ABUJA OCTOBER 21, 2015 (CISA) – About 250 delegates representing all the Catholic dioceses in Nigeria attended this year’s third National Mission Congress held in Abuja.
The Mass was celebrated by Cardinal John Onaiyekan of the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja at Our Lady Queen of Nigeria Pro-Cathedral, Garki.
He urged the delegates to show self conviction and commitment in the apostolate to spread the good news of Christ.
“Spreading the Good News of Christ begins with self-conviction and conversion of those involved in the apostolate. There was a time when mission was understood as going far away to go and save souls that were dropping into hell every morning, every minute,” said the Cardinal.
People left their nations and travelled dangerous seas far away to go and rescue pagans from hell. Today, the objective namely to go and save, to share the salvation of Christ with people is still valid but the only difference is that we don’t have to go far. Our theology of heaven and hell is also a little bit modified,” he added.
The congress was on the theme ‘Together on Mission … The Church Goes Forth.’
Going down the memory lane to the advent of Catholicism in the country, the Cardinal pointed out that mission in the present day is a little different from what it was when the missionaries first arrived in the country.
“There are different dimensions of missionary task, starting with each and every one of us being missionaries to ourselves,” he added.
The sessions and other activities took place at the Daughters of Divine Love Retreat and Conference Centre (DRACC), Lugbe, and the closing Mass at the Holy Family Catholic Church, Life Camp, Abuja.
