By Fr. Michael Nsikak Umoh, CSN
At the Holy Mass on the first day of the plenary of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Saturday 17, 2024, the Chief Celebrant and homilist, Most Rev. Anthony Adaji, MSP, called on his brother-bishops to pay special attention to their prophetic duty of speaking up for the poor and marginalized in the society.
The Bishop of Idah made this point against the backdrop of the prevailing hardship in the country, where according to him, the level of poverty has become so excruciating such that even a loaf of bread has gone out of the reach of majority of Nigerians.
“As pastors and shepherds of souls, we have a crucial duty of advocacy. Many of our people are suffering. Even a loaf of bread has become an essential commodity beyond the reach of many families. Many children are dropping out of schools because parents cannot afford their fees. Students in school cannot feed because even indomie is no longer for the poor”
The prelate also lamented how otherwise simple diseases are ravaging and snuffing life out of the people due to the current high cost of medicines and the embarrassing poverty besieging Nigerians.
“People are dying of simple tropical sickness like malaria and typhoid because they cannot afford simple medication for malaria and antibiotics.”
Bishop Adaji argued that the hope of the oppressed and marginalized in the country lies with the pastors, especially the bishops. As such they must rise up to the duty and not fail the people.
“There will be no way for the poor of this country, if our advocacy fails to raise the public consciousness towards social justice. … The poor are living with little or no hope of a better living, the poor need to have a breathing space in this erratic economy, adjustment of lifestyle is the way forward.
“Priests must adjust, Bishops must adjust, politicians must be called to adjust their lifestyle, no one should be spared; so that the poor will have a breathing space. And as a Church, we should not fail to create breathing space for the poor in our respective areas of pastoral jurisdiction.”
The Homilist prayed that since the bishops are reflecting on the import of the Synod on Synodality at the plenary, the grace of the Lenten season may grant them the underlying strength to listen to the yearning, burden and aspiration of the poor with renewed determination as a veritable pastoral approach; so that they can create communion, participation and mission in our local church.
