By Emma Ihemeje
The Catholic Men Organisation of Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, Woliwo, in the Onitsha North Local Government Area of Anambra State, has held a 3-day seminar aimed at educating Christians on the differences between paganism, tradition and Christian principles.
The seminar, which was organised and supervised by the CMO members of the parish led by Mr Paschal Okeke, was supported by the parish priest, Rev. Fr Hyginus Uchenna Ogbonna, CSSP, and other Catholic faithful and focused on three topics, namely, “Pagan worship and Christian worship: any difference?”, “Ritual killings, facts and fictions”, and “False doctrines in prayer ministries”.
Speaking to newsmen on the theme of the seminar, Mr Paschal Okeke noted that the choice of the seminar’s theme was apt in view of the way people confuse pagan worship with tradition and Christian principles. He pointed out that tradition implies the culture of a particular set of people. It also refers to the total ways of life of a people and should not be misconstrued as when people engage in fetishistic practices.
He said the seminar definitely showed the difference between idol worship and Christian worship, and disclosed that the participants of the seminar were now in a better position to distinguish between idolatry, fetish practices and Christian ways of life after a Catholic priest, the Very Rev. Fr Charles Agwudike, did justice to the topic. Also, the prevailing false doctrines in many prayer ministries were brought to the fore.
The CMO leader was also of the opinion that those who participated in the seminar would help in no small measure in propagating the differences between the traditions of the people, pagan worship and Christian ways of life.
Among the participants and supporters of the organised seminar were Hon. Emma Udegbunem, the patron chairman of the parish CMO; Sir Peter Mayor Madueke, Onitsha regional chairman of the CMO; Sebastian Chinedu Udemba (Omeluora); and Mr Theophilus Aneke, secretary.
