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• POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT - Hopes and Opportunities for Nigeria [NEW]
• Okoye Ecumenical varsity 'll help develop nation's human resource — Gbuji [NEW]
• POPE BENEDICT XVI LEADS 230,000 PILGRIMS IN WORLD YOUTH DAY CELEBRATION EVENING VIGIL [NEW]
• POPE WARNS CHURCH LEADERS AGAINST DIVISIVE DOCTRINE [NEW]
• Lambeth Conference Begins Amid Struggles [NEW]
• Atheist Gives $22.5 Million to Catholic Education [NEW]
• The Unborn Child and the Christian View of Abortion [NEW]
• Bishop Uzoukwu Ordains Four Deacons
• Friends of the Poor Visit Minna Diocese
• Schedule of major activities for First Quarter, 2008
• Pope Berates Agencies Promoting Abortion in Africa
• Abortion Is "Deep Wound," Says Pope
• MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS, POPE BENEDICT XVI, FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE WORLD DAY OF PEACE, 1 JANUARY 2008
• Holy Father Calls Family ‘Community of Peace’ …Addresses Pro-Family March In Spain
• Catholic Bishops of West Africa Form New Regional Body
• Diaconate Ordination: New Year Gift for Minna Diocese
• AECOWA Conference: Declaration and Resolutions of the Joint CERAO and AECAWA Assembly Held in Abuja, Nigeria, 5th - 9th December, 2007

POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT - Hopes and Opportunities for Nigeria

(Statement of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria on the Agenda of the 4th Tokyo International Conference on African Development, May 28 – 30, 2008)

Preamble
As the 4th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) which is schedule to take place between May 28 and 30, 2008 in Yokohama , Japan approaches, we are filled with deep apprehension concerning the real content and objectives of this conference. There is perhaps no doubt that the purpose of the meeting is to reinforce economic cooperation between Japan and African countries, particularly with reference to funding the Millennium Development Goals and “ensuring Human Security”. But there is evidence that the government of Japan has deep interest in promoting health issues. This is an area in which the United Nations Fund for Population (UNFPA) insists that there must be provision for “reproductive health”. A provision which includes access to abortion and family planning services.

Our concern derives from the fact that the Tokyo agenda for action foresees the provision for access to abortion and “family planning services”. The seriousness of this is anchored on the fact that Tokyo agenda for action orients the work programme of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development.

There is no doubt that this agenda represents a renewed attack on the dignity of the human person, human life and family values. It is also contrary to the original purpose of TICAD which was launched in 1993 to promote high-level policy dialogue between African leaders and development partners. Accordingly, TICAD was expected to evolve into a major global framework to facilitate the implementation of initiatives for promoting African development under the dual principle of African "ownership" and international "partnership".

As custodians of morality we have an obligation to teach, instruct and ensure uprightness. Our Catholic faith and teachings impose on us the duty not only to oppose but also to condemn everything inimical to the dignity of the human person and human life. In this respect, we the chief shepherds of the Catholic Church in Nigeria call on the Federal and State governments to take active steps to ensure the protection of Human dignity. We call on all public officers in the country to make open declaration and commitment to affirm the inviolability of the human persons and remain firm in defence of life and the family. We invite governments in Nigeria to undertake the obligation to protect and defend the human dignity of every citizen of this country as life is understood to be from conception to natural death.

1. The Politics of Reproductive Health
We are concerned about the politics that has become inherent in reproductive health policy-making in Nigeria , in the context of healthcare reform initiatives. There is evidence that women's body politics are emerging within a complex architecture of institutionalized social stratification and religious lobbies. This is a case that reveals a deep embedding of a vast constellation of reproductive healthcare issues within the nascent social welfare policy-making process. Nigeria has a very limited national public health insurance scheme which is aimed at a targeted poverty-reduction paradigm. This does not adequately address the reproductive health needs of the majority of Nigerian women especially in the present circumstances of high maternal rate and child mortality. In addition, policy implementation is always contested, fragile, and also subject to setbacks and deadly abuses. It is, therefore, imperative that Nigerian government should take active steps in reinforcing social institutions in the country. Enabling laws should be put in place to enforce policies. In the same respect, we call on TICAD and other international actors to take interest in addressing development in Nigeria from the point of view of the impact of unconsolidated democratic institutions as principal variables in the comparative analysis of social policy regime formation.

2. Reproductive Health and Poverty in Nigeria
It should be noted that there is positive correlation between the reproductive rights policies to be promoted in the 4th TICAD and which had been debated lately in the National Assembly, almost to the extent of making it a national priority as with poverty reduction. In fact, artificial population control cannot be conceived as a main strategy for poverty alleviation. It is in this regards that we call on the Nigerian government to play a leading role in TICAD and facilitate discontinuing the promotion of artificial family planning services. We call on the Nigerian government to adopt positive measures to ban emergency contraception, criminalize services to adolescents and keep abortion illegal.

The government should seek means and ways of promoting our traditional and cultural values and beliefs, particularly as these contribute to nurturing the family, human life and the dignity of the human person. In this respect, it is the responsibility of government to promote Ideological and cultural beliefs and values regarding sex, reproduction, marriage and the family. These should form the pillars of our national reproductive health policies and programs.

3. Population Policies and programmes
Nigeria has had rather unstable changes in population dynamics since the 1950s. There have not been corresponding concrete population issues and policies. This is an important challenge for the most populous black African nation. We call on the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to lead other African governments to develop and foster appropriate population policies and programmes that are nourished by African cultural values and Religious virtues. Such policies and programmes should focus on the values and impact of Population distribution, urbanization, internal migration and development.

4. International Politics and Power in Reproductive Health
It is a known fact that since 2001, the US government has used its power as a leading donor to family planning programmes to pursue policies in conflict with global agreements on reproductive rights. In effect, international programmes on reproductive rights in recent years have taken a variety of forms.

We, therefore, call on the Nigerian government to be resolute in its defence of the dignity of the family and values that derive from the family.

5. Focus on Japanese Commitment to African Development
There is no doubt that Japan is determined to contribute to the development of Africa . Japan does hold a strong belief that there will be no stability or prosperity in the world unless the problems of Africa are resolved. Japan 's commitment was demonstrated in launching the TICAD process and shifting the international community's attention back to Africa in the 1990s, after the end of the Cold War appeared to focus global interest elsewhere. Through TICAD Japan has promoted the principles of both global partnership and African ownership. As stated in the Tokyo Agenda for Action adopted at TICAD II in 1998, Japan and its African partners believe that priorities for economic and social development should be determined by African countries themselves, and development should be pursued under a common framework for cooperation among all development actors.

We call on the organizers of TICAD IV to focus attention on the original framework of the process and reinforce the principle of ownership in development. In matters of value and life, Africa should be allowed to determine her own destiny while the rest of the world should complement her efforts.

TICAD should seek for means and ways of assisting African countries, and Nigeria in particular to meet pre-requisites for development such as peace, security, good health care delivery systems, democracy, good governance, and sound economic management.

We expect TICAD IV to focus exclusively on addressing the African Development Agenda. The concept should focus on the individual and seek protection from threats to human life, livelihood and dignity, and the realization of the full potential of each individual.

6. Hopes and Opportunities for Nigeria
The participation of Nigeria at TICAD IV should constitute an opportunity for the country to deploy her democratic gains and assume an effective leadership role in the promotion of the values and dignity of the human person, the family. Nigerian authorities should declare to the world that population is our strength and provide us with the resources for development. The person is wealth and his/her dignity is inviolable.

In conclusion, Nigeria should lead other African countries to TICAD IV to pursue the reinvigoration of the three pillars of the process. These are: Consolidation of peace; Human-centred development; and Poverty reduction through economic growth.

Signed:

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Okoye Ecumenical varsity 'll help develop nation's human resource — Gbuji

Enugu (NAN)—The Catholic Bishop of Enugu, Dr Anthony Gbuji, says the proposed Bishop Okoye Ecumenical University in the state will be committed to the development of the nation’s human resource. He made the remark in Enugu while receiving members of the National University Commission (NUC) on inspection tour of the proposed unisversity.

Gbuji, who was represented by the Vicar-General of Enugu Diocese, Monsignor Calistus Onaga, said education was a major tool to develop the potential of man for overall growth. He noted that the noble objectives set by the missionaries through education, was disrupted in the south-east zone during the civil war.

Gbuji said: “The discipline, moral consciousness and quest for academic excellence imbibed in the catholic primary and secondary education need to be consolidated.’’ He said the aim of the diocese in establishing the university was to produce graduates who would be “outstanding in learning, balanced in personality and ready to undertake the morenew challenges in the society’’.

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POPE BENEDICT XVI LEADS 230,000 PILGRIMS IN WORLD YOUTH DAY CELEBRATION EVENING VIGIL


The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, on Saturday, July 19, 2008; presided over a spectacular two-hour presentation of liturgy and music, at a candle-lit Evening Vigil setting the stage for Sunday’s grand finale of the 23rd World Youth Day Final Mass. he ceremony took place at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia. and about 235,000 pilgrims from all parts of the world took part in the ceremony.

“The Vigil explored the themes of the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit and the way in which the Holy Spirit works to transform the lives of the pilgrims.

Addressing the elated young and old pilgrims, the Holy Father stressed on the relevance and importance of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church, urging them to hear Chris’s great promise and pray together as the Apostles did. He declared: “Tonight, we do the same. Gathered before our much-travelled Cross and the Icon of Mary and under the magnificent constellation of the Southern Cross, we pray.”

The Holy Father continued: “Tonight, we focus our attention on how to become witnesses. We need to understand the person of the Holy Spirit and his vivifying presence in our lives” He told the pilgrims that to separate the Holy Spirit from Christ present in the Church’s institutional structure would compromise the unity of the Christian community which precisely the Spirit’s gift. The Pope added that the Spirit’s role is to bring Christ’s to fulfilment adding that “Enriched with the Spirit’s gifts, you will have the power to move beyond the piecemeal, the hollow utopia, the fleeting, to offer the consistency and certainty of Christian witness.”


Pope Benedict XVI then went on to outline the role of the Holy Sprit in the Blessed Trinity and gave insight into how the Spirit works using references from the writings of St Augustine .

“The ‘Creator Spirit’ is the power of god giving life to all creation and the source of new and abundant life in Christ. The Spirit sustains the Church in union with the Lord and in fidelity to the Apostolic Tradition. He inspired the Sacred Scriptures and he guides God’s People into the fullness of truth . In all these ways, the Spirit is the ‘giver of life, leading us into the very heart of God. So, the more we allow the Spirit to direct us , the more perfect will be our configuration to Christ and the deeper our immersion in the lif of the Triune God.”

Pope Benedict told the pilgrims that the Holy Spirit is the bond of unity within the Blessed Trinity, an abiding love and the gift of God. Adding that they should turn to him to find the true meaning of renewal so that they can be well equipped in the Apostolate life of the Church in all spheres of life. “To be truly alive is to be transformed from within, open to the energy of God’s love. In accepting the power of the Holy Spirit, you too can transform your families, communities and nations. Set free the gifts! Let wisdom, courage, awe and reverence be the marks of greatness, the Holy Father concluded.

Earlier in the evening, the Holy Father made paid a surprise visit to retired Cardinal Edward Bede Clancy, a former Archbishop of Sydney at the Mt St Josephs Home in Randwick , run by the Little Sisters of the Poor.

Cardinal Clancy, 84, was the seventh Archbishop of Sydney, serving from 1983 to 2001.

The Holy Father also visited retired Bishops William Brennan and William Murray and 92 year old Rosemarie Goldie - the Sydney-born former under-secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, the first woman to hold such an office in the Vatican . His Holiness also spoke with several retired priests staying at the home in a visit that lasted around 20 minutes.

Jide Fadugba-Pinheiro
Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN)
Sydney, Australia.
July 19, 2008.

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POPE WARNS CHURCH LEADERS AGAINST DIVISIVE DOCTRINE

The Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI has warned Christian Church leaders to guard against viewing doctrine as divisive as this might impede the improvement of the world. He gave the warning during a meeting with Christian Church leaders in Sydney , Australia , today, Saturday, July 19, 2008.

“We must guard against any temptation to view doctrine as divisive and hence an impediment to the seemingly more pressing and immediate task of improving the world in which we live.. In-fact, the history of the Church demonstrates that praxis is not only inseparable from, but actually flows out of, didache or teaching, the Pope said.

The Holy Father stressed the importance of striving towards the ultimate goal of ecumenism which he said points towards a common celebration of the Eucharist and giving common witness to Christ. According to him, “Ecumenical movement has reached a critical juncture”; adding that “to move forward, we must continually ask God to renew our minds with the Holy Spirit, who speaks to us through the Scriptures and guides us into all truth.”

The Catholic Pontiff concluded: “As ‘fellow citizens of the ‘Household of God’, Christians must work together to ensure that the edifice stands strong so that others will be attracted to enter and discover the abundant treasure of grace within. As we promote Christian values, we must not neglect to proclaim their source by giving common witness to Jesus Christ, the Lord. It is he who commissioned the Apostles, he who the prophets preached, and he whom we offer to the world.”


At another meeting with the leaders of other faith in the country, Pope Benedict XVI told them that he had come to Australia as an ambassador of peace and felt blessed to meet them.. he remarked: “ I feel blessed to meet you who, likewise share this yearning and the desire to help the world attain it. Our quest for peace goes hand in hand with our search for meaning, for it is discovering the truth that we find the sure road to peace. Our effort to bring about reconciliation, between peoples, spring from, and is directed to, that truth which gives purpose to life. Religion offers peace, but more importantly, it arouses within the human spirit a thirst for truth and a hunger for virtue.”

In his address at the Interfaith meeting, George Cardinal Pell, the Archbishop of Sydney commended the Holy Father for his role in the Encyclical Fides et Ratio (Faith and Reason) which outlined the importance of ecumenism adding:: “Since your election as Bishop of Rome, you have deepened that argument, reminding us that not only do faith and reason both lead to the truth, but that reason needs faith to expand its horizon and give full account of human experience.”

Cardinal Pell condemned religious fanaticism stressing that “together as fellow believers, we must demonstrate that true faith in God is a cause for unity and comity, not division and hatred.”


Jide Fadugba-Pinheiro
Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN)
Sydney , Australia .
July 19, 2008.

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Lambeth Conference Begins Amid Struggles

CANTERBURY, England, JULY 18, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Cardinal Walter Kasper joined with some 650 Anglican leaders at the Lambeth conference, which began Wednesday evening with a three-day retreat.

Cardinal Kasper, the president of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity, was invited by the Anglican Communion's spiritual leader, Archbishop Rowan Williams. The Lambeth conference is held once every 10 years. It is under way through Aug. 4, with meetings and discussions scheduled to begin Monday.

This year's Lambeth conference faces unprecedented difficulties, with some Anglican leaders boycotting the gathering altogether.

Williams acknowledged the difficulties Wednesday, saying, "I think it's important I should say that it's a great grief that many of our brothers and sisters in the Communion have not felt able to be with us for these weeks."

The communion is threatened by schism. One of the main issues causing conflict is the Episcopalian resolve to ordain openly homosexual bishops. The Episcopal church is the portion of the Anglican Communion in the United States.

The episcopal ordination of women, approved at a synod meeting earlier this month, is another sticky issue.

When the Church of England voted to approve women bishops, the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity affirmed in a statement that the decision is a "further obstacle to reconciliation between the Catholic Church and the Church of England."

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Atheist Gives $22.5 Million to Catholic Education

The Archdiocese of New York received a record-breaking gift of $22.5 million from self-styled atheist Robert Wilson to provide educational scholarships for inner-city children. Wilson, a philanthropist and former Wall Street investor, gave the money to the Cardinal's Scholarship Program, started in 2005, to aid disadvantaged students.

Cardinal Edward Egan, archbishop of New York, has expressed his gratitude for the "historic and far-sighted support from Mr. Wilson for the education and future well-being of our neediest children in the archdiocese." Wilson, 80, told Bloomberg News, that, although an atheist, he has no problem giving money to fund Catholic schools.

"Let's face it, without the Roman Catholic Church, there would be no Western civilization," Wilson said. "Shunning religious organizations would be abhorrent." Wilson added, "It was a chance for a very modest amount of money to get kids out of a lousy school system and into a good school system." Another anonymous donor, after learning of Wilson's gift, gave an additional $4.5 million to the program.

(Courtesy: Zenit.org)

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The Unborn Child and the Christian View of Abortion

The Child is a wonderful gift of God to the human family. The child is God’s way of maintaining the human community and continuing the human lineage. Today the child is under threat because of the inclination of the human person to destroy himself. Despite the many religions in the world that advocate the sanctity of human life, there is an increase in the destruction of the earliest stage of human life; the unborn child. Christianity as a Religion promotes life from the moment of conception until death. Our Religion is naturally Pro – Life. What does the Bible say on the subject?

Nowhere in the Bible does it say "Thou shalt not abort your children." Neither will you find specific words forbidding suicide, infanticide (killing newborn children) or same-sex marriages. Yet, the Bible clearly teaches us that these things are wrong. A small, but noisy group of people (who are very active on the Internet) wish to have you believe that the Bible condones abortion. Although it doesn’t take a Biblical scholar to conclude that the Bible forbids abortion, it may help you to see the facts laid out. Simply put, the Bible forbids killing innocent persons. If an unborn child is a person, abortion is prohibited by the Bible. Let’s look at the evidence:

The Bible condemns the shedding of innocent life
The Holy Bible clearly prohibits taking the life of an innocent person. It follows that if the developing baby is a "qualified" member of the human race, all of these scriptures apply: Genesis 9:6 - Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man.

Exodus 20:13 - You shall not murder.
Deuteronomy 27:25a - Cursed is he who accepts a bribe to strike down an innocent person.
Proverbs 6:16-19 - There are six things which the LORD hates, yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood...
See also Exodus 23:7 and Deuteronomy 19:11-12

A child is a "Person" whether born or unborn
The Bible consistently uses the same word for a "born" or "unborn" baby.1 This is because the divine Author of the Bible did not recognize a material difference between the two. In Scripture, there is not some special event when a "human being" becomes a "person". Rather, he or she is a person from the beginning who goes through growth and development both inside and outside of the womb.

In the New Testament the Greek word "brephos" is used to describe the unborn, newborns and youth. In Luke 1:44, the word is used to mean unborn baby: "For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy." Then, in Luke 2:12, it means a newborn: "So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger." And in Luke 18:15, "brephos" refers to a young child: "And they were bringing even their babies to Him so that He would touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they began rebuking them."

In the Old Testament the Hebrew word "yeled" is used in the same way. In Exodus 21:22 it means an unborn child, "If men struggle with each other and strike a woman with child so that she gives birth prematurely...". And yet, in other Old Testament usages, it means "youth" or even a teenager. As late as the 16th century in our own culture, "child" was the word used for both the born and unborn baby. Late in the game, we have developed a new word, "fetus", to describe a developing baby2 (even this word is defined in some dictionaries as an "unborn human being" 3 ). Today, we often reserve the word "child" for a person already born.

In the Bible, our worth as a human being or our "personhood" does not depend on how far along on life’s journey we have come. Instead, we are beings who are made in the image of God (Gen. 1:27). Each person is valuable because God created him or her that way. It doesn’t matter whether a person is still in his mother’s womb, a newborn, a toddler, an adolescent, or a senior citizen. Only quite recently has the concept of "personhood" surfaced. There are some in our society who want to find a developmental stage where they can justify that the fetus is only a collection of organs, not really a person. Carl Sagan put that fetal stage at perhaps 6 months, when the cerebral cortex is in place. Only then, he feels, should we confer "personhood" on a fetus.4 Such ideas are clearly subjective. It would seem that these discussions of personhood only arose from a need to justify the act of abortion. Certainly, they are not expressed in the Bible. Quite to the contrary, the Bible story shows that "personhood", or reaching one’s full potential, comes from knowing God. A person develops and is preserved through his communion with a personal God who reveals Himself to us in love. The Bible consistently links our "personhood" to the time we are formed (conception), or even before in God’s "mind".

According to the Bible, God knew you before you were born
Psalm 139:13-16. For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.

Luke 1:15. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb.

Jeremiah. 1:5. Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.
Before we are even formed in the womb, God knows us. He knows how each day of our lives on earth will unfold. His love and care go with us throughout life.

Early Church Leaders Recognized the Bible’s Prohibition of Abortion
One of the reasons that the Bible does not contain specific references to abortion is because the prohibition was completely covered in "Thou shall not murder". Israelites well understood this to mean killing by sword, by strangulation, by poison, by abortion, and by all other means. Later, as the church began to spread to the Gentile cultures that did not share the Israelite traditions, specific prohibitions were written. Church leaders and others consistently forbade the practice of abortion based upon their understanding of the Bible. Below are examples: "Thou shalt not slay the child by procuring abortion; nor, again, shalt thou destroy it after it is born" (Letter of Barnabas 19 from 74 AD).
"…And these were the accursed who conceived and caused abortion" (The Apocalypse of Peter 25, 137 AD).
"You shall not procure abortion, nor destroy a newborn child" (Didache 2:1 from 150 AD).
"There are some women among you who by drinking special potions extinguish the life of the future human in their very bowels, thus committing murder before they even give birth." (Mark Felix, Christian Lawyer, Octavius chap. 30 from 170 AD).
"The law of Moses, indeed, punishes with due penalties the man who shall cause abortion (see Ex. 21:22) Tertullian, 210 AD.
"Now we allow that life begins with conception because we contend that the soul also begins from conception; life taking its commencement at the same moment and place that the soul does" (Tertullian, Apology 27 from 210 AD).
"Women also who administer drugs to cause abortion, as well as those who take poisons to destroy unborn children, are murderesses." (First Canonical Letter from 374 AD).
"The law, moreover enjoins us to bring up all our offspring, and forbids women to cause abortion of what is begotten, or to destroy it afterward; and if any woman appears to have so done, she will be a murderer of her child, by destroying a living creature, and diminishing humankind." (The Works of Josephus, Flavius Josephus Against Apion, Book II, 25).
"Some go so far as to take potions, that they may insure barrenness, and thus murder human beings almost before their conception. Some, when they find themselves with child through their sin, use drugs to procure abortion, and when, as often happens, they die with their offspring, they enter the lower world laden with the guilt not only of adultery against Christ but also of suicide and child murder" (Jerome, Letters 22:13 from 396 AD).

How should Christians respond?
It is one thing when Godless, secular people try to dehumanize the unborn to support their view of abortion on demand. It is quite another matter when these same people attempt to distort scripture and church history to fit their agenda. There is not a legitimate "pro-choice" position that can be derived from the Bible. To support this position, it would be necessary to use text out of context, ignore the Bible’s attitude toward the young and innocent, and be ignorant of the history and tradition of the church.

God calls each of us to defend the innocent. Christians should elect leaders who share the Biblical view of abortion, support groups working to make abortion unacceptable in our country, and donate their time and money to pregnancy care centers. Every Christian should know the facts and their Christian heritage, and be ready to defend what the Bible really does say about abortion. And we should pray that God will change the hearts of those promoting the genocide of our nation.

God Speaks About Abortion
Abortion has slowly crept into the world of religion promoted as both a Biblically backed and logically moral act. Entire denominations now embrace abortion as an appropriate choice both in the eyes of God and their church leaders. More liberal denominations support abortion as morally correct in all situations while others like to limit their moral blessing to abortions done only before the point of viability. In either case, the decision to illegitimately claim God’s blessing on the act of abortion is both immoral and heretical.

The ultimate authority and word from God is found in the Bible and is used by both sides to claim the moral high ground. In articles dotting the Internet there are people claiming the verses popular to the Christian Pro-Life movement such as Jeremiah1:4-5 and Psalm 139:13-16 are either taken out of context or actually support the Pro-Abortion stance. It is the smaller detail of the many verses that the critics will miss; that God’s view of life starts well before birth.

For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be (Psalm 139:13-16).

Yet You brought me out of the womb; You made me trust in You even at my mother's breast. From birth I was cast upon You; from my mother's womb You have been my God (Psalm 22:9-10).
Did not He who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us both within our mothers? (Job 31:15).
Know that the LORD is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture (Psalm 100:3)
This is what the LORD says--He who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you … (Isaiah 44:2).
And now the LORD says--he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD and my God has been my strength (Isaiah 49:5).
The word of the LORD came to me, saying, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations" (Jeremiah 1:4-5)

In these verses it is brought directly to the reader that God’s view of life begins before birth. Psalm 22 shows the beginning of our relationship starting before birth. In Psalm 139 the verses specifically show our relationship with God before birth as He formed us and had already planned our days to come. Jeremiah 1 again emphasizes God’s relationship with an unborn child and Isaiah 44 comforts with the picture of God’s faithfulness during the formation before birth. God does not look at our lives from birth to death; He views us from conception onward.

These passages certainly contain separate contexts and were meant for differing audiences, but it is with their diversity that the strength of the argument is made. There is not just one verse in one situation that mentions God’s view of human life to include the before birth stage; there are many verses in many situations. The Pro-Life view stands directly on the Truth as shown through the Bible; God’s view is that life begins before birth.

We do not need to decide when life begins, but accept what God has already shown, that life begins before birth. It is impossible to take a life before birth and be justified. The beliefs and ethics of God are not situational and do not provide the exceptions. Life always begins before birth in the eyes of God even if rape, incest, or other sinful acts conceived the baby. It is only as our human self-centeredness grows that we look for exceptions or man-based rules to govern when we can take a life of a baby.

Christians must understand that supporting abortion is opposed to God and his righteousness. We must not allow the heretical views of the world a place to seep into our individual beliefs or the churches that we attend. Taking a stand on abortion in your church is easy; you have God and the Bible on your side.

You Can Receive Forgiveness
Abortion is both an offense to God and a tragedy for the mother and child. The social disdain for the act reflects the knowledge of the sin and shines a painful spot-light on stinging guilt that often accompanies the horrific act. The person who carries out abortion or assist in the procurement of abortion have offended God. But God is Mercy and Compassion, meaning that he/she can receive forgiveness if the person repents of the evil act. Jesus Christ, who is Love and Mercy told us that there will be great rejoicing over the repentance of such a sinner (cf Lk 15: 1 – 10).

As Catholics, the penitent needs to go through Sacramental Reconciliation (Confessions), then makes reparations for the sin and join the Body of Christ, that is, the Church.

(inspirations from Pro – Life groups & writings)

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Bishop Uzoukwu Ordains Four Deacons

Recently Most Rev. Dr. Martin Igwe Uzoukwu, Catholic Bishop of mina, Niger State, Nigeria gave the Priests, Religious Lay Faithful of the Diocese a unique Near year gift. He ordained four young men Deacons (click to view profiles) of the Universal Church at St Michael’s Cathedral, Bosso Road, Minna, Niger State. Before the Holy Mass, Very Rev. Fr. Raphael Imelo, the Cathedral administrator of St. Michael’s Cathedral, Minna welcomed the People. He reminded them that the celremnoy was a part of the Christmas and New Year celebration in the Diocese. He called on all present to prayerfully participate during the celebration for God’s blessings and the People of God and the whole Diocese of Minna.

During the ordination which was well attended by the Priests, Religious and Lay Faithful, the Bishop welcomed the Friends of the Poor, a non governmental charity organization from San Diego, California, USA.

In his homily, Bishop Martin Uzoukwu expressed his gratitude to Almighty God for choosing the four young men to work in His vineyard. He also thanked their parents for bringing them up in good Christian homes which made them seek to serve God as Priests.

The Bishop, quoting from the Letter to the Hebrews, acknowledged that “no one takes this honour upon himself.” He encouraged the newly ordained deacons to put into practice what they had been learning for the past ten years in the Seminary and in the Diocese. The Prelate remembered the Saint of the day, John Newman. He said that the Saint was a holy man who served God in His People as a Priest. He noted that St John carried out his work through preaching the Gospel, catechetical Instructions, building of schools and establishment of Parishes. He called on the newly ordained to emulate the Saint and work conscientiously among the People of God.

Bishop Martin also called on the People to support the newly ordained Deacons and the Clergy of the Diocese with their prayers. He encouraged them to offer the Priests material support which will be a great help in their ministry. The People rejoiced with the newly ordained Deacons after the ordination. They expressed happiness at the increment in the number of Priests in the Diocese, noting that it is a sign of the growth of the Church in Niger State.

According to Rev. Fr. Chiedozie Ezeribe, Parish Priest of Christ the King Catholic Church, Tunga, Minna, the ordination is a step towards the realization of the Pastoral Vision of Minna Diocese; to Build the Local Church. He stated that there will be more Priests in the vineyard and the Gospel will continue to spread to the nooks and crannies of Minna Diocese. Click here for the event's photographs

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Friends of the Poor Visit Minna Diocese

The Catholic Diocese of Minna, Niger State, Nigeria played host to the Friends of the Poor from San Diego, California, United States of America. The group that came to Minna consists of the following persons; Jean Colarusso (President), Jeff Rutgard, Jeffrey Rutgard, Michael Rutgard and Katee Lafleur. Others are Jim Mowry and Lynn Lewis. They were welcomed on arrival by His Lordship, Most Rev. Dr. Martin Igwe Uzoukwu, Catholic Bishop of Minna, Nigeria, representatives of the Priests and Lay Faithful. Click here for photographs

According to the Bishop, “the visit of the Friends of the Poor is a show of their concern for the welfare of the People of God in this part of the Lord’s Vineyard.” He expressed his gratitude to them for coming to Nigeria as Missionaries carrying out the mandate of Jesus Christ to preach the Good News to the ends of the earth. The Bishop stated that members of the group were carrying out the work of Mercy and he prayed that our Lord Jesus Christ the Divine Mercy Incarnate would reward them, their benefactors and benefactresses abundantly.

In his reaction during the arrival of some members of the group to St. Michael’s Cathedral, Minna, Very Rev. Fr. Emeka Amanchukwu explained that the group has made a lot of positive impact in the life of the people in different climes especially in Nigeria. He called them harbingers of the good news of Christ to the poor through their desire to serve the Poor in the Society. of The group called Friends of the Poor is a non-governmental and non-profit making organization that is focused on giving assistance to the poor in different parts of the world.

The members of the group also visited St. Michael’s Cathedral where many people were eagerly waiting for them for a workshop on the use of our natural herbs and plants for the improvement of health especially in the tropics.

A team also visited the Missionaries of Divine Mercy (MDM) Agricultural Pilot Project site in Aleyi, Erena Territory. They promised to assist in the realization of the MDM Project in Aleyi.

The members of the group were special guests during the ordination of four Deacons for the Catholic Diocese of Minna. They expressed their happiness at being part of such a historic occasion in the Diocese. The President of the Friends of the Poor, Jean Colarusso, fondly known and called MAMA AFRICA, said that it was wonderful coming to Nigeria again. She was filled with joy at being part of the celebration of the diaconate ordination of the four young men. She prayed that God would bless and assist them in the ministry.

The Friends of Poor is a non-governmental and non-profit making organization from San Diego, California in the United States of America. It is focused towards alleviate the effect of poverty in the world especially in developing countries. The selfless contributions of the members have been a source of hope joy to many people around the world.

Here in Nigeria, the Friends of the Poor have assisted in the development of the Church and the empowerment of the People in the Dioceses of Ilorin, Issele Uku, Idah and Minna. Their activities in Minna Diocese include the construction of the HIV/AIDS Referral Centre, Dutsen Kura, Minna, the roofing of St. Clement’s Catholic Church, Kuta, the construction of the Nursery/Primary School Garam, provision of empowerment facilities for the physically challenged persons and the needy.

According to Bishop Martin Igwe Uzoukwu, their impact in the lives of the people; Catholic, the Separated Brethren, Muslims and Traditional Worshippers in Minna Diocese cannot be quantified. The number of people living with HIV/AIDS who have been saved from death at the Referral Centre, Dutsen Kura bears testimony to the positive impact the Friends of the Poor have made in Minna Diocese.

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SCHEDULE OF MAJOR ACTIVITIES FOR FIRST QUARTER, 2008

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MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS, POPE BENEDICT XVI, FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE WORLD DAY OF PEACE, 1 JANUARY 2008

THE HUMAN FAMILY, A COMMUNITY OF PEACE
1. At the beginning of a New Year, I wish to send my fervent good wishes for peace, together with a heartfelt message of hope to men and women throughout the world. I do so by offering for our common reflection the theme which I have placed at the beginning of this message. It is one which I consider particularly important: the human family, a community of peace. The first form of communion between persons is that born of the love of a man and a woman who decide to enter a stable union in order to build together a new family. But the peoples of the earth, too, are called to build relationships of solidarity and cooperation among themselves, as befits members of the one human family: “All peoples”—as the Second Vatican Council declared—“are one community and have one origin, because God caused the whole human race to dwell on the face of the earth (cf. Acts 17:26); they also have one final end, God”(1).
The family, society and peace

2. The natural family, as an intimate communion of life and love, based on marriage between a man and a woman(2), constitutes “the primary place of ‘humanization' for the person and society”(3), and a “cradle of life and love”(4). The family is therefore rightly defined as the first natural society, “a divine institution that stands at the foundation of life of the human person as the prototype of every social order”(5).

3. Indeed, in a healthy family life we experience some of the fundamental elements of peace: justice and love between brothers and sisters, the role of authority expressed by parents, loving concern for the members who are weaker because of youth, sickness or old age, mutual help in the necessities of life, readiness to accept others and, if necessary, to forgive them. For this reason, the family is the first and indispensable teacher of peace. It is no wonder, therefore, that violence, if perpetrated in the family, is seen as particularly intolerable. Consequently, when it is said that the family is “the primary living cell of society”(6), something essential is being stated. The family is the foundation of society for this reason too: because it enables its members in decisive ways to experience peace. It follows that the human community cannot do without the service provided by the family. Where can young people gradually learn to savour the genuine “taste” of peace better than in the original “nest” which nature prepares for them? The language of the family is a language of peace; we must always draw from it, lest we lose the “vocabulary” of peace. In the inflation of its speech, society cannot cease to refer to that “grammar” which all children learn from the looks and the actions of their mothers and fathers, even before they learn from their words.

4. The family, since it has the duty of educating its members, is the subject of specific rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which represents a landmark of juridic civilization of truly universal value, states that “the family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State”(7). For its part, the Holy See sought to acknowledge a special juridic dignity proper to the family by publishing the Charter of the Rights of the Family. In its Preamble we read: “the rights of the person, even if they are expressed as rights of the individual, have a fundamental social dimension which finds an innate and vital expression in the family”(8). The rights set forth in the Charter are an expression and explicitation of the natural law written on the heart of the human being and made known to him by reason. The denial or even the restriction of the rights of the family, by obscuring the truth about man, threatens the very foundations of peace.

5. Consequently, whoever, even unknowingly, circumvents the institution of the family undermines peace in the entire community, national and international, since he weakens what is in effect the primary agency of peace. This point merits special reflection: everything that serves to weaken the family based on the marriage of a man and a woman, everything that directly or indirectly stands in the way of its openness to the responsible acceptance of a new life, everything that obstructs its right to be primarily responsible for the education of its children, constitutes an objective obstacle on the road to peace. The family needs to have a home, employment and a just recognition of the domestic activity of parents, the possibility of schooling for children, and basic health care for all. When society and public policy are not committed to assisting the family in these areas, they deprive themselves of an essential resource in the service of peace. The social communications media, in particular, because of their educational potential, have a special responsibility for promoting respect for the family, making clear its expectations and rights, and presenting all its beauty.

Humanity is one great family
6. The social community, if it is to live in peace, is also called to draw inspiration from the values on which the family community is based. This is as true for local communities as it is for national communities; it is also true for the international community itself, for the human family which dwells in that common house which is the earth. Here, however, we cannot forget that the family comes into being from the responsible and definitive “yes” of a man and a women, and it continues to live from the conscious “yes” of the children who gradually join it. The family community, in order to prosper, needs the generous consent of all its members. This realization also needs to become a shared conviction on the part of all those called to form the common human family. We need to say our own “yes” to this vocation which God has inscribed in our very nature. We do not live alongside one another purely by chance; all of us are progressing along a common path as men and women, and thus as brothers and sisters. Consequently, it is essential that we should all be committed to living our lives in an attitude of responsibility before God, acknowledging him as the deepest source of our own existence and that of others. By going back to this supreme principle we are able to perceive the unconditional worth of each human being, and thus to lay the premises for building a humanity at peace. Without this transcendent foundation society is a mere aggregation of neighbours, not a community of brothers and sisters called to form one great family.

The family, the human community and the environment
7. The family needs a home, a fit environment in which to develop its proper relationships. For the human family, this home is the earth, the environment that God the Creator has given us to inhabit with creativity and responsibility. We need to care for the environment: it has been entrusted to men and women to be protected and cultivated with responsible freedom, with the good of all as a constant guiding criterion. Human beings, obviously, are of supreme worth vis-à-vis creation as a whole. Respecting the environment does not mean considering material or animal nature more important than man. Rather, it means not selfishly considering nature to be at the complete disposal of our own interests, for future generations also have the right to reap its benefits and to exhibit towards nature the same responsible freedom that we claim for ourselves. Nor must we overlook the poor, who are excluded in many cases from the goods of creation destined for all. Humanity today is rightly concerned about the ecological balance of tomorrow. It is important for assessments in this regard to be carried out prudently, in dialogue with experts and people of wisdom, uninhibited by ideological pressure to draw hasty conclusions, and above all with the aim of reaching agreement on a model of sustainable development capable of ensuring the well-being of all while respecting environmental balances. If the protection of the environment involves costs, they should be justly distributed, taking due account of the different levels of development of various countries and the need for solidarity with future generations. Prudence does not mean failing to accept responsibilities and postponing decisions; it means being committed to making joint decisions after pondering responsibly the road to be taken, decisions aimed at strengthening that covenant between human beings and the environment, which should mirror the creative love of God, from whom we come and towards whom we are journeying.

8. In this regard, it is essential to “sense” that the earth is “our common home” and, in our stewardship and service to all, to choose the path of dialogue rather than the path of unilateral decisions. Further international agencies may need to be established in order to confront together the stewardship of this “home” of ours; more important, however, is the need for ever greater conviction about the need for responsible cooperation. The problems looming on the horizon are complex and time is short. In order to face this situation effectively, there is a need to act in harmony. One area where there is a particular need to intensify dialogue between nations is that of the stewardship of the earth's energy resources. The technologically advanced countries are facing two pressing needs in this regard: on the one hand, to reassess the high levels of consumption due to the present model of development, and on the other hand to invest sufficient resources in the search for alternative sources of energy and for greater energy efficiency. The emerging counties are hungry for energy, but at times this hunger is met in a way harmful to poor countries which, due to their insufficient infrastructures, including their technological infrastructures, are forced to undersell the energy resources they do possess. At times, their very political freedom is compromised by forms of protectorate or, in any case, by forms of conditioning which appear clearly humiliating.

Family, human community and economy
9. An essential condition for peace within individual families is that they should be built upon the solid foundation of shared spiritual and ethical values. Yet it must be added that the family experiences authentic peace when no one lacks what is needed, and when the family patrimony—the fruit of the labour of some, the savings of others, and the active cooperation of all—is well-managed in a spirit of solidarity, without extravagance and without waste. The peace of the family, then, requires an openness to a transcendent patrimony of values, and at the same time a concern for the prudent management of both material goods and inter-personal relationships. The failure of the latter results in the breakdown of reciprocal trust in the face of the uncertainty threatening the future of the nuclear family.

10. Something similar must be said for that other family which is humanity as a whole. The human family, which today is increasingly unified as a result of globalization, also needs, in addition to a foundation of shared values, an economy capable of responding effectively to the requirements of a common good which is now planetary in scope. Here too, a comparison with the natural family proves helpful. Honest and straightforward relationships need to be promoted between individual persons and between peoples, thus enabling everyone to cooperate on a just and equal footing. Efforts must also be made to ensure a prudent use of resources and an equitable distribution of wealth. In particular, the aid given to poor countries must be guided by sound economic principles, avoiding forms of waste associated principally with the maintenance of expensive bureaucracies. Due account must also be taken of the moral obligation to ensure that the economy is not governed solely by the ruthless laws of instant profit, which can prove inhumane.

The family, the human community and the moral law
11. A family lives in peace if all its members submit to a common standard: this is what prevents selfish individualism and brings individuals together, fostering their harmonious coexistence and giving direction to their work. This principle, obvious as it is, also holds true for wider communities: from local and national communities to the international community itself. For the sake of peace, a common law is needed, one which would foster true freedom rather than blind caprice, and protect the weak from oppression by the strong. The family of peoples experiences many cases of arbitrary conduct, both within individual States and in the relations of States among themselves. In many situations the weak must bow not to the demands of justice, but to the naked power of those stronger than themselves. It bears repeating: power must always be disciplined by law, and this applies also to relations between sovereign States.

12. The Church has often spoken on the subject of the nature and function of law: the juridic norm, which regulates relationships between individuals, disciplines external conduct and establishes penalties for offenders, has as its criterion the moral norm grounded in nature itself. Human reason is capable of discerning this moral norm, at least in its fundamental requirements, and thus ascending to the creative reason of God which is at the origin of all things. The moral norm must be the rule for decisions of conscience and the guide for all human behaviour. Do juridic norms exist for relationships between the nations which make up the human family? And if they exist, are they operative? The answer is: yes, such norms exist, but to ensure that they are truly operative it is necessary to go back to the natural moral norm as the basis of the juridic norm; otherwise the latter constantly remains at the mercy of a fragile and provisional consensus.

13. Knowledge of the natural moral norm is not inaccessible to those who, in reflecting on themselves and their destiny, strive to understand the inner logic of the deepest inclinations present in their being. Albeit not without hesitation and doubt, they are capable of discovering, at least in its essential lines, this common moral law which, over and above cultural differences, enables human beings to come to a common understanding regarding the most important aspects of good and evil, justice and injustice. It is essential to go back to this fundamental law, committing our finest intellectual energies to this quest, and not letting ourselves be discouraged by mistakes and misunderstandings. Values grounded in the natural law are indeed present, albeit in a fragmentary and not always consistent way, in international accords, in universally recognized forms of authority, in the principles of humanitarian law incorporated in the legislation of individual States or the statutes of international bodies. Mankind is not “lawless”. All the same, there is an urgent need to persevere in dialogue about these issues and to encourage the legislation of individual States to converge towards a recognition of fundamental human rights. The growth of a global juridic culture depends, for that matter, on a constant commitment to strengthen the profound human content of international norms, lest they be reduced to mere procedures, easily subject to manipulation for selfish or ideological reasons.

Overcoming conflicts and disarmament
14. Humanity today is unfortunately experiencing great division and sharp conflicts which cast dark shadows on its future. Vast areas of the world are caught up in situations of increasing tension, while the danger of an increase in the number of countries possessing nuclear weapons causes well-founded apprehension in every responsible person. Many civil wars are still being fought in Africa, even though a number of countries there have made progress on the road to freedom and democracy. The Middle East is still a theatre of conflict and violence, which also affects neighbouring nations and regions and risks drawing them into the spiral of violence. On a broader scale, one must acknowledge with regret the growing number of States engaged in the arms race: even some developing nations allot a significant portion of their scant domestic product to the purchase of weapons. The responsibility for this baneful commerce is not limited: the countries of the industrially developed world profit immensely from the sale of arms, while the ruling oligarchies in many poor countries wish to reinforce their stronghold by acquiring ever more sophisticated weaponry. In difficult times such as these, it is truly necessary for all persons of good will to come together to reach concrete agreements aimed at an effective demilitarization, especially in the area of nuclear arms. At a time when the process of nuclear non-proliferation is at a stand-still, I feel bound to entreat those in authority to resume with greater determination negotiations for a progressive and mutually agreed dismantling of existing nuclear weapons. In renewing this appeal, I know that I am echoing the desire of all those concerned for the future of humanity.

15. Sixty years ago the United Nations Organization solemnly issued the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948-2008). With that document the human family reacted against the horrors of the Second World War by acknowledging its own unity, based on the equal dignity of all men and women, and by putting respect for the fundamental rights of individuals and peoples at the centre of human coexistence. This was a decisive step forward along the difficult and demanding path towards harmony and peace. This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the Holy See's adoption of the Charter of the Rights of the Family (1983-2008) and the 40th anniversary of the celebration of the first World Day of Peace (1968-2008). Born of a providential intuition of Pope Paul VI and carried forward with great conviction by my beloved and venerable predecessor Pope John Paul II, the celebration of this Day of Peace has made it possible for the Church, over the course of the years, to present in these Messages an instructive body of teaching regarding this fundamental human good. In the light of these significant anniversaries, I invite every man and woman to have a more lively sense of belonging to the one human family, and to strive to make human coexistence increasingly reflect this conviction, which is essential for the establishment of true and lasting peace. I likewise invite believers to implore tirelessly from God the great gift of peace. Christians, for their part, know that they can trust in the intercession of Mary, who, as the Mother of the Son of God made flesh for the salvation of all humanity, is our common Mother.

To all my best wishes for a joyful New Year!

From the Vatican, 8 December 2007
BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

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Holy Father Calls Family ‘Community of Peace’ …Addresses Pro-Family March In Spain

Leading Catholics and other Christians in the celebration of Christmas, His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI has called the Family, the Community of Peace. He made this assertion during the 2008 World Day of Peace with the theme, "The Human Family, a Community of Peace."

He said that the family is the principal agent of peace, and whoever disrupts the family, disrupts peace. The Pope said, "We have begun a new year, and I wish that it will be for all peaceful and prosperous." The same love that builds and maintains unity in the family, the vital building block of society, favors these relationships of solidarity and of collaboration among the peoples of the earth, who are members of the single human family."

The Pope affirmed that there is a close relationship among family, society and peace. According to him, undermining the family means undermining peace in the entire community, national and international as that is a destruction of the primary agency of peace."

In a prayer to Mary, Mother of the Prince of Peace and all mankind, the Pontiff asked the Virgin to help the Church in its service for peace, and aid all nations "to begin on a path of authentic solidarity and of stable peace."

Meanwhile the Pope addressed participants in a Pro-Family March in Madrid, the Capital City of Spain. The participants, who numbered more than 2 million, were greeted through video link by the Holy Father, who urged them to uphold the values of the family and to promote the Christian Family

The event, which was organized by the Catholic Archdiocese of Madrid in collaboration with Pro-Life groups and Pro-Family organizations and other ecclesial communities, was well attended by people from different walks of life. It witnessed the coming together of old and young families in support of the traditional Christian family system.

Addressing the participants in Spanish, the Holy Father said: "I invite all Christian families to experience the loving presence of the Lord in their lives. I encourage them, inspired by love of Christ for all mankind, to give witness before the world of the beauty of human love, marriage and family. "This, founded in the indissoluble union between a man and a woman, constitutes the privileged environment in which human life is welcomed and protected, from its beginning until its natural end."

The Pope urged parents to exercise their right in the education of their children in the values of the Christian family, sanctity of marriage and the dignity of human existence. In his address to the participants, His Eminence, Cardinal Antonio Ruoco, Archbishop of Madrid, revealed that the family has become a problem in the society today as the idea of marriage has become relative. He confirmed that lifestyles "opposed to the value of the indissoluble love between a man and a woman" are being promoted among the youth.

The cardinal recalled that in the U.N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights the family is recognized as the "natural and fundamental nucleus of society," and that it should be protected by society and the state.

The Papal support for the values of the traditional Christian family and the Pro-Family March came at a time when family values in developed and developing societies are being undermined, and in some instances, destroyed by new ideas that oppose the family system, promote of same sex marriages, promote of abortion and contraceptives and cohabitation.

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Catholic Bishops of West Africa Form New Regional Body

Recently the Catholic Bishops’ Conferences from the countries of West Africa came together and formed a new regional body called Association of Episcopal Conferences of West Africa (AECOWA). This took place in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory [FCT] of Nigeria.

The newly formed 16-nation-association of West African Catholic bishops which brought together the Bishops and representatives of Priests, Religious and the Lay Faithful, replaced the two former Associations of Bishops of West Africa. The two Associations; Conference Episcopale Regionale d'Afrique de l'Ouest (CERAO) and the Association of Episcopal Conferences of Anglophone West Africa (AECAWA), were organized according to the two common languages; English and French, spoken in the Region.

The Bishops set the pace of work for the united Association with the election of His Eminence, Peter Cardinal Turkson, Archbishop of Cape Coast, Ghana as President while His Eminence, Theodore Adrien Cardinal Sarr, Archbishop of Dakar, Senegal, was elected the Vice President.

Expressing their happiness at the formation of the uniting Body, the Bishops called the new association, the “new Pentecost" for West Africa, which will strive to maintain and foster relations between the constituent Episcopal Conferences and to establish close relations between the Episcopal conferences through their respective Secretariats. It will also serve as the coordinating agency for studies of common interest and for forms of collaboration within the constituent Episcopal conferences and with other bodies.

AECOWA will in addition serve as an organ of liaison for the Church of the region to address urgent matters like the proclamation of the Catholic faith, inter-religious dialogue, inculturation, justice, development and peace. It will have five commissions to enhance church work: Seminaries, Clergy and Religious; Justice, Peace and Development; Laity and Family Life; Inter-religious Dialogue; Catechetics and Social communications.

According to Most Rev. Dr. Martin Igwe Uzoukwu, the Catholic Bishop of Minna, Nigeria, the formation of one Regional Body is a ‘dream come true’ for the Bishops of the Region. He recalled that the Church, as the Body of Christ, supercedes language barriers to create unity, harmony, oneness and love among the brothers and sisters. He expressed optimism that the new Association will bring with it renewed vision, zeal and the unity expected of the members of the Church.

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Diaconate Ordination: New Year Gift for Minna Diocese

On Saturday 5th of January 2008, Most Rev. Dr. Martin Igwe Uzoukwu, Catholic Bishop of Minna, Niger State, Nigeria will present a special new Year gift to the Priests, Religious and Lay Faithful of the Catholic Diocese of Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. On that day, four young men will be ordained Deacons at St. Michael’s Cathedral, Bosso Road, Minna.

According to the Bishop, the ordination is a unique New Year gift for the People of God in Minna Diocese who have continued to yearn for more Priests in the Lord’s Vineyard. He made the promise to the People during the celebration of the Christmas Event in the Diocese. The Bishop reaffirmed the Pastoral Action Plan of the Diocese: Building the Local Church. He told the Faithful that one of the priorities of the Diocese is to have more Priests working in different parts of the Diocese, especially in the rural communities where more pastoral workers are needed urgently.

The candidates that will be ordained to the Diaconate are: Joseph Akor, Godwin Yari, Francis Ekere and Ezra Dauda. The following is a brief of the candidates:

AKOR JOSEPH LANKO
Joseph hails from Akpanya in Kogi State. Born in 1979, he lost his parents six years later and was adopted by the family of James Lanko, who are Nigerlites, hence the name Akor Joseph Lanko.

He started his primary education at Paiko and completed at Gwada, where he also had his secondary education. In answer to God’s call, he proceeded to Eruku in Ilorin, Kwara State in 1999 for the mandatory one year Spiritual Year Programme. In 2000 he was sent to St. Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary in Markurdi, Benue State for his philosophical studies. In 2003 he went to St. Augustine Major Seminary where he is at the final lap of his theological studies. His Parish in Minna Diocese is St Clement’s Parish Kuta.

GODWIN YARI
Godwin was born into the family of Mr and Mrs Yari Ribako on the 27th day of May 1977 in Kallah town of Kaduna State.

He had his primary school education at Army Children School Sokoto from 1984 to 1990 after which he proceeded to Government Secondary School Tureta in Sokoto State for his secondary education between 1991 and 1996. After prayerfully reflecting about his future and a career in life, being the only son of the family with four younger sisters, he opted for the priesthood. In 1999 he went to St. Peter the Apostle Seminary Eruku Kwara State for the Spiritual Year Programme. Later he proceeded to St. Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary Makurdi in Benue State where he bagged a Bachelor Degree in Philosophy from Urbanian University Rome. After the pastoral year programme between 2003 and 2004 he proceeded to Good Shepherd Seminary Kaduna for his theological studies, where he is currently being trained for the catholic priesthood. He is from St. John Vianney Parish Gawu Babangida.

EKERE FRANCIS
Ekere Francis was born on 16th March 1979 to the family of Mr and Mrs Augustine Ekere of Orhokpo in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State. He attended Central Primary School Izom from 1984 to 1989, after which he proceeded to Day Secondary School Sabon Gawu (now Gawu Babangida) between 1990 and 1995 where he obtained his Secondary School leaving Certificate.

He was admitted to the Seminary under the Catholic Diocese of Minna and went to the Seminary of St Peter the Apostle Eruku, Kwara State for the Spiritual Year Programme between 1998 and 1999. From there he went to St. Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary Makurdi between 1999 and 2002 where he obtained a diploma in philosophy from Benue State University Makurdi and a bachelor degree in philosophy from Urbanian University Rome. He is presently at St. Joseph Major Seminary Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State where he is pursuing a degree in theology. He is from St John-Vianney Parish Gawu-Babangida

EZRA DAUDA
Ezra was born at Shatako-Beji of Bosso Local Government of Niger State in the late 70s to the family of Mr. Dauda Makka Samari and Mrs Martina W Dauda. He attended central primary school Beji from 1984 to 1990 and Government Science College Kagara from 1991 to 1996.

He opted for the Priesthood and joined the Catholic Diocese of Minna. He was sent to thr Seminary in 1999 and at the moment he is undergoing his theological studies at Good Shepherd Major Seminary Kaduna.He is from SS Peter and Paul Beji Parish.

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AECOWA CONFERENCE: DECLARATION AND RESOLUTIONS OF THE JOINT CERAO AND AECAWA ASSEMBLY HELD IN ABUJA, NIGERIA, 5TH -9TH DECEMBER, 2007

1. INTRODUCTION:

We, the Catholic Bishops of CERAO (Conférence Episcopale Regionale de l'Afrique del'Ouest) & AECAWA (Association of Episcopal Conferences of Anglophone West Africa) meeting here in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, from 5th to 9th December 2007, looked carefully at the events in our sister Associations since the year 2000 AD, and hereby declare our unification of the two sister associations, made decisions that are binding on us and resolved to undertake more vigorously some important and urgent needs to help us move forward and quickly.

2. UNITY:
The two Sister Associations (CERAO & AECAWA) both in the same region, divided on linguistic basis, have worked hard with prayer, faith and hope toward this union. At the end of this Assembly (5th 9th December) we solemnly declare that we have merged and have united as one Episcopal Conference of West Africa. With this declaration, the two sister associations fuse into one.
We have adopted our statutes. It is a legally binding document for this new association. The adoption took place on Friday, 7th December, 2007.

With the adoption of our statutes, we elected our officers: Peter Cardinal Turkson, Archbishop of Cape Coast, Ghana, as President; Theodore-Adrian Cardinal Sarr, Archbishop of Dakar, Senegal, as Vice- President. We decided and adopted the Secretaries General of CERAO & AECAWA Fr. Barthélemy Adoukonou and Fr. William Avenya as Secretary & Assistant Secretary respectively.

Therefore, we resolve that the Secretariat of the two sister associations will be replaced by one Secretariat of this new association. Then, we shall run only one secretariat of this assembly, with its offices in Abuja. We further resolve to work more assiduously toward a successful implementation of this unification. We resolve to work for the attainment of this common goal with God's grace on our side because this union forms the base for all other decisions and activities.

3. OUR COMMISSIONS:

We resolve to strengthen all our commissions and help them to work more effectively. These include:

a. The Laity and Family:
We recommend a wider plan for the sensitization of our lay faithful toward a more knowledgeable laity equipped for active participation in the world in which they interact and work, especially in the areas of education and politics. We acknowledge the divine plan for humanity through the family which is the first school and the first church. In a special way, the Catholic family is extraordinarily important to us, because the various vocations of the church have their roots therein. Thus, we therefore resolve to deepen the formation of our catholic family through catechesis and evangelization.

b. The Justice, Development and Peace:
We recommend that we get more deeply involved in forming an environment in our region that can develop along the line of true justice which will guarantee genuine and lasting peace.

c. The Inter-Religious Dialogue & Ecumenism:
We commend our efforts in dialogue with non Christian Religions especially Islam and African Traditional religion. We highly commend our ecumenical engagements with non-catholic Christians in our region especially the Anglican Communion. We recommend that more intensive efforts across the entire region be embarked upon for greater collaboration. We hope to realize such a healthy religious relationship between Christians and Muslims as obtainable in Sierra Leone and Senegal for example. To attain this goal, inter-religious dialogue and ecumenism are indispensable.

d. The Clergy, Religious and Seminary:
Following our earlier recommendations in 2000 AD, some of which we are already implementing e.g. the training of our future priests in seminaries across the region, (English - speaking in French speaking areas and vice versa), we further recommend that our seminarians be engaged in the study of French, English, Portuguese and the local languages where the seminaries are sited. This will equip them for a missionary thrust with little or no language barrier. This will enhance mission ad intra as well as ad extra.

e. The Catechesis and Social Communications:
We hereby combine catechesis and social communications into one commission. For proper teaching of The Faith, the need for the use of instruments of social communications is a sine qua non. We therefore, recommend that we step up social communications in the region, especially with the help of internet and other instruments etc, which have reduced the entire world to a global village.
This, therefore, brings a total number of our commissions to five (5).

4. CONCLUSION:
With determination aimed at a pastoral and an organic solidarity as enunciated in Ecclesia in Africa (EIA), we firmly believe and pray for a successful implementation of the recommendations, decisions and resolutions which today we have all endorsed and adopted.

May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of evangelization, whose feast of Immaculate Conception we have celebrated (8th December, 2007) during this assembly intercede for us. Amen.

Signed:
His Eminence Peter Cardinal TURKSON,
(Metropolitan Archbishop of Cape Coast, Ghana, President)

At this meeting the following were elected as officers of our association:
* President: His Eminence Peter Cardinal TURKSON, Metropolitan Archbishop of Cape Coast, Ghana
* Vice President; his Eminence Theodore Adrien Cardinal SARR, Metropolitan Archbishop of Dakar, Senegal.

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Pope Berates Agencies Promoting Abortion in Africa
…Praises the African Concept of Marriage and Family

Recently the Catholic Pontiff, His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI addressed the Bishops of Kenya who came on their ad-limina visit to the Pope. He called on the Bishops and all people to reject the campaigns for abortion in Africa. He denounced agencies that promote abortion on the African continent, and encouraged the bishops of Kenya to defend life in all its phases.

He encouraged the Bishops to maintain the understanding of the family which is deeply identified with the Christian understanding of marriage and family life. He warned them not to allow the effects of the global culture influence the concept of the family in Africa. he said, "While the understanding of Christian family life finds a deep resonance in Africa," he said, "it is a matter of great concern that the globalized secular culture is exerting an increasing influence on local communities as a result of campaigns by agencies promoting abortion."

According to the Pope, the destruction of innocent life brought about by abortion can never be justified, no matter the difficult conditions some people may find themselves in. He revealed that abortion is totally wrong and should not be condoned. He said "When you preach the Gospel of Life, remind your people that the right to life of every innocent human being, born or unborn, is absolute and applies equally to all people with no exception whatsoever."

Benedict XVI said "the Catholic community must offer support to those women who may find it difficult to accept a child, above all when they are isolated from their family and friends.""Likewise, the community should be open to welcome back all who repent of having participated in the grave sin of abortion, and should guide them with pastoral charity to accept the grace of forgiveness, the need for penance, and the joy of entering once more into the new life of Christ," he said.

Meanwhile the Pope praised the concept of the marriage and family institution in Africa. He called it a precious treasure that must be guarded at all costs. He stressed that the ills besetting some parts of African society, such as promiscuity, polygamy and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, can be directly related to disordered notions of marriage and family life. He urged the Bishops to assist parents in teaching their children how to live out a Christian vision of marriage, conceived as an indissoluble union between one man and one woman.

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Abortion Is "Deep Wound," Says Pope

Abortion is not only a "deep wound" in society, it is also the antithesis of a human right, says Benedict XVI. According to the Catholic News Agency; ZENIT, the Pope delivered this message to the members of government and diplomatic corps in Austria, during an address in the reception hall of Vienna's Hofburg Palace, the seat of the Austrian presidency.

On the first day of the Holy Father's seventh international apostolic trip, he called for the defense of human rights: "The fundamental human right, the presupposition of every other right, is the right to life itself. "This is true of life from the moment of conception until its natural end. Abortion, consequently, cannot be a human right -- it is the very opposite."

"It is 'a deep wound in society,'" the Pontiff said, recalling a phrase often repeated by Cardinal Franz König, a former archbishop of Vienna who died in 2004. Benedict XVI continued: "In stating this, I am not expressing a specifically ecclesial concern. Rather, I am acting as advocate for a profoundly human need, speaking out on behalf of those unborn children who have no voice. "I do not close my eyes to the difficulties and the conflicts which many women are experiencing, and I realize that the credibility of what we say also depends on what the Church herself is doing to help women in trouble."

The Pope then appealed "to political leaders not to allow children to be considered as a form of illness, nor to abolish in practice your legal system's acknowledgment that abortion is wrong."

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