February 15, 2025
News Nigeria

COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE 16TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE ASSOCIATION OF PAPAL KNIGHTS AND MEDALISTS IN NIGERIA (APKMN), HELD AT THE EUCHARISTIC HEART OF JESUS (EHJ), DOMUS FIDEI, CENTRE, IKEJA, LAGOS, FROM THURSDAY, 14TH โ€“ SUNDAY 17TH NOVEMBER 2024

PREAMBLE:

Members of the Association of Papal Knights and Medalists in Nigeria (APKMN) met at the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, (EHJ) Domus Fidei Centre, Ikeja Lagos from 14th -17th November 2024, for the 16th Annual Conference of the Association. The Conference opened with a Holy Mass presided over by the Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos Province, His Grace Most Reverend Dr. Alfred Adewale Martins and concelebrated with Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, Secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelization, Vatican, His Lordship, Rt. Rev. Dr Francis Obafemi Adesina of the Catholic Diocese of Ijebu-Ode, and Very Rev Fr Michael Adegbola, the National Chaplain of the Association.

Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu delivered the Popeโ€™s Goodwill message and officially declared the Conference open.
The theme, Living an Authentic Catholic Life: Challenges and Opportunities in Nigeria, was prayerfully reflected and deliberated on.

PRAYER AND SYMPATHY
The Conference expressed gratitude to God for the gift of our Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Michael Francis Grotty, and pray God to grant him grace and wisdom for a fruitful mission in Nigeria. Heartfelt condolences were offered to the leadership of the Laity Council of Nigeria over the loss of their members in a ghastly motor accident recently, and with all Bishops and Dioceses whose clergy, consecrated persons and lay faithfuls were abducted, kidnapped and/or killed.
Conference also sympathised with the Bishop, Priests and Laity of Maiduguri Diocese, and the Government and people of Borno State on the recent flood disaster and prayed God t grant eternal rest to all who lost their lives in that disaster.

STATE OF THE NATION
Conference highlighted the tremendous anxiety and uncertainty in the country as Nigerians face the challenges of unemployment, inflation and insecurity due to bad governance, resulting high rate of crime among the youth, such as, fraud, money-making rituals, drug abuse and trafficking. Conference shared in the sorrow, pain and hardship of Nigerian, who continue to suffer marginalization, exploitation and economic deprivation.
Conference went on to observe that secularization and globalization has led to desacralization of our innate values and polarized us, thus exposing families to harsh wind of poverty, cynicism, capitalism, materialism, subjectivism, relativism, despair and thereby diminishing our witness value. The urgent need for re-orientation, ethical and moral re- evaluation among the people and government, were highlighted, along with the need to uphold the rule of law, stand united, and work for the common good.

RESOLUTIONS
Following the observation outlined above, Conference resolved to
I. Go back to the roots and basics of our faith to uphold our Catholic heritage, traditions, and practices;
II. Stand united with the Church to promote new evangelization;
III. Renew our commitment to the study and application to life of the Catholic Social Teachings and other documents of the Church;
IV. Promote catechetical, biblical and doctrinal formation of the lay faithful;
V. Safeguard and protect the lives of our children, teenagers and youths;
VI. Defend the sacredness and sanctity of life;
VII. Promote the dignity and value of the human person. Encourage equity and equality and to promote the course of justice;
VIII. Give witness in the secular order without discrimination to race, culture, class or religion by challenging structures that keep our citizens in perpetual penury and servitude;
IX. Collaborate with the Church to build genuine friendship, communion, and fellowship upon the foundation of mutual respect, love and authentic commitment, through strong faith in God, loyalty to the Church and the nation and courage in battles;
X. Nigeria is a Secular State as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and no attempt should be made to alter that arrangement;
XI. The Conference supports the position of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) condemning same sex union and Samoa agreement;
XII. We support the CBCN position on the proliferation of private ministries and liturgical aberration by some priests and lay faithful in our Church. We must ensure that Liturgy is celebrated according to the approved norms of the Church;
XIII. To engage the use of digital media and artificial Intelligence meaningfully and positively in evangelization and the promotion of the gospel, promotion of the human

dignity and freedom, and in the fight against inequality and injustice in the global community;
XIV. We stand with the CBCN Which condemns the Osu caste system that socially excludes, segregates, stigmatizes and dehumanizes human beings. We cannot remain neutral in the face of injustice
CONCLUSION
The conference appreciates the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, the Secretary of the Dicastery on Evangelization, the National Chaplain and Chaplains present, the two key presenters Rt. Rev. Msgr. Pius Kii; Dr Fabio Cassani, Pironti from the Vatican Secretariat of State for the honoring the invitation the enlighten us and Lagos province for hosting the 16th APKMN National Conference. May our Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Hope, continue to intercede for us.

Amen

Rt. Hon. Commander Steve Adehi(KCSS, SAN)
National President

Honorable RoseMary Azimi (PM) National Secretary

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