Special Day for the Poor: JDPC Awka Diocese empowers over 400 destitute

The Justice Development and Peace Caritas Commission (JDPC), Awka Catholic Diocese, recently joined the rest of the world to mark the annual International Day for The Poor.
Over four hundred destitute from different denominations and origins received all kinds of gift items, ranging from clothing, consumables, footwear and cash gift.

Addressing the beneficiaries during the celebration at St. Patrick’s Catholic Cathedral, Awka, the Director, JDPC, Awka Diocese, Rev. Fr. Simon Anigbogu, said it was a directive by the Supreme Pontiff, Pope Francis, as approved by the diocesan bishop, His Lordship Most Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor, to mark the day as a special day for the poor, noting that it was commemorated in all the Catholic Churches across the globe.

Fr. Anigbogu said that the celebration would not just end at the diocesan level, but that it would be marked at various parishes in the diocese, noting that the celebration was done by the St. Patrick’s Cathedral JDPC in conjunction with the diocesan JDPC.

We are highly grateful to Pope Francis for this wonderful initiative. We also want to use this medium to thank our Diocesan bishop for this approval. He supported us immeasurably. He provided all what we are sharing today.

We invited them regardless of who they are. You can see them. No question was asked about their background, denominations or origin. We are concerned about their welfare,’ Fr. Anigbogu said.

In their separate speeches, Br. Mac-Julian Onjejegbu (BSS) in-charge of Caritas and the Programme Manager, Mr. Ebenebe Onyeka, said they gathered to celebration with the needy in society, noting that they were ever ready to carry out the mandate of the Supreme Pontiff and that of the diocesan bishop.

In an interview, some of the beneficiaries who spoke to Fides, Miss Iruoma Okwuka; Chidimma Onyenwe and Ngozi Egwu expressed gratitude to God for the opportunity given to them to participate in the largesse.

In a related development, JDPC also awarded a scholarship to a budding sculptor, Master Ugwu Solomon, a native of Nsukka in Enugu State, who specialized in using mud to mould all manner of things.

According to JDPC’s Director, Rev. Fr. Simon Anigbogu said they were amazed at the talent of the eight year -old boy. ‘We are going to train him. He is in class four now. We are going to take it up from there. We’ll train him from his present class to secondary school level,’ he promised.