Clerics Stress Need For Abroad Indigenes To Participation In Their Country Home Affairs..As St Michael’s Parish Uga Marks Harvest, Bazaar

By Julie Sylvia, Onitsha

The Parish Priest of St Michael’s Parish, Umueze Uga, Aguata LGA Rev.Fr Longinus Egbonu and Rv Fr. Emmanuel Mary Ugbaja from St Joseph Umunnachi, Onitsha Archdiocese, have stressed the need for people in abroad to always participate in the affairs of their country homes.

The clerics expressed this at Uga Town Hall Fegge Onitsha, during the annual harvest and bazaar thanksgiving of St Michael’s Parish Uga, Onitsha Branch.

Speaking, Fr.Egbonu who came from St Michael’s Uga, to felicitate with his parishioners here in Onitsha, expressed satisfaction that he was invited to the event, noting that it is something to be emulated despite being abroad member, they still think of their hometown, the progress and development of their homeland parish.

” I came from Uga town to bring the blessings from their father’s land to them, some people who reside in abroad do forget that they started from somewhere, they forget that city is not their place, that you cannot cultivate flowers on another person’s house.

“I don’t advise them not to build the house of God in their different bases, but let them remember their hometowns, to belong fully in both places, abroad and hometowns. Their last bus stop must be the place they come from, i pray for more progress on whatever they lay their hands upon, as they work in the God’s vineyard.

Rev Fr Ugbaja while commending them, disclosed that it is a take home for him which he would teach his parishioners, saying that those living abroad do not know the need to support their village parishes, and prayed that their pockets will be replenished.

Their invitation of their village parish priest showed that there is cordial relationship between them and their village parish priest.

Rev Fr.Ugbajah,who is the officiating priest, cited the first, second and the gospel readings from the book of wisdom 7:7-11, Hebrew 4:12-13 and Mark 10:17-30 .

In his homily with the theme“”Seek first the kingdom of God,” said that “Atimes, we ask for many things, but the man we read in the Bible who saw Jesus and asked him what he would do to make the kingdom of God, to have eternal life”, We can see that in the life of this man, he was wealthy but his pressing need was to have eternal life.

“Then our catechism asked us why did God created us, God created us to know Him, love Him, praise Him in this world and to be happy with Him, live with Him in heaven., and the Bible asked us what shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul.

” Hebrew 4, we should pray for the wisdom of God to know the right thing to do, if we add wisdom to the word of God which we hear everyday, it would help us.

“Jesus Christ in the gospel told us about the detachment in material possessions, not to pursue the things of this world with our whole heart as if they are end in themselves but they are means to an end.

He advised our leaders to pray for God’s wisdom, saying that one of our problems is selfish interest of our leaders, as they forget about those they lead, and prayed for God’s wisdom on them to know the truth.

“The things of the world is vanity, let them use the national resources to work for the good of the humanity, to serve others, have wisdom to discern what is good, wisdom to do good in all the offices they see themselves, to know that they are called to be servants to humanity not for their selfish interest,” he stated.

Nze Ejikeme Donatus, Akaekpuchionwa, the Chairman, St Michael’s Parish Umueze Uga, Onitsha Branch said that the thanksgiving harvest and bazaar which is an annual event was successful.

According to him” I was disappointed on one side, all the invited people that supposed to be present didn’t come and on the other side I’m happy because the unprecedented happened, there were enough items from offering, and all were sold very well, I pray God to bless them all”.

Mr Evaristus Ejezie, the Chairman 2024 thanksgiving harvest and bazaar expressed appreciation on all that attended the event that made it successful and prayed that God would keep on blessing them abundantly in all their endeavors.