CBCN commends action, calls for charity among Christians.
By DADA AYOKHAI
The Knights of St. John International and Ladies Auxiliary (KSJI) Nigeria, KSJI had donated the sum of eight million Naira (N8,000,000.00) to ameliorate the plights of those affected by flood across the country.
The Beneficiaries of the donation include the following Dioceses; Idah Diocese; Markurdi Diocese; Lokoja Diocese; Auchi Diocese, Bomadi Diocese; Warri Diocese, Onitsha Archdiocese, and Owerri Archdiocese.
The National President of Knights of Saint John International Nigeria, Major Gen (Professor) Remy Uche revealed that this token donation is aimed at supporting the rehabilitation efforts of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) of catholic institutions affected by the ravaging flood in the country.
According to the KSJI National President, the earlier donated 6 million was top with additional two million Naira (N2,000,000) bringing it to a cumulative eight million Naira (N8,000,000) considering the enormity of the crisis,.
Maj. Gen Remy Uche explained that Knights and Ladies of St. John International are devoted to acts of charity, both for the church and within the Order.
According to the KSJI President, “The act of charity exist not only in the love for God, but also extends to the love of our neighbour. This act of charity is what we stand for as an Order and are happy to extend our hands of support to those affected by this flood. Through this gesture, we believe, we would have assisted families and children in need but also to follow them over time. The message we carry forward is that ours is a real commitment, which never ends, with the certainty that even small gestures can really be a support for those in difficulty or in moments of fragility.”
Responding, Most Rev. Dr. Lucius Ugorji, Catholic Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province, thanked the Knights for their show of charity to the affected people and Catholic institutions.
Archbishop Ugorji, who is also the Chairman, Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) explained that our lives as Christians will only be meaningful when we imbibe the spirit of charity, love and share what we have with the less privileged ones. He further said that what KSJI has done is not only an act of charity, but also, evangelization and the beneficiaries will know that they belong somewhere.
“Interestingly, this charity is happening on the feast of All Saints Day. As Christians, we have important roles to play towards making the society beautiful and a better place for all. Jesus teaches us to love others as we love ourselves; He urged us to always give so that we can also receive. I charge all true Christians to learn to show love because life is meaningless without sharing,’’ he said.
The 2022 flood, which is believed to be the worst that Nigeria had experienced in decades, have created enormous humanitarian crises in the affected states – Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta, Edo, Kogi, Lagos, Kano, Imo, Adamawa, Jigawa, Benue, and Borno, negatively impacting farmlands, institutions (schools, churches) and compounding the economic challenges in the affected states.
KSJI is a family apostolate charged with the defense of the Roman Catholic faith and came to Nigeria in 1976. It has a membership of over 18,000 Knights and their Ladies in Nigeria. The Order exists in the USA, England, Germany, Canada, Trinidad and Tobago, as well as in other African countries like, Kenya, Ghana, Togo, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
