By Ononye VC
The Archdiocese of Onitsha has officially marked the end of Year of Prayer and is set to usher in the Great Jubilee Year of Hope come 2025.
A Holy Mass to bid goodbye to the Year of Prayer was celebrated by the Metropolitan Archbishop of Onitsha,Most Rev Valerian Okeke on Saturday,Nov 30,2024 at the Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity,Onitsha.
Setting the tone for the upcoming Great Jubilee Year of Hope, Archbishop Okeke urged the faithful not to allow the blessings of the Great Jubilee Year to elude them adding that it is going to be a period of divine favour.
According to the Archbishop,”It is a year that prepares us for the Jubilee year of hope which the Holy Father will inaugurate by January next year.So it is important that we participate actively in it by going to the chapel of Adoration,praying,going for confessions and receiving the sacraments”,the Archbishop said.
During the Mass,the Archbishop also offered special prayers for members of the Catholic choirs Association who were on their yearly convention.
According to him,the service of members of the choir is a great work of faith such that their songs during various celebrations lift up the spirit of the faithful,citing the words of St Augustine who said that “He who sings,prays twice”.
The Archbishop counselled the choristers saying,”Don’t allow the things of this world to be a distraction.Follow God with a good heart and God will always bless you.Do not envy or feel jealous of another’s progress because the work of a chorister in the church is a work of God”,the Archbishop maintained.
The Archbishop prayed that God blesses all the endeavours of members of the choir.
In his vote of thanks,Rector of the Basilica,Very Rev Fr JohnBosco Ezika,thanked Archbishop for piloting the Jubilee Year of Prayer and liturgical year successfully.He also congratulated members of the Catholic Choirs Association for their annual convention and wished then well.
