Catholic Parish celebrates Laity week with awards of 71 Parishioners

As Catholics celebrate Laity Week, the Sacred Heart Parish, Gwagwalada has awarded 71 parishioners who have been witnessing in many and various ways with their talents, time and financial resources.

Laity Week is an annual celebration in the Catholic church where the lay faithful come together to discuss the challenges of the Church and the way forward.

At Sacred Heart Parish Gwagwalada, Abuja on Sunday, the weeklong celebration climaxed with awards to select Parishioners on who have contributed in service to God. This is to encourage them and inspire more parishioners to remain committed to the service of God and humanity in their respective capacities.

Speaking on this year’s theme, “Resilience in Witnessing for Christ Amidst Socio-Economic and Security Challenges”, the Parish Priest of the Sacred Heart Parish Gwagwalada, Rev. Fr. Clement Igyeseh said it became necessary because of the challenges the country is facing at the moment – the national power grid, ASUU strike, Fuel scarcity among others.

He encouraged Christians to remain resilient in service to God, especially those in the Northeast and other challenge-prone areas, adding that the challenges the country is facing won’t last forever. “Witnessing in this situation is to tell people that the situation of man will not always remain the same and no matter how long it takes, we believe that we will come out of these economic challenges.

“As Christians, challenges will always be there, persecutions will always be there. Take away persecution, and we cannot witness to our faith.

“Even when persecutions come, we take advantage of them and preach the word of God to them. Our brothers in the Northeast, who have found themselves in unpleasant situations, in captivity, that is where God has called you and he expects you to share the word in the situation. It was when Paul and Silas were in the prison that they praised God and the walls of the prison came down; when Daniel was in the lions’ den, he praised God, so wherever you find yourself, reach the word of God, ” the priest said.

Also speaking, the Parish President of the Laity Council, Sacred Heart Parish Gwagwalada, Joseph shiiwua said, “Speaking about the challenges of Christians generally, we are members of the circular world; we live in the world even though the scripture told us that we are not of the world, we live in the world. So whatever affects the world, affects us and by extension, our relationships and level of commitment to God.

“This is why we find this as an important avenue to discuss it, to find suitable ways through which we can navigate these tough challenges and remain faithful to our God.

For possible solutions to the daunting challenges, Shiiwua said that Christians have to participate in the affairs of government and politics by voting who they think is fit for the job that will benefit both Christians and non-Christians.

He added that by mounting pressure on government institutions and praying for Nigeria, the situation will change.