Greetings from Rome with best wishes to my fellow Nigerians as we celebrate our 63rd Independence Anniversary

Greetings from Rome with best wishes to my fellow Nigerians as we celebrate our 63rd Independence Anniversary. Let us continue to fervently pray for better times for all Nigerians; that our leaders will do all in their power to get our country from limping to walking straight, if possible, to be able to run and compete for the Olympic gold medal! With goodwill on the part of our political leaders, honesty and genuine patriotism on the part of all Nigerians, we shall make it. God has already blessed us, but He will bless us the more if we all make genuine efforts.

Bishops, Priests, Religious and Lay people representing their countries from all parts of the world are currently gathered in Rome for a Synod. Archbishop Lucius Ugorji (Owerri), Bishop Donatus Ogun (Uromi) and I are representing Nigeria.

The programme of the Synod started yesterday, 30th September, with an ecumenical service (present were world heads of other Churches) to entrust to the Holy Spirit the work of the first session of the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, 4-29 October, 2023. The second session will take place in October 2024.

All the participants are doing a three-day retreat, in preparation for the Synod which officially kicks off on the 4th of October, and will conclude on the 29th .

Please, join us in prayer for the Catholic Church, so that she will continue to be a great light and a sign of hope in our world faced with multidimensional challenges.