‘Increase your giving when blessings Increase, rather than your style of living,’ Bishop Dugu to Dr Ukel at 50

In his homily at the Thanksgiving Mass of Dr. Godwin Undie Ukel’s golden jubilee birthday, the Catholic Bishop of Katsina-Ala Diocese, Most Rev. Isaac Dugu, charged christians to increase in giving to others when God’s blessings in their life increases, rather than embarking on ostentatious lifestyle.

 “When God increases his blessings in our lives, we should not take pride in increasing our living, but we should be more eager to increase our attitude to giving. The magnitude of our blessings, wealth and prosperity is not found in the enormity of our earthly possessions but in the number of lives we have impacted positively.”

Bishop Dugu who was the Chief Celebrant at the Mass held at the St. Gabriel Chaplaincy, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), on Saturday, November 2nd, 2023, admonished that at the vantage age of 50, Dr. Ukel should begin to see tribulations and victories, loving and losing, bad and good, as what makes a human being fully alive. He also urged him to focus more on the things of the spirit, like regular attendance at morning Masses, daily reflections and personal devotion especially as he attains the significant age of 50.

Reflecting on the readings at the Mass, Bishop Dugu explained that the virtues of kindness, meekness, patience, humility, forbearance and forgiveness as listed in St. Paul’s letter to the Colossians, are the hallmark of the virtues of Dr. Ukel.

The local ordinary of Katsina-Ala Diocese who until his cannonical elevation to the Episcopal state, was the Director of Pastoral Agents of the CSN, where Dr. Ukel is currently serving as the Head of Internal Audit, further disclosed that the Catholic Secretariat has made him and Dr. Ukel, what they are today.

In a significant development, the Holy Father, Pope Francis in his goodwill message to the golden jubilarian, read during the Mass, imparted his apostolic blessings on Dr. Ukel as he turns 50.