Onitsha Catholic Archbishop celebrates Christmas with inmates, urged them to use the opportunity to utilize the skill acquisition centre he established in the correctional centre.
As usual in his humanitarian character, especially love for the downtrodden, the Catholic Archbishop of Onitsha, Anambra state, His Grace, Most Rev. Valerian Okeke, celebrated with the inmates of Onitsha Correctional Centre, Anambra state, in the spirit of Christmas.
Archbishop Okeke, who presided over the mass that preceded the celebration with the inmates, had in his sermon described Christmas as the day of birth of our saviour, Jesus Christ.
He traced the history of the birth of Jesus to when an Angel approached a couple, Joseph and Mary and prophesied that they will have a child and his name shall be called Emmanuel.
He reminded the inmates that they should see their detention as a temporary situation for reform as no condition is permanent and urged them to use the opportunity to utilize the skill acquisition centre he established in the correctional centre so that on completion of their detention, they would have something to do
He enjoined others on the line of education to take their studies seriously to get one or more degrees on leaving adding.
“You can open a factory on coming out, there is hope.When church started members were persecuted, killed, still the church expanded"
"Christ was from a poor family background, meaning that one must be what God destined him to be.Jesus Christ was born to be the light in darkness, light of the world and Redeemer of mankind"
“We established this skill acquisition centre in the correctional centre to assist you in acquiring skill so that on completion of your jail term, you have something you can give back to society instead of becoming jobless,” Archbishop Okeke posited.
Commending the Archbishop for his infrastructural development of the center and human capital development, the chaplain of St. Maximilian Kolbe chaplaincy, within the Onitsha Correctional centre, Rev. Fr. Bartholomew Okpalaugo, urged him (Archbishop), not to relent in his efforts to better the living condition of the inmates.
The chaplain prayed to God to give the Archbishop longevity and strength to continue to better the welfare of both the inmates and the poor in the society.
In his speech, the Comptroller of the centre, Mr. Anthony Eke, expressed satisfaction with the Archbishop’s magnanimity and urged others in a better position to emulate his humanitarian gesture.
The Archbishop feted the inmates to satisfaction with the slaughter of one cow, cooked rice, assorted soft drinks, bottled and sachet water.
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