has been installed in their chapel, Jesus is now dwelling with them forever unless they chase Him away with sins.

Father Bishop further noted that man cannot prevent God from achieving His aim but rather can only prevent himself from receiving His blessings. He commended the parishioners for the timely completion of the parish house, saying that it is a glamorous building.

He continued: "What I am begging the people of Nsukka Asadu to do is for them to accept Christ with an open mind; let them accept the teachings of Christ and their land will be blessed."

Urging the brethren to put on the armour of faith, bishop Onah remarked: "But as I always say, if your faith is not bigger than this house, know it that you have built it for nothing. The first place that Jesus dwells is in our hearts. It is only when He dwells in our hearts that His presence in the chapel can bear us good fruits." 

While praying God to receive their prayers to be one in Christ, Father Bishop thanked God for the gift of the Sacrament, urging the Catholic Faithful to remain strong in their faith. He was also thankful to all those who contributed in the project, praying God to bless them abundantly.

The Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Dr. Paul Nnana was very delighted and in his speech, praised God for giving them life to be gathered in the parish to bear witness to the installation.

In his words: "It is a wonderful event. This is beyond our explanation. It is only God in heaven that can explain the joy we feel in our hearts. We thank bishop Onah for his effort in making St. James a parish. And today, despite his tight schedule, he is here once more to make sure that Christ dwells in our parish." He prayed God to bless and strengthen him in his good work in Nsukka diocese.

Dwelling place of God

ST MICHAEL'S CATHOLIC CHURCH AMUFIE ENUGU-EZIKE

Bishop Onah dedicates St. Michael's Church, Amufie

By Alphonsus N. Ogili

It was a day of great joy and jubilation for the entire faithful of St. Michael's Catholic Church, Amufie, Enugu-Ezike in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State on 5th November, 2016 as the Catholic Bishop of Nsukka Diocese, Most Rev. Godfrey Igwebuike Onah carried out chains of solemn rituals aimed at dedicating their newly completed church building.

The joy of the parishioners knew no bounds as their faces were beaming with smiles and admiration as they assembled in their large numbers at the parish centre to witness the epoch-making dedication and installation of the Blessed Sacrament in a church that was inaugurated as a parish on 5th October, 1995 when Rev. Fr. Charles Ushi was the parish priest.

Speaking in his homily, Bishop Onah thanked God for His mercy and love upon the people. He commended the effort of all who in various ways contributed to the success of the building project, assuring them of God's blessings. He prayed God to accept the prayers of the parishioners whenever they seek Him in the dedicated church. 

The Chief Shepherd remarked that one of the significant things brought about by the dedication of the church is that it now unites all the faithful from Amufie. He warned the brethren about their steady quest for signs and wonders, stressing that that is incapable of saving man. However, he noted that what brings salvation to mankind is doing the will of God. He urged them to maintain the culture of love and unity among one another.

Furthermore, Bishop Onah pointed out that the blessings of God that flows from the dedicated church will get across to all and sundry in the community and beyond unless it is blocked by the people with ungodly deeds.

Remarking that concrete place of worship is good but unavoidably perishable. He enjoined all Christians to allow God to build his temple in their hearts.

He said: "As we dedicate this church today, we pray God for His blessings to dwell in our hearts so that we can be clean and strong in Christ."

 

Father Bishop also lashed out at numerous members of the church who have continued to engage themselves in several irreligious activities while disguising themselves to be ardent faithful, remarking that the dedication of the church has brought a new beginning for the people of Amufie and the entire Enugu-Ezike at large.

Towards the end of the Holy Mass, the Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Celestine Okwy Eze took the floor to express his utmost excitement for the successful dedication and installation. While greeting everyone whose contributions manifested glaringly, he thanked Father Bishop for the pastoral visit, praying God to bless him and all who in one way or the other contributed to the actualization of the event.

Immediately after the service, a grand reception was held in honour of Father Bishop and his entourage that was made up of no fewer than 50 priests. During this period, refreshments and dances by some cultural troops were used to entertain the excited audience.

Before the commencement of the reception, a welcome address was presented by the parish council. In the address, the Catholic Community extolled bishop Onah for the visit.

"Father Bishop, the entire Amufie Catholic Community and Amufie in general cannot express our gratitude and joy enough to God Almighty for today; a day you have  done in Amufie what king Solomon did for the Isrealites in 1st Kings. Father Bishop, we heartily appreciate you," the address added.

St. Michael's Catholic Church, Amufie came into being in October, 1995 and was carved out from St. Mary's, Enugu-Ezike Parish at a time when the parish comprised of 6 village stations of Amube, Amufie, Ogbodu, Olido, Uda and Umachi.

Coming to the end of Jubilee Year of Mercy

Coming to the end of the Jubilee Year of Mercy

by Fr Matthew Eze

The Solemnity of Christ the King on November 20, 2016 brings to conclusion the Jubilee Year of Mercy that Pope Francis announced in January 2015 and inaugurated on December 8, 2015, the Solemnity of Immaculate Conception. There is no doubt that this great Jubilee Year of Mercy offered us a great spiritual opportunity to come closer to our merciful and forgiving Father. It was indeed an opportunity to change for the better, to reach out to those alienated from us, to mend our ways where they needed mending. And it was a challenge to open our eyes to see those in need who walk our streets and pass us by, to open our hearts to strangers and those who are rejected and dejected in our society. Historically, a jubilee in the Jewish tradition was to occur every 50 years. It was a time for forgiveness of debt, a time of special celebration. Pope Boniface VIII proclaimed the first Christian jubilee year of 1300 for reconciling sinners and others estranged. People liked the idea, and subsequent popes declared more frequent jubilees, usually every 25 or 50 years.

However, as the celebration is coming to an end, it is pertinent to ask how we used the available opportunity given to us by the Church. Were you able to pass through the Door of Mercy? How far were you able to put into practice the corporal and the spiritual works of mercy? This assessment is necessary as it ends with the Solemnity of Christ the King, which also ends the liturgical cycle and ushers us into a new liturgical season with the First Sunday of Advent. 

This jubilee year of mercy included many remarkable events in our Diocese, the inauguration ceremony, the great event of the opening of Door of Mercy which was in line with the papal directive. In our Diocese, Doors of Mercy were opened in St. Theresa's Cathedral Nsukka, St. Mary's Parish Ibagwa-aka, Holy Cross Parish Umulokpa, St. James Parish Aku, Immaculate Heart Parish Aji and St. Patricks Ohom Orba. These parishes were systematically and pastorally chosen to make sure that no one is left out from crossing the Door of Mercy. The Bishop of Nsukka Diocese also celebrated the jubilee in a grand style with different groups of people in the Diocese. Apart from the general and encompassing ceremony of inauguration of the Year of Mercy, he celebrated it with his priests, youths, prisoners etc. More so, on Divine Mercy Sunday, the Diocese witnessed a memorable ordination of 2 deacons who for long have been under scrutiny. Many parishes with their parishioners had opportunity to go for pilgrimage to obtain indulgence.     

But the big question here is; does the end of the jubilee year of Mercy means the end of God's mercy? No. The mercy of God never ends. His steadfast love is new every morning. Hence as this jubilee year ends, the need for mercy does not. In fact, it calls for more tasks ahead. To keep our arms more open to welcome those in need, to fight racism, practice works of mercy both spiritual and corporal. Modern life produces stress in families and other relationships; we need to examine ourselves for how we can make things right. Our catholic faith has a great deal of healing to do in our disrupted society and we need to step back, recover our better selves and reach out to those with whom we may legitimately disagree. We must work to find common ground in order to carry out works of mercy. If the Year of Mercy now ending sparks even some tentative first steps in this direction, Pope Francis' courageous initiative in calling us to this celebration will be an enduring legacy.

Health is wealth...arthritis a complex family of muscular and skeletal disorder.

ARTHRITIS
By Fr Tony Ogwu
Arthritis is a complex family of muscular and skeletal disorders consisting of more than 100 different diseases or conditions that destroy joints, bones, muscles, cartilages and other connective tissues hampering or halting physical movement.

Osteoarthritis is one of the oldest and most common forms of arthritis and is a chronic condition characterized by the breakdown of the joint cartilage. Cartilage is the part of the joint that cushions the end of the bones and allows easy movement of joints. The breakdown of cartilage causes the bones to rub against each other, causing stiffness, pain and loss of movement in the joint

WHAT CAUSES IT?

Common risk factors include:

*AGE:  Incidences of arthritis increase as you age. Since ‘wear and tear’ does play a role in the development of arthritis, the older you are, and the more you have used your joints. Although age is an important risk factor, it does not mean that arthritis is inevitable.

*OBESITY:  Increased   body weight is a serious risk factor in the development of arthritis particularly in the knees which carry the brunt of the body weight day in day out. For every pound of weight gained, an additional 4 pounds of pressure is put on the knees and 6 times the pressure on the hips. Recent research suggests that excess body fat produces chemicals that travel throughout the body and cause joint damage.

*INJURY/OVERUSE: Athletes and people who have jobs that require repetitive motion such as landscaping, typing or machine operating have a higher risk of developing arthritis due to injury and increased stress on certain joints. Arthritis also develops in later years in joints where bones have been fractured or surgery has occurred.

*GENETICS OR HEREDITY: Genetics play a role in the development of arthritis particularly in the hands. Inherited abnormalities of the bones that affect the shape or stability of the joints can lead to arthritis.

*MUSCLE WEAKNESS: Studies of the knww muscles not only show that weakness of the muscles surrounding the knee can lead to arthritis but that strengthening exercises for thigh muscles are important in reducing the risk.

WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS?

Most often, arthritis develops gradually; it may start as soreness or stiffness that seems more a nuisance than a medical concern. Pain may be moderate, intermittent and not interfere with ones day-to-day existence. Some peoples arthritis will never progress past this early stage, others will have theirs progress to a point where it interferes with daily activities. Pain and stiffness makes it difficult to walk, climb stairs or sleep.

   The most common signs and symptoms of arthritis include:

*Joint soreness after period of overuse or inactivity.

*Stiffness after periods of rest that goes away quickly when activity resumes.

*Morning stiffness, which usually lasts no more than 30 minutes.

*Pain caused by the weakening of muscles surrounding the joint due to inactivity.

*Joint pain is usually less in the morning and worse in the evening after a day’s activity.

*Deterioration of coordination, posture and walking due to pain and stiffness.

Arthritis commonly occurs in the weight-bearing joints of the hips, knees and lowers back. It also affects the neck, small finger joints, the base of the thumb and the big toe.

DIAGNOSIS

These include:

*A good medical history

*A physical examination

*X-Rays of the affected joint

*Joint Aspiration.

TREATMENT

The goals to the treatment include:

*Controlling pain and other symptoms

*Improving your ability to function in daily activities.

Most treatment plans will include a combination of the following:

*Exercise

*Weight control

*Joint Protection

*Physical and occupational therapy

*cinnamon powder as tea and topical application when mixed with honey.