JOS, SEPTEMBER 12, 2017(CISA)-Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of the Catholic Archdiocese of Jos has called for religious tolerance among the country’s different religions and ethnic groups.
“There is, therefore, urgent need for forgiveness and reconciliation between ethnic groups, and religious communities; wounds need to heal and those groups feeling marginalised need to get the desired attention. The activities of armed herdsmen, which have ruptured the peace and harmony of the nation, must be halted,” Vatican Radio quoted Archbishop Kaigama as saying.
He said that tensions emanating from agitations by different groups were capable of distracting the nation from the path of peace and plunging it into chaos.
In his opening address at the start of the Nigerian Bishops’ second plenary meeting in Jalingo, Taraba state on September 11,he noted that Nigeria had come a long way towards ensuring religious unity and that must be upheld.
The Archbishop also announced that Nigeria would next month, October, be re-consecrated to Immaculate Heart of Mary during national Marian celebrations to be held in Benin City.
“We praise and thank God for the second plenary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria at this period which the Catholic Church in Nigeria has declared as a Marian Year in honour of the Centenary of the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Fatima, Portugal. We look forward to a national celebration in Benin City from October 12th to 14th during which we hope to re-consecrate our nation Nigeria to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, following the one done in 1954,” Archbishop Kaigama announced.
