By Olivia Obijiaku
A one-day retreat was organized as part of the activities marking the silver jubilee celebration of the Catholic Diocese of Zaria. Delivering the keynote address during the Mass which was celebrated at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Pastoral Center, Graceland, Zaria on Saturday, 8th August 2026, the Local Ordinary of the diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Habila Tyiakonaboi Daboh oriented that the retreat was a way of introducing his flock to what they are about to do.
His Lordship remembered the late pioneer bishop, Most Rev. Dr. George Jonathan Dodo; deceased priests and lay faithful of the diocese, and expressed belief that they, who are in a better place are praying for the growth of the diocese. He also acknowledged that they are not celebrating because they are wise or smart, but because God has will that they see the day.
Describing the jubilee as a significant milestone in the life of the diocese, the bishop noted that it is a time to pause before God with grateful hearts “for His countless blessings; to acknowledge the sacrifices of those who have gone before us and to renew our commitment to the mission entrusted to us by God.”
“A jubilee is also a privileged moment of grace. Before we celebrate publicly, we must first stand honestly before God. We need to ask, not only what the diocese has done for us, but what we have done for the diocese. As we prepare to celebrate twenty-five years of God’s faithfulness, each of us should prayerfully ask: ‘If today were the end of my service in this diocese of Zaria, what will Zaria diocese remember me for? If you die today, what will the Church in Zaria remember you for?
In his homily, Rev. Fr. Dr. Julian Chukwuemeka Ibe reflected on ‘The Power of Communion’, reminding them that, their holiness and the success of their diocesan mission are bound up in their togetherness.
Fr. Ibe prayed that the bishop, clergy, religious and lay faithful of the diocese, may be woven in a seamless garment of faith. He then urged them to return to their parishes as a united body, and not as isolated workers.
