Jos, 22 August, 2022 / 8:00 pm (ACI Africa).
The Archbishop of Nigeria’s Abuja Archdiocese has urged faith leaders in the West African country to foster unity among themselves to inspire the people to “true religion”, which he said helps minimize the temptation to engage in vices.
In his homily during the Priestly ordination of 12 Deacons to the Priesthood at Holy Cross Catholic Parish Gwarinpa of Abuja Archdiocese, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama said Nigeria will achieve the “much-needed national consciousness and cohesion” if religious leaders unite.
“We religious leaders in Nigeria must be united in inspiring our people in whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely and commendable,” Archbishop Kaigama said in his homily Saturday, August 20.
He added, “The aim of true religion is to help people reduce spiritual, moral and social vices. We get it wrong when some of us lift private religious practices above national interests or the common good, letting religious distrust, suspicion and stereotypes dominate, and refusing to simply see fellow Nigerians as neighbors to be loved and cherished.”
Archbishop Kaigama said that religious leaders “must teach our fellow religious adherents how to accommodate others with respect and dignity and to use religion to promote integral human development and social harmony rather than hatred, division and violence; just as politicians should teach their fellow politicians to behave patriotically and create a social ambience that fosters unity, peace and progress.”
