By PJ Usanga, CSN Media
The Family and Human Life Unit (FHLU) of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) has called on diocesan coordinators and secretaries across the country to embrace greater creativity, commitment, and innovation in the discharge of their duties. The charge was delivered by the new Episcopal Secretary of the Unit, Rev. Sr. Cor Jesu Maria Ijeoma Eke, DMMM, during her first official address at the 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of diocesan Family and Human Life officers.
Addressing participants, Sr. Eke expressed profound gratitude to God and to the coordinators for their dedicated service to the Church, describing the gathering as an important moment for strengthening collaboration across dioceses. She noted that while some officers had served in the apostolate for many years and others were newly appointed, all shared a common responsibility to uphold the dignity and mission of the family in the Church and in society.
“In a sense, the family is everything. Without the family, nothing has meaning,” she said, urging participants to be intentional and forward-thinking in their pastoral engagements. She acknowledged that the unit is not financially buoyant, which often limits the pace of implementation, and therefore encouraged coordinators to adopt innovative approaches, maintain passion, and remain resilient despite challenges.
Sr. Eke unveiled her three-year action plan, which includes the Family Pledge Project, pursuit of provincial funding for future AGMs, children-safeguarding programmes, a collaborative IPV and SGBV project with the Ford Foundation, partnership with FIPCFA, the development of formation programmes for married couples, publication of resource materials, and the establishment of criteria for marriage instructors. While noting that some items are subject to review, she appealed for full cooperation from diocesan teams to ensure the success of these initiatives.
The meeting also featured a paper presentation titled “Family: A Haven of Hope” by Mrs. Henrietta Okechukwu, Head of the Counselling Unit at the National Human Rights Commission. In her presentation, she highlighted the role of the family as a sanctuary for emotional, spiritual, and social stability, and stressed the need to protect it from internal and external threats.
Participants also received a sensitisation session on Gender-Based Violence (GBV), delivered by Mr. Charles Aneni, Head of the Gender Desk at the Catholic Caritas Foundation of Nigeria (CCFN). The session culminated in the announcement of the establishment of GBV Technical Working Groups in 18 dioceses across the nine ecclesiastical provinces of Nigeria—an effort aimed at strengthening coordinated Church responses to GBV.
A solemn moment was observed during the AGM as participants held a minute’s silence in honour of the late Msgr. Jerome Madueke, Coordinator of Ekwulobia Diocese, who passed away on 29 July and was laid to rest on 2 September 2025.
After extensive deliberations, participants proposed “Family and the Civilisation of Love” as the theme for the 2026 Family and Human Life Week.