Catholic missionaries in Nigeria urged to persevere amid insecurity, restrictions on worship

ABUJA, Nigeria — Catholic missionaries in Nigeria have been encouraged to persevere in proclaiming the Gospel despite the threat of attacks and restrictions that prevent some Christian communities from acquiring land and building churches.

In an Oct. 13 interview with ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, the national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Nigeria, Father Solomon Patrick Zaku, described the challenges facing evangelization in the West African nation and urged missionaries to draw strength from their faith in Christ.

“Even though we are facing challenges, those who want to go on a mission or those who want to preach the good news should not give up or be discouraged, but they should go,” he said.

Zaku spoke on the sidelines of a media chat organized by the Pontifical Mission Societies national office ahead of the centenary celebration of World Mission Sunday.

“In Nigeria today, we have the security challenge. Insecurity is almost in every part of this country,” he said.

“When people are going for mission animation, trying to go to places to preach the good news, they are afraid of what will happen in the next place because either on the road they can be attacked or in their places of worship they can experience attacks,” he added.

The national director also lamented restrictions that prevent Christians from acquiring land or building churches in certain locations, leaving some communities traveling long distances to worship.

“Church is supposed to be where people are living, but in many places, people don’t have a comfortable place to worship, and they have to go to a very far place,” he said.

Drawing on St. Paul’s teaching that nothing can separate believers from the love of Christ, Zaku encouraged prospective missionaries who fear for their safety because of reports of kidnappings and killings.

“Know that Jesus is with you,” he told missionaries serving in Nigeria. He assured them that anyone who dies bearing witness to Christ, even while preaching the good news, will “definitely receive his reward.”

Reflecting on the centenary of World Mission Sunday, the priest described the occasion as an opportunity to thank God for a century of prayer, financial contributions, and practical assistance to missionary territories. He credited Pontifical Missions Societies support with helping sustain the Church and education in Nigeria.

Zaku said the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) had directed that World Mission Sunday collections be sent to the Pontifical Missions Societies fund to support missionary territories beyond Nigeria.

“The Church in Nigeria, too, is not only a receiving Church but also a giving Church,” he said.

“My message to all Catholics and Nigerians in particular as we celebrate World Mission Sunday is for them to know that you are not alone, but we are together on this mission. We are praying for you,” he added.

In a separate interview at the same event, the national coordinator of Nigeria’s Young Missionary Movement, Peter Oluwasanmi Adubi, said the movement was strengthening missionary formation and catechesis to help young people understand that their Christian calling extends beyond attending church services.

“We try to intensify what we call the missionary communion, missionary catechesis, and all that, to make sure that they are not just young people like others; they are special people called to be missionaries through their life, through their actions, and through their prayer,” he said.

Adubi also emphasized that those who cannot travel to evangelize can support others who do.

“There is a saying that some give to the mission by going, while others go to the mission by giving. And without both, there is no mission,” he said.

Addressing concerns about social media and other distractions affecting young people’s commitment to their faith, he called on the Church to listen to them and provide opportunities for them to contribute their talents.

“Firstly, we encourage the Church to be a place where they listen to young people. Young people have enormous needs, and there are a lot of things that threaten them, especially when it comes to media,” he said.

Adubi called for a media team in each parish where young people can volunteer and participate in the Church’s mission. He said such opportunities could help them use their interest in digital technology to spread the Christian message.

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/catholic-missionaries-in-nigeria-urged-to-persevere-amid-insecurity-restrictions-on-worship