By Josef Ishu

The President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Most Rev. Augustine Obiora Akubeze has expressed satisfaction in the charity work the Catholic Caritas Foundation of Nigeria (CCFN) is doing in the last ten years of its establishment.

Archbishop Akubeze stated this on Friday, October 22, 2021 in an address he presented at the Holy Mass of the Tenth Year Anniversary Celebration of CCFN, also known as Caritas Nigeria, held at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Durumi, Abuja.

The Archbishop of Benin-City, who presided over the Anniversary Mass, noted that Caritas Nigeria is primarily concerned about helping the poor in the land and that in the past ten years they have touched many lives.

He observed that Caritas Nigeria, in the 2019 general elections in Nigeria, monitored election on their own without partnership with any other nongovernmental organization. “This allowed their observation to reflect their true perfection of reality. Election monitoring app that they locally created shows the ingenuity of Caritas Nigeria,” Archbishop Akubeze stated.

According to the Prelate, Caritas Nigeria has been actively involved in the area of food security, poverty eradication and in line with the call of Pope Francis, has taken the call for respect for the planet earth through actions that reduces pollution and depletion of the ozone layers.

He said, “We also find within the report of Caritas their intervention in conflict management and peace building. Caritas has also been active in the health care services as reflected in the report.

The CBCN President said the civility of a society is to be discovered not in the number of nuclear weapons a country has, but in the way she treats the most vulnerable in the society. “Caritas Nigeria has become the institutional arm of the Church in reaching out to the vulnerable and the needy,” the CBCN President declared.

He therefore called on both local and foreign donors to remain committed to supporting Caritas Nigeria. “We pray God to continue to bless all those associated with Caritas Nigeria and to grant eternal rest to those who have passed away,” Archbishop Akubeze prayed.

Archbishop Akubeze thanked the Archbishop of Kaduna, Most Rev. Matthew Man’Oso Ndagoso, who is the Board Chairman of Caritas Nigeria for his commitment as the chairman. He also thanked the Executive Secretary of Caritas Nigeria, Rev. Fr. Uchechukwu Obodoechina and his team for the good work they are doing.

The Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Archbishop Emeritus of Ibadan, Most Rev. Alaba Job, the Archbishop of Kaduna, Most Rev. Matthew Ndagoso, the CSN Secretary General, Very Rev. Fr. Zacharia Samjumi, and many other priests were among those who concelebrated at the holy Mass.