Archbishop Obinna gives reason for evangelisation in vernacular

Obinna spoke, while addressing Catholic faithful during a reception organised for him and the bishops of Ilorin, Jalingo, and Aba dioceses by the Mater Dei Catholic Parish, Umuahia. Members of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria currently meeting in Umuahia split into groups to visit selected parishes, as part of their seven-day programme. “Experience shows that […]

Obinna spoke, while addressing Catholic faithful during a reception organised for him and the bishops of Ilorin, Jalingo, and Aba dioceses by the Mater Dei Catholic Parish, Umuahia. Members of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria currently meeting in Umuahia split into groups to visit selected parishes, as part of their seven-day programme.

“Experience shows that evangelisation of any religion is better achieved when the native language of the people is used to preach, rather than a foreign language.

“In North Africa, if you visit the areas where Saint Augustine came from, you will notice that Christian faith is fast fading away.

“This is because the early Christians there used Latin for evangelisation and not the native language of the people,” the cleric added. Obinna said Catholic Church would survive various challenges if the believers internalised the doctrine and teachings of the church in their local languages.

“When you listen to songs and gospel messages in Igbo, they convey better meanings to you than when foreign language is used as a medium for a similar massage,’’ he said. Contributing, Bishop Charles Hamawa of Jalingo Diocese said the promotion of Ecumenism by the church in recent time was to encourage inter-religious harmony among different Christian believers.

According to Hamawa, under the new order, Catholic faithful are allowed to interact with members of other Christian denominations, but not to form prayer groups with such people.

“The motive of Ecumenism is not for a Catholic to jettison his Catholic faith or doctrine, but to attend such religious invitations like child dedication, weddings and thanksgiving and not to form prayer groups,’’ he said.

NAN reports that the reception attended by Bishops Vincent Ezeonyia and Ayo Maria of Aba and Ilorin Dioceses respectively, was also witnessed by many priests, the religious and other Catholic faithful.