Catechists unearth the healing power of sacraments

The theme for this year’s gathering was “The Healing Power of the Sacraments in the Church.” A press release by the IHM Coordinator, Evangelisation and Catechetics, Nnewi Diocese, Rev Sr Lucella Ukaegbu, showed that the Director of Evangelisation and Catechesis, Very Rev. Msgr. Hypolite Adigwe took the catechists through the various sacraments of the church, […]

The theme for this year’s gathering was “The Healing Power of the Sacraments in the Church.”

A press release by the IHM Coordinator, Evangelisation and Catechetics, Nnewi Diocese, Rev Sr Lucella Ukaegbu, showed that the Director of Evangelisation and Catechesis, Very Rev. Msgr. Hypolite Adigwe took the catechists through the various sacraments of the church, pointing out the healing power embedded in each of them, which Christians have not taken time to understand and appreciate.

Msgr Adigwe explained, “To understand the healing ministry of the church, we considered man in his holistic sense of unity of soul and body and the place of suffering in the life of the Christian as well as what the meaning in Christian life of suffering tells us. The healing power of the sacraments, especially the sacraments of Penance (Confession), Anointing and the Holy Eucharist were considered. This is in line with the theme of this years’ Catechetical Week celebration in Nigeria – Syncretism: A Challenge to the Christian Faith.”

In a memorandum adopted at the end of the retreat, the 118 catechists who participated in the exercise, identified the following insights which they intend to use as additional guide for future apostolate: (i). The three Sacraments of Initiation, namely Baptism, Confirmation and the Holy Eucharist lay the foundation of every Christian life. The sharing in the divine life given by Christ through these sacraments bears a certain likeness to the origin, development and natural life of the human person.

(ii). The people of God are not fully aware of the healing power of the sacraments of the church, especially the sacraments of Reconciliation (Confession), Anointing and the Holy Eucharist.  Because of this, many go to seek healing in places that are questionable.

(iii). Very often Christians do not understand the meaning of suffering in our life. We forget that suffering has some salvific value, as Pope John Paul II taught us so clearly. We do not unite our suffering with that of Christ. We rather always seek ways of removing the suffering, even through unacceptable means.

(iv). The people are not fully aware of the prayers for healing as contained in the Eucharistic Celebration, the Sacrament of Anointing and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. They are not aware of the healing power of these sacraments. The reason for this can be traced to insufficient catechesis.

(v). The sacraments heal the wounds of sin in the soul as well as those inflicted against our self-esteem, self-image and relationships/memory by our sin. It is necessary for our people to become more aware of this.

To be effective in the apostolate, the catechists identified the need to update and upgrade their knowledge and methods of catechesis even as they expressed strong desire for strong team spirit in their work.

They expressed gratitude to the bishop of the diocese, Most Rev. Hilary Odili Okeke for his support in their work of evangelisation in the Catholic Diocese of Nnewi.