From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
The Kaduna Archdiocese of All Saints Igala Catholic Community of Nigeria (ASICCON) has advised its members to undergo regular medical checkups to avoid complications and mortality.
Speaking on the occasion of the 2022 Feast of All Saints celebration, Chairman ASICCON Kaduna Archdiocese, Mr Simon Idakwo noted that health challenges have hit many of its members due to old age, and accompanying socio-economic hardship in the country.
He said, “As a community also, there are challenges. The health challenges are militating against our members and members are encouraged to go for regular check-ups to avoid complications and mortality.
“Another noticeable challenge is Age. A lot of the members are ageing. Economic hardship and insecurity are all challenges. We should keep praying so that there will be peace in our state and country.
“Our youths are encouraged to be passionate in the activities of All Saints so that they can take over from their ageing parents”.
Mr. Idakwo also spoke about the essence of the celebration, “The feast of All Saints is a yearly festival celebrated by Christians all over the world to recognize the connectedness of the Militant Church with the Triumphant Church and to pray for the suffering Church i.e our brothers and sisters in the Purgatory.
“In the year 609AD, Pope Boniface IV celebrated the feast on 13th May when he dedicated the temple in Pantheon as a Church to the Virgin Mary and All saints.
“This gave rise to All Saints day but in the next century, this date was moved to 1st November by Pope Gregory III in order to coincide with many pagan holidays so that at the interface, Christians would be able to convert pagans.
“In the archdiocese of Kaduna, the celebration of this festival among the Igala Catholics is sacrosanct because it marks the birthday of the present ASICCON which is the umbrella of Igala Catholic faithful in Diaspora.
‘Since then, our contributions to the Catholic activities in Kaduna Archdiocese and beyond can never be overemphasized as we have encouraged our children to go to seminary and convents.
“Many of them are Catholic Priests and Rev. Sisters today in Kaduna Archdiocese. There are many more that will be ordained in no distant time. May God keep our lives to witness these ordinations.
“Our little contributions to the home diocese for the same course have not ceased. May God continue to reward our efforts.
“As a people of God, we are reminded to be united and steadfast in prayers for ourselves, our state and our country so that during the next year’s elections, God will give us credible leaders that would be sensitive to the plights of our people.
“As obedient citizens of our country, we should obey simple instructions by obtaining our voters’ cards and use them wisely to elect candidates of our choice.
“We should avoid selling our cards for peanuts as this will land us in big trouble for the next four (4) years. We shall never fail in Jesus’ name”.