Page 2 - Paschal Norbert News Today

In his homily at the Chrism Mass at Our Lady Queen of Nigeria Pro-Cathedral, on March 27, 2024, Archbishop Kaigama underscored the significance of the Mass to the ministry of priesthood, terming it as a gift that helps to seek divine “outpouring of more graces upon us priests so that we will become more effective instruments in the Lord’s vineyard.”

ASP Hassan also noted that the suspect confessed to his involvement in the September 7, 2023, attack and arson that claimed the life of Seminarian Stephen Naaman.

On the occasion to mark 25 years of the presence of the Nigerian Catholic Community in Rome, the Holy Father in an audience with the members expressed gratitude to the community for accompanying many young people and prayed for security and posterity in Nigeria.

Fr John Mathiang Machol, a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Rumbek, South Sudan, who was sentenced to 14 years in jail for masterminding the failed murder of his bishop Rt Rev Christian Carlassare, MCCJ, has been acquitted by the Supreme Court sitting in Juba.

“I myself reflect a lot by reading Pope Benedict. Pope Benedict centred his life on God. God must have the first place in Liturgy and our life and this is the work of the bishops because the bishops are the custodians of liturgy in their diocese,’’ he noted.

Nigeria is currently undergoing one of the deadliest genocides in the world. Intersociety estimates that more than 150,000 people have been massacred in the country since 2009. The genocidal massacres have mainly targeted Christians and are carried out by the Boko Haram and Jihadist Fulani militias.

Most Rev Maurice Muhatia Makumba, the archbishop of the Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Kisumu has warned that the present-day attacks on the understanding of the traditional African family and its values is a threat to the booming vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life in Africa.

The Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) has relaunched its African Union Liaison Office (SECAM-AU Liaison Office) domiciled in Addis Ababa and appointed Fr Stephen Okello, IMC, as the first liaison officer.  

In his Sunday Angelus address with the faithful and pilgrims gathered at St. Peter’s Square, the Holy Father prayed for peace in the conflict-ridden Sudan and appealed to warring parties to seek dialogue and end the decade-long conflicts in the country.

The second and final session of the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops -the Synod on Synodality 2024, is scheduled to start on October 2 to October 27, 2024, the General Secretariat of the Synod has announced.