By Staff Reporter
The investiture and thanksgiving ceremony of Ambassador Martin and Dr Mrs Perpetual Uhonmoibhi, native of Ewatto kingdom, honoured by Pope Francis as Papal Knights took place at St Anthony Parish, Ewatto, of Uromi Diocese on November 19, 2016. The investiture ceremony was done by Bishop Ogun – Bishop of Uromi Diocese in the presence of Archbishop Akubeze, who presided over the Mass of thanksgiving, Bishop Umoren – the Auxiliary Bishop of Abuja, a host of Priests and Consecrated Persons from within and outside of Uromi diocese, and the entire Ewatto Community, led by the Kind, HRH – Zaiki Ikhumen I.
In his homily, Bishop Ogun said:
“There are various grades of knighthood in. In some cases persons apply to become knight. In other cases the knights see outstanding and good parishioners in the parish and invite them to join the Order. In other cases still, the church (the Bishop) following special recommendation from priests presents a person to the Holy Father for special recognition. This is the papal knighthood, granted by the Pope himself. This case is based not primarily on financial contribution but on the outstanding use of talent in civil position/opportunity to project and propagate the Church and especially the Catholic faith. This certainly calls to mind persons who are not proud enough to defend their Catholic faith and the kingdom of God because of social, political or economic interest. It is like selling our faith for a pot of pottage or thirty silver pieces. Catholics of convenience. We notice that Muslims brethren are not ashamed to pray publicly but many Catholics cannot defend their faith or are ashamed to be asked, “are you a Catholic? because of compromises and for the fact that even non Catholics know obligations and demands of the Catholic faith, which, are more liberating than enslaving when lived with the freedom of the children of God. After all that is what baptism does, it set us free to live as the children of God. To become a papal knight essentially depends on how much of yourself you can invest or sacrifice for the
sake of the kingdom of God. The words of Jesus Christ are strong, “if you deny me before men I will disown you before my Father in heaven”. Disowning involves not standing up to be counted as a Christian when the occasion demands it especially in this age of extreme relativism, (goodness depends on how I feel). We deny /disown God when we make purely selfish choices. The church has only one choice to make always : ‘what God wants'”.
Bishop Ogun ended by appreciating Ambassador and Mrs Uhonmoibhi for the selfless use of their office to promote relation between the Church and State through the years.
High – points of the event was the investiture of Amb. and Mrs Uhonmoibhi by Bishop Ogun, and the thanksgiving procession to the sanctuary in appreciation to God.
Today though we thank Ambassador for the selfless use of his office to promote relation between Church and State through the years.
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