PRAYER VS. CHARITY
By Fr. Henry Charles Umelechi There’s something that summarizes Christianity and that is “Caritas,” which is love or charity. When you look at the life of Jesus, you would see that each of his actions is governed by charity which is love of God and love of neighbor. In various instances, Jesus demonstrated this: The Parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–35). The woman caught in adultery (John 7:53–8:11). The story of Zaccheus (Luke 19:1–10) The multiplication of loaves and fishes (Mt 14:13-21; Mk 6:30-44; Lk 9:10-17 and Jn 6:1-15). The rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) The rich man who sought perfection (Matt 19:16–30, Mark 10:17-13; Luke 18:18–30) The raising of Lazarus(John 11: 1-44) The greatest commandment (Matt 22:36–40) And what have you? In all these instances, one common denominator is the “acknowledgement of the concept of the ‘other’” which Jesus Christ called “the love of neighbor.” The beloved…
The List of the Current Catholic Dioceses in Nigeria and their dates of creation/erection.
List of the Current Catholic Dioceses in Nigeria and their dates of creation/erection. By Fr. Henry Charles Umelechi (18 October, 2023) Each Catholic Metropolitan province contains an Archdiocese and suffragan diocese(s). An archdiocese is referred to as a metropolitan see or the “head” diocese of an ecclesiastical province: the “primus inter pares,” the first among the dioceses in a province. For example, the Archdiocese of Onitsha is the Metropolitan See for the Province of Onitsha, which includes Archdiocese of Onitsha itself and the suffragan dioceses of Abakaliki, Aguleri , Awgu, Awka, Ekwulobia and other three dioceses. The suffragan dioceses are those dioceses under the leadership of the Archdiocese. Currently, there are 60 Catholic dioceses in Nigeria which includes one eparchy, in 9 Ecclesiastical provinces with 9 Metropolitan Archdioceses: ✓Metropolitan Archdiocese of Abuja(8) Historical Details: Erected as an Independent Mission: 6 November 1981 Elevated to a Diocese: 19 June 1989 Elevated…
The Titanic Priests: The 3 Heroic Priests Aboard the Titanic Who Died Saving the Lives & Souls of Passengers.
By Jacqueline Burkepile, as edited by Fr. Henry Charles Umelechi These three priests were Fr. Thomas Byles (age 42) of England, Fr. Josef Benedikt Peruschitz, O.S.B. (age 41) of Bavaria, and Fr. Juozas Montvila (age 27) of Lithuania. Each of the priests died on the ship, and none of the bodies were recovered. The priests chose to minister to passengers on the ship rather than choosing a lifeboat to save their own lives. On the website dedicated to Fr. Thomas Byles, survivors explained their experiences with the priest on the ship. Pope St. Pius X even described Fr. Byles as a “martyr” for the faith. Here’s what one survivor said she witnessed as the ship sank: “When the crash came we were thrown from our berths… Slightly dressed, we prepared to find out what had happened. We saw before us, coming down the passageway, with his hand uplifted, Father Byles.…