By CSN Media
The Auxiliary Bishop of Minna, Most Rev. Sylvester Gopep, emphasized that love, service, and salvation are the foundation of work in the Catholic Church. “The foundation of work in the Catholic Church is love, service, and salvation,” Bishop Gopep stressed. He further noted that “prayer and work, to pray is to work and to work is to pray,” emphasizing the interconnectedness of prayer and work.
Bishop Gopep made this assertion in his presentation at the ongoing 2025 beginning of the year Retreat for Staff of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) and agencies of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), holding at the CSN premises in Abuja.
The Prelate who is the retreat moderator, explained that every Christian is called to serve in imitation of Christ, who came to serve and not to be served. “When I engage in work, I am privileged to render service to people, humanity, and community,” he said. “Jesus understood this vision in his time by rendering service to humanity. Jesus rendered this service out of love.”
The Bishop challenged the staff to examine their motivations for serving, asking “How are you rendering your service?…is it out of love or compulsion?” He emphasized that “Christian service is a reflection of God working through us. Our service then, should flow out of a heart-centered spirituality.”
The retreat moderator cautioned against viewing work solely as a means of earning a living, instead emphasizing the dignity of labor and the importance of embracing work with a sense of responsibility. “Work should be seen as a means of rendering service to God and telling the world that we’re disciples of God and not necessarily a means of putting food on our table,” he emphasized.
Bishop Gopep who also the Episcopal Chairman of Family and Human Life Unit, stressed that love is the guiding principle of our service, and that our salvation is tied to our work on earth. “God will judge us based on our work on earth,” he noted. “Your salvation is tied to where you work. God himself invented work in the garden of Eden.”
The Bishop further emphasized the importance of seeing Christ in every person, including our colleagues at work. “If we neglect our neighbors and service from the community, we’re turning away from Christ,” he said. “Love for our colleagues at work, is like a fuel that feeds our relationship with Jesus.”
The 2025 annual retreat, which will conclude on January 8, 2025, features talks, question-and-answer sessions, discussions, Eucharistic adoration, and Holy Mass. The event provides a platform for staff to deepen their faith, foster a sense of community, and enhance their overall well-being.
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