Nigerian bishop in Muslim-majority region says being ‘creative minority’ is key to diocese’s mission

KIGALI, Rwanda — The pioneer bishop of Nigeria’s Diocese of Katsina said the young diocese is building its future around the vision of becoming a “creative minority,” seeking to transform society through education, faith formation, interreligious dialogue, and witness rather than being discouraged by its small Catholic population.

Speaking to ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, at the Aug. 3–8 SIGNIS World Congress in Kigali, Rwanda, Bishop Gerald Mamman Musa said the diocese, erected in October 2023, has chosen to focus on its mission instead of dwelling on the challenges Christians in northwestern Nigeria are facing.

“Even though Katsina has a small population of Christians or Catholics, we want to be a creative minority,” Musa said, explaining that Catholics should resist defining themselves by their numerical weakness or the hardships they face.

“Sometimes we can be lamenting about the fact that we are very few. We can be lamenting about the fact that we are oppressed, persecuted, or discriminated against. We must not focus on all those negatives,” he said.

Instead, he urged Catholics to ask, “What can we do in this society? How can we, few as we are, change society positively?” adding that the concept of a creative minority is rooted in investing in people through education and formation so they can become agents of transformation.

Illustrating that vision, Musa, who serves as the president of the Commission for Social Communications of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), cited a Sudanese proverb on the role of parents.

“The role of parents is to give children two things: to give them roots and to give them wings. Roots to know where they are coming from, to know their faith, to know their values, and then wings to empower them to be role models within the society,” the bishop said.

Musa, who was consecrated a bishop in December 2023, said that laying a solid foundation has been the dioceseʼs immediate priority since its creation. He recalled that the diocese adopted a 10-year strategic plan during its first general assembly to guide its pastoral mission.

“Our main task is to set the foundation. Setting the foundation, what I consider paramount and probably the greatest need of the diocese, is concentrating on children and youth,” the bishop told ACI Africa.

Education, he added, remains central to that vision, particularly for children who cannot afford schooling.

“We have a responsibility to send more children to school, especially those who are not able to afford education. My biggest pastoral need now is to set up a secondary school for girls, where they can get a very good faith formation,” Musa said.

He also underscored the role of communication in presenting a fuller picture of life in Katsina, where public attention is often dominated by reports of insecurity.

“Our communication department has been in touch with ACI Africa. We send news from time to time. But something very interesting about the news we send is that the communication department is focusing on constructive news, if you may call it positive news, good news that is coming from that side,” he said.

While acknowledging the reality of banditry, killings, kidnappings, and displacement in Katsina state, Musa said these challenges should not eclipse the signs of hope emerging in the diocese.

“We acknowledge all these things are happening, and we are in a very difficult time in Katsina. But on the other side, we want to emphasize that in the midst of all this darkness, God is at work in Katsina Diocese,” he said, citing baptisms, confirmations, the Church’s educational initiatives, and other expressions of the diocese’s pastoral mission.

As part of its pastoral strategy, the diocese is also strengthening relationships across religious communities.

“We are making an effort to develop interreligious dialogue between Christians and Muslims and between Catholics and other Christians within the diocese,” the bishop said.

He also expressed optimism about the growth of priestly vocations in the young diocese.

While the Katsina Diocese continues to rely on support from neighboring dioceses because of a shortage of clergy, the number of seminarians has nearly doubled since its establishment.

“The good news is that while we inherited 21 seminarians, today we have close to 40 seminarians,” he said. “This is impressive, and that tells us that our Church has great potential. We are looking forward to a Church that is not only self-sufficient but also a Church that will be willing to give out priests to help others.”

Musa went on to encourage the people of God entrusted to his pastoral care to remain hopeful despite their limited numbers and resources.

“The message of hope that I have for my people in the Diocese of Katsina is that we are few in number. We have very few resources, but we must always remember that little is much when God is in it,” he told ACI Africa at the congress.

Held under the theme, “Digital Communication for Cultural Harmony and Environmental Well-Being,” the six-day SIGNIS World Congress concluded on Saturday. Organized every four years, it “provides a platform for participants to engage in substantive discussions, exchange ideas, and contemplate the future trajectory of media and communication,” according to a SIGNIS report.

This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

Source: https://www.ewtnnews.com/world/africa/nigerian-bishop-in-muslim-majority-region-says-being-creative-minority-is-key-to-diocese-s