Em sua homilia de domingo, 11 de dezembro, na paróquia católica de Holy Cross Kuchigoro, na arquidiocese de Abuja, na Nigéria, o arcebispo Ignatius Ayau Kaigama fez referência à mensagem da leitura do Evangelho sobre João Batista e exortou os nigerianos a não perderem a esperança enquanto a Igreja marcava o “Domingo Gaudete”. ” (Alegre-se), o tema do terceiro domingo do Advento que expressa a alegria de antecipar a celebração do Natal. “Como nigerianos um povo de esperança e resiliência, o domingo ‘Gaudete’ nos exorta a ter alegria, apesar e em meio a formidáveis desafios e contradições sociais”, disse o arcebispo Kaigama.
Ele acrescentou: “Devemos continuar a permanecer fortes na fé de que o nascer do sol da salvação está se aproximando e Jesus, a fonte de nossa verdadeira paz e alegria, está chegando”. Por isso, disse o arcebispo nigeriano, “somos convidados a estar cheios de santo otimismo”. Fazendo referência às leituras dominicais, ele disse: “Nossas experiências de maldade e injustiça social, violência, sequestro, terrorismo, banditismo, hooliganismo político, desigualdade, corrupção, desemprego, crise econômica, doença, morte e uma miríade de problemas que nos afligem. na Nigéria parecem contradizer as boas notícias que ouvimos hoje”.
O arcebispo Kaigama explicou: “Encontramos um grande exemplo de alguém que conhecia o significado do sofrimento paciente na vida de João Batista. João Batista foi preso porque condenou o rei Herodes por se casar com a mulher de seu irmão enquanto ele ainda estava vivo”. Ele acrescentou: “João Batista encontrou alegria neste papel, de levar as pessoas a Cristo. Embora na prisão, ele experimentou a alegria do coração”.
“A experiência de João Batista mostra que ainda podemos experimentar alegria e paz interior, mesmo quando sofremos fisicamente”, disse o arcebispo nigeriano que está à frente da arquidiocese de Abuja desde novembro de 2019. Ele continuou dizendo que o nível de pobreza, desemprego e fome no país está tirando a alegria do coração de muitas pessoas.
“Portanto, nada deve ser feito para aumentar sua tristeza”, disse o líder da Igreja Católica. Em sua homilia, o arcebispo Kaigama fez referência à decisão de 6 de dezembro do Banco Central da Nigéria de limitar o número de dinheiro que indivíduos e entidades podem sacar semanalmente em ₦ 100.000 e ₦ 500.000, respectivamente.
“Embora possa haver algum mérito nesta política, a saber, que ela contribuirá significativamente para reduzir e restringir o pagamento de resgate a sequestradores, bandidos e outras atividades financeiras criminosas, regulamentar a compra de votos e a lavagem de dinheiro, abordar a tendência inflacionária crescente e estabilizar o valor do Naira, há temores genuínos de que a nova política prejudique as pequenas e médias empresas”, disse ele. O líder da Igreja Católica, que iniciou seu ministério episcopal em abril de 1995 como bispo da diocese de Jalingo, na Nigéria, disse: “As autoridades devem sempre adotar medidas para amortecer os efeitos severos das políticas, não importa quão louváveis sejam as políticas”.
“A maioria de nossas comunidades rurais pode não ter o tipo de telefone necessário para transações eletrônicas”, explicou ainda o arcebispo Kaigama. “Esta política também vai afetar negativamente os agentes de pontos de venda (POS) que facilitam transações para pequenos negócios”, disse, acrescentando que “esses agentes de PDV recebem seu dinheiro dos bancos e o limite de saque de dinheiro inevitavelmente dificulta para eles atender seus clientes com eficiência”. Ele continuou: “Esse inconveniente também afeta os artesãos que aceitam dinheiro por seus serviços”.
“Entendemos que alguns nigerianos corruptos que têm muito dinheiro guardado recorreram à compra e armazenamento de grandes quantidades de alimentos, materiais de construção, etc., com a intenção impiedosa de se beneficiar de futuros aumentos de preços”, disse o arcebispo Kaigama. Ele observou que “já há escassez de alimentos em alguns mercados devido à alta demanda que também levou ao aumento dos preços”.
“Este Natal deve ser de exuberância alegre, e não de lamentação devido a fatores econômicos difíceis”, disse o arcebispo Kaigama em sua homilia de 11 de dezembro.
Le président sortant de RECOWA-CERAO, citoyen nigérian, a conseillé à ses concitoyens du pays de toujours garder la foi au milieu des « formidables défis, des contradictions sociales » au Nigéria. Cela a été capturé par le correspondant de RECOWACERAO NEWS AGENCY, RECONA anciennement attaché à son bureau à Abuja, la capitale politique du Nigeria. Cette information a réitéré que l’archevêque catholique de l’archidiocèse d’Abuja au Nigeria a appelé les citoyens à rester fermes dans leur foi malgré ce qu’il a décrit comme “des défis formidables et des contradictions sociales” dans la nation ouest-africaine.
Dans son homélie du dimanche 11 décembre à la paroisse catholique Holy Cross Kuchigoro de l’archidiocèse d’Abuja au Nigeria, l’archevêque Ignatius Ayau Kaigama a fait référence au message de la lecture de l’Évangile sur Jean-Baptiste et a appelé les Nigérians à ne pas perdre espoir alors que l’Église marquait le « dimanche de Gaudete ». » (Réjouis-toi), le thème du troisième dimanche de l’Avent qui exprime la joie d’anticiper la fête de Noël. “En tant que Nigérians, peuple d’espoir et de résilience, ‘Gaudete’ dimanche nous exhorte à avoir de la joie, malgré et au milieu de formidables défis et contradictions sociales”, a déclaré Mgr Kaigama.
Il a ajouté : “Nous devons continuer à rester forts dans la foi que le lever du soleil du salut se rapproche et que Jésus, la source de notre vraie paix et de notre joie, arrive”. Pour cette raison, l’archevêque nigérian a déclaré : “Nous sommes invités à être remplis d’un saint optimisme”. Faisant référence aux lectures dominicales, il a déclaré : « Nos expériences du mal et de l’injustice sociale, de la violence, des enlèvements, du terrorisme, du banditisme, du hooliganisme politique, des inégalités, de la corruption, du chômage, de la crise économique, de la maladie, de la mort et d’une myriade de problèmes qui nous assaillent. au Nigeria semblent contredire les bonnes nouvelles que nous entendons aujourd’hui.
L’archevêque Kaigama a expliqué : « Nous trouvons un excellent exemple de quelqu’un qui connaissait le sens de la souffrance des patients dans la vie de Jean-Baptiste. Jean-Baptiste avait été arrêté parce qu’il avait condamné le roi Hérode pour avoir épousé la femme de son frère alors qu’il était encore en vie. Il a ajouté : « Jean-Baptiste a trouvé de la joie dans ce rôle, d’amener le peuple à Christ. Bien qu’en prison, il a connu la joie du cœur.
“L’expérience de Jean-Baptiste montre que nous pouvons encore ressentir la joie et la paix intérieures même lorsque nous souffrons physiquement”, a déclaré l’archevêque nigérian qui est à la tête de l’archidiocèse d’Abuja depuis novembre 2019. Il a poursuivi en disant que le niveau de pauvreté, de chômage et de faim dans le pays enlève la joie du cœur de nombreuses personnes.
“Rien ne devrait donc être fait pour ajouter à leur tristesse”, a déclaré le chef de l’Église catholique. Dans son homélie, Mgr Kaigama a fait référence à la décision du 6 décembre de la Banque centrale du Nigéria de limiter le nombre d’argent que les particuliers et les entités peuvent retirer chaque semaine à ₦ 100 000 et ₦ 500 000, respectivement.
«Bien que cette politique puisse avoir un certain mérite, à savoir qu’elle contribuera de manière significative à freiner et à réduire le paiement de rançons aux ravisseurs, bandits et autres activités financières criminelles, à réglementer l’achat de votes et le blanchiment d’argent, à lutter contre la tendance inflationniste croissante et à stabiliser le valeur du naira, il y a de réelles craintes que la nouvelle politique paralyse les petites et moyennes entreprises », a-t-il déclaré. Le chef de l’Église catholique qui a commencé son ministère épiscopal en avril 1995 en tant qu’évêque du diocèse de Jalingo au Nigéria a ajouté : “Les autorités doivent toujours mettre en place des mesures pour amortir les effets néfastes des politiques, aussi louables soient-elles”.
“La plupart de nos communautés rurales ne disposent peut-être pas du type de téléphones nécessaires aux transactions électroniques”, a encore expliqué Mgr Kaigama. “Cette politique affectera également négativement les agents des points de vente (POS) qui facilitent les transactions pour les petites entreprises”, a-t-il déclaré, ajoutant que “ces agents POS obtiennent leur argent des banques et la limite de retrait en espèces leur rend inévitablement difficile pour servir efficacement leurs clients. Il a poursuivi: “Ce désagrément affecte également les artisans qui acceptent de l’argent pour leurs services.”
“Nous comprenons que certains Nigérians corrompus qui ont d’énormes liquidités en réserve ont eu recours à l’achat et au stockage de grandes quantités de denrées alimentaires, de matériaux de construction, etc., avec l’intention impitoyable de bénéficier des futures augmentations de prix”, a déclaré Mgr Kaigama. Il a noté qu'”il y a déjà une pénurie de produits alimentaires sur certains marchés en raison de la forte demande qui a également entraîné la flambée des prix”.
“Ce Noël devrait être un Noël d’exubérance joyeuse plutôt qu’un Noël de lamentations en raison de facteurs économiques difficiles”, a déclaré Mgr Kaigama dans son homélie du 11 décembre.
The immediate past President of RECOWA-CERAO who is a citizen of Nigeria has advised his fellow Citizens in the country to always Keep Faith amid “formidable challenges, social contradictions” in Nigeria. This was captured by the Correspondent of RECOWACERAO NEWS AGENCY, RECONA formerly attached to his office in Abuja, the political capital of Nigeria. This information reiterated that the Catholic Archbishop of Nigeria’s Abuja Archdiocese has called on citizens to remain firm in their faith despite what he described as “formidable challenges and social contradictions” in the West African nation.
In his Sunday, December 11 homily at Holy Cross Kuchigoro Catholic Parish of Nigeria’s Abuja Archdiocese, Archbishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama made reference to the message of the Gospel Reading on John the Baptist and called upon Nigerians to not lose hope as the Church marked “Gaudete Sunday” (Rejoice), the theme of the third Sunday of Advent that expresses the joy of anticipating Christmas celebration. “As Nigerians a people of hope and resilience, ‘Gaudete’ Sunday urges us to have joy, in spite of and in the midst of formidable challenges and social contradictions,” Archbishop Kaigama said.
He added, “We must continue to remain strong in faith that the sunrise of salvation is getting nearer, and Jesus, the source of our true peace and joy, is coming.” For this reason, the Nigerian Archbishop said, “We are invited to be full of holy optimism.” Making reference to the Sunday Readings, he said, “Our experiences of evil and social injustice, violence, kidnapping, terrorism, banditry, political hooliganism, inequality, corruption, unemployment, economic crisis, sickness, death, and a myriad of problems besetting us in Nigeria seem to contradict the good news we hear today.”
Archbishop Kaigama explained, “We find a great example of one who knew the meaning of patient suffering in the life of John the Baptist. John the Baptist had been arrested because he condemned King Herod for marrying his brother’s wife while he was still living.” He added, “John the Baptist found joy in this role, of bringing the people to Christ. Though in prison, he experienced the joy of the heart.”
“The experience of John the Baptist shows that we can still experience inner joy and peace even when we suffer bodily,” the Nigerian Archbishop who has been at the helm of Abuja Archdiocese since November 2019 said. He went on to say that the level of poverty, unemployment, and hunger in the country is taking away joy from many people’s hearts.
“Nothing therefore should be done to add to their joylessness,” the Catholic Church leader said. In his homily, Archbishop Kaigama made reference to the December 6 decision of Nigeria’s Central Bank to limit the number of money individuals and entities can withdraw weekly as ₦100,000 and ₦500,000, respectively.
“While there may be some merit in this policy, namely, that it will contribute significantly in curbing and curtailing the payment of ransom to kidnappers, bandits and other criminal financial activities, regulating vote buying and money laundering, addressing growing inflationary trend and stabilizing the value of the Naira, there are genuine fears that the new policy will cripple medium and small businesses,” he said. The Catholic Church leader who started his Episcopal Ministry in April 1995 as Bishop of Nigeria’s Jalingo Diocese said added, “Authorities must always put measures in place to cushion the harsh effects of policies no matter how laudable the policies may be.”
“Most of our rural communities may not have the type of phones needed for electronic transactions,” Archbishop Kaigama further explained. “This policy will also adversely affect agents of points of sale (POS) who facilitate transactions for small-scale businesses,” he said, adding that “these POS agents get their cash from banks and the cash withdrawal limit inevitably makes it difficult for them to serve their customers efficiently.” He continued, “This inconvenience also affects artisans who accept cash for their services.”
“We understand that some corrupt Nigerians who have huge cash stashed away have resorted to purchasing and warehousing large quantities of foodstuffs, building materials, etc., with the heartless intent of benefitting from future price increments,” Archbishop Kaigama said. He noted that “there is already a shortage of food items in some markets due to high demands that have also led to the price surge.”
“This Christmas should be one of joyful exuberance rather than one of lamentation due to harsh economic factors,” Archbishop Kaigama said in his December 11 homily.
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