REPORTER: OBY ARINZE
Members of the Association of Papal Knights and Medalists in Nigeria (APKMN) have been challenged to deepen their lives of holiness by prioritizing the good of others through selfless service.
The Catholic Archbishop of Onitsha and Metropolitan of the Onitsha Ecclesiastical Province, the Most Reverend Valerian Okeke stated this during a Holy Mass to mark the 17th National Conference of Papal Knights and Medalists in Nigeria held at the Madonna Renewal Centre, Nkpor, Onitsha, Anambra State.
The Most Reverend Okeke exhorted members to develop the spiritual sensitivity needed to recognize and appreciate the good in others rather than becoming preoccupied with their own achievements.
According to the Archbishop, christians must consistently cultivate a mindset focused on the welfare of their neighbours and inspiring hope in society.
While declaring the conference open with the topic “Faith, Hope, and Charity as Virtues,” Archbishop Okeke described virtue as fundamental to human existence, stressing that the theological virtues faith, hope, and charity were supernatural gifts from God that perfect the human person and elevate society.
The Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, the Most Reverend Paulinus Ezeokafor, who was the guest speaker, maintained that belonging to secret societies was incompatible with christian faith while emphasizing that christianity was rooted in truth, transparency, and the light of the Gospel values that cannot coexist with secrecy or occult practices.
According to Bishop Ezeokafor, when faith and love flourish within families, their influence naturally radiates outward into society.
The National President of Association of Papal Knighthood and Medalists of Nigeria, Mr Steve Adehi ( SAN ), said the conference was organized to rekindle the faith and hope of christians, especially in the face of the country’s current socio-economic challenges.
Mr Adehi urged the government to address the widening gap between official claims of improvement and the daily realities experienced by ordinary Nigerians.
The President of the Onitsha Province of APKMN, Mr Peter Anazodo, described the conference as a platform for deep spiritual and moral renewal among members, aimed at strengthening their commitment to God and humanity.
Similarly, a Lecturer at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Professor Augustine Nnonyelu and a member of the Papal Knights, described the gathering as a form of total evangelization for positive change, while
explaining that the vision was to spread the work of faith, hope, and charity across the entire nation.
Correspondent Oby Arinze reports that the the theme of the conference was, “hope, faith, and charity in contemporary society”.
