Apo: Imo/Abia Catholic faithful celebrate patron’s feast Day

By Ochiaka Ugwu

Catholic faithful from Imo and Abia States of Saint Charles Lwanga Parish, Apo under the platform of Saint Dominic Catholic Community celebrated their Patron’s feast day and cultural dance presentation, yesterday in Abuja.
Chairman of the community, Mazi Ugonna Onunkwo while briefing the press said the celebration was to commemorate their patron saint, Dominic which is being done every August 8, saying they have marked it on 8, but had to do the region celebration on Sunday.
Speaking on the importance of the occasion, Maazi Onunkwo said the event was organized to raise money for the church building project which he said the community has contributed immensely to see that the project is progressing.
He said that since 2013, when the community came into being, it has became their ritual to always hunt for money every year to help in church project, informing that their provision of door to the church had awakened other communities to do similar things for the growth of the parish.
A member of the community, Mrs. Tina Ndupu noted that apart from fund raising, there will be an outing ceremony for women group dance which she said will also be used to support the parish.
Speaking earlier in a homily, a visiting priest from Owerri Catholic Archdiocese, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Duru used the opportunity to admonish parishioners on the need to live Christ like life by always upholding the virtues of Christianity which is based on love.
Duru who delivered his sermon in Igbo language stressed the need to worship God in spirit and in truth and to forgive brethren giving the fact that brotherly anger doesn’t reach the heart.
He tasked the Community to revive Igbo language instead of allowing it to die a natural death by teaching their children how to write, sing and talk in Igbo.
The highpoint of the event was the outing of women dancing group. Their beautiful costumes and performance excited all and sundry.