Lectors of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja joined their counterparts nationwide to mark this year’s Feast of St. Jerome, the Patron Saint of Catholic Lectors Association of Nigeria (CLAN), in grand style.
The annual Feast with the theme: “Be still and know that I am God, Psalm 46:10” commenced with a 9-day Novena which started from 21st to 29th September 2022 in all Parishes in the nation’s capital with various prayer intentions, recitation of the Holy Rosary, intercessory prayers, Bible reflections, talks, booking of Masses and active participation in daily Masses.
After the conclusion of the Novena, the President of Abuja Archdiocesan Catholic Lectors Association of Nigeria (CLAN), Bro. Ally Agakwu (KSM) led his members on a charity visit to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Camp Wassa in the suburb of Abuja to donate a brand new 2.5KVA electricity generating set and present some basic items like toiletries, food, clothing, as well as rendering other humanitarian services in the area of tailoring, barbing, financial supports and medical services.
The joy in the faces of the about 6,000 (IDPs) in the Camp which is made up of men, women and children, who are more in numbers, knew no bounds. This is particularly so because they depended mainly on goodwill from religious groups such as CLAN, NGOs and other philanthropic individuals for survival.
While appreciating CLAN Abuja for the visit and support, the IDPs appeal to the government and security agents to restore peace in their hometown to enable them return to their ancestral home to continue with their farming which have been hampered by the nefarious activities of the Boko Haram sects.
The Programme was rounded up with a thanksgiving Mass on Sunday 2nd October, 2022 at Our Lady of Fatima Sheda/Kwali Abuja, the Parish of the Chaplain of CLAN, Rev. Fr. Thomas Edogbanya, with the Lectors from the 8 deaneries in the Archdiocese turning out en-masse and dressed in the colourful uniform of the Group as they danced joyfully to the Altar in thanksgiving and appreciation to God.
In his homily, Fr. Edogbanya thanked the Archdiocesan President and members for the humongous and important role they played in the liturgy and urge them to keep up the good work even as he admonished them to emulate the virtue of St. Jerome who diligently studied the scripture and used his knowledge of it to defend the perpetual virginity of Virgin Mother Mary in his famous book Perpetual Virginity of the Virgin Mother Mary, against the heresy of one Helvidus, who maintained that Mary had other children with Joseph, after the birth of Jesus. Fr. Edogbanya thereafter, incensed the prayer intentions and burnt them while praying to God to grant the prayers and petitions through Christ our Lord, Amen.
Speaking further on this year’s Feast, the President, Bro. Ally Agakwu, expressed gratitude to God for sparing the lives of his members to witness this year’s edition and appreciated the Chaplain, the planning Committee and everyone who contributed towards the success of the event.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Planning Committee, Bro. Dominic Afenson who is full of elation, thanked the executive for the rare privilege and honour given to him and his hardworking Committee members to execute this year’s Feast which he noted was a daunting task but with God’s intervention and overwhelming supports by the members they were able to navigate through the rocky paths hence the flawless execution.
The year 2022 Feast of St. Jerome has come and gone but the memories will linger even as testimonies from the Feast will continue to overflow with the intercession of St. Jerome.
