BY IDIBIA GABRIEL
The Catholic Archbishop of Kaduna, Most Rev Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, has clarified the recent statement credited to global head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis, alleging that the Church may bless same-sex marriage, saying the Pontiff was only talking about inclusion.
Archbishop Ndagoso, who made the clarification during an exclusive interview in Kaduna on Friday, said: “The Holy Father has been talking about inclusion.
“The point the Holy Father is making is about pastoral care, the pastoral care of those who live in this kind of situation. God doesn’t abandon us even while we are sinners, God didn’t wait for us to be righteous before sending His son Jesus Christ to save us.
“The point Pope Francis is making is that there are people who find themselves in this relationship. In their situation, should we as a church abandon them? Do you exclude them? Do you say you have nothing to do with them, will God do that to anybody?
“The point is that whether you are a sinner or whatever, God never abandons us in any situation we find ourselves in life.
“And, therefore, the Holy Father is talking about pastoral accompaniment, if somebody has done something that you consider wrong and you abandon the person, you create a barrier between you and the person.
“As a church representing God, when people find themselves in this kind of situation, we don’t abandon them, we accompany them to see how they will get to understand what God really wants from them.
“The church cannot abandon people who find themselves in this kind of situation, the church needs to accompany them to see how to help them, hoping that someday the light of the gospel will strike them, but if you close the communication door, how then do you bring them close to God?
“The Pope made it clear that God created marriage between a man and a woman. Our position is clear regarding marriage that it is between a man and a woman”, he stressed.
The Archbishop further advised Nigerians not to allow what is happening elsewhere to influence them negatively.
“We should not allow what is happening elsewhere to influence us negatively. The scriptures are very clear, the relationship of this nature is between a man and a woman, anything to the contrary, I do not believe that and, therefore, we should stick to what we believe,” Archbishop Ndagoso added.
Meanwhile, the 20th Priestly Anniversary Celebration of St. Augustine Major Seminary Jos, plateau state, came up in Kaduna state, northwest Nigeria, with over eighteenth in full attendance.
The week long activities was more like a prayer crusade of men of purity to the nation and its leadership with high spirit displayed during the Holy Mass prior before the colorful night ceremony marking the anniversary activities.
Also, regarded as a decades of reunion of the St. Augustine Major Seminary’s Alumni convention, the anniversary and celebration of the over 52 class of 2023, held at the popular Our lady of Apostles Parish, located at the Ancient Independence way Kaduna, Nigeria was talk of town.
In a welcome address, the host, who’s an alumnus and Parish Priest of Our Lady of Apostles Parish, Kaduna Rev. Fr. Anthony Okelue, urged his classmates never to forget to pray constantly, adding that, prayer remains their compass for victory and gain.
“My dear brothers and classmates, I wish to, on behalf of our Archbishop, Most Rev. Dr. Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, the priests, Religious, lay faithful, Rev. Fr. Peter Wazimtu, Rev. Fr. Peter Bakwaph, and my humble self, Rev. Fr. Anthony Okelue, welcome all of you.
He also on behalf of “the amazing people of Our Lady of Apostles’ Parish, Independence Way, Kaduna, warmly welcome you to the city of Kaduna for this special reunion to thank God for sparing our lives these past twenty years and still counting upon graduating from our alma mater and ordination to the Catholic priesthood.
“The love of God has indeed bound us together these past years, running through our formative years up until now. This is wonderful, but it is more wonderful still that we stick to one another and grow in brotherhood as servants of Jesus Christ.
“The period of this convention affords us the opportunity to be together and share laughter,
joy, sorrows perhaps, fond memories but healing for all surely. Let us also share our pastoral and work experiences for better disposition and efficiency in our endeavours.
“I believe that we shall leave this convention ground enriched and more equipped to continue to serve God and humanity most profoundly. Let the nicknames calling keep pouring forth. Let us never forget to pray constantly for that our compass for victory and gain.
“I wish to thank sincerely our brother priests and the Religious who have come to felicitate and socialise with us. May God keep you strong, happy and fruitful as you work in His vineyard.
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“Similarly, i sincerely appreciate our lay faithful who have never left us alone; you have always prayed for us and supported us through thick and thin in our vocation and you continue to do so. “
In an interview, Rev. Fr. Okelue, his co-host Pastoral council committee (PCC) and his classmates expressed displeasure over the country’s current economic and security challenges saying all is not well with Nigeria as people are hungry, but urges them to continue to put their hope in God, adding that they’re with the them like the shepherd.
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