Archbishop Ndagoso Confers Papal Honours On 19 Awardees In Kaduna

By Frederick Peters, KADUNA.

NEWSDAILYNIGERIA: The Archbishop of Kaduna, Most Rev Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, has on Thursday conferred Papal Honours on 19 recipients including priests, Religious and laity of the Archdiocese, owing to their invaluable contribution to the Church and humanity.

The thanksgiving Mass and investiture of Monsignors, Papal Knights and medalists which held at the St Joseph’s Cathedral, Kaduna, attracted priests, Religious, lay faithful and well wishers in their numbers.

Speaking to Journalists, Archbishop Ndagoso said the event is to honour and celebrate those who have proven themselves, in the service “not only of the church but in the service of humanity, they have done alot, I mean, nothing extraordinary, they have done what ordinarily is our duty to do as human beings,

” but very often, we fail to do, but you know, when you do things, very often, you think that people don’t notice, it’s noticed by ordinary people, you hear comments about people and you’ll see it yourself.”

According to him, when the opportunity avails itself to acknowledge and appreciate one for what he has done and” simply this what the Church does, so it’s a way of encouraging them to try and even do more to serve humanity, and that is why their names were suggested, we send them to Rome and Holy Father graciously and kindly, bestowed these honours on them and it is these honours that today we confer on them on behalf of the Holy Father ,

” and so it’s indeed a joyful day for us, it is indeed a day that the Lord has made and we all are glad and rejoice indeed; each of them has contributed one way or the other in the life and mission of the church, so we are here to celebrate them, we are here to rejoice with them”he added

Ndagoso however lamented the lack of leadership based on the common good in the country, evident by the plethora of challenges bedevilling Nigeria, saying” we have no business being poor, we have no business with our citizens going to bed hungry” if only our leaders channel the resources for the common good.

He further pointed out that ” atleast those in their little way are working for the common good, I think they need to be acknowledged and this is what we are doing by this award, that inspite of all these there are people, who are have used their talents, resources, their everything for the service of humanity and that why we are celebrating them today” he reiterated.

One of the Recipients, Dame Lauretia Laraba Mallam, humbled by the honour, said”:I cannot not thank God enough, because this is a rare opportunity, we are here celebrating an award that came from Rome, so it is the Lord’s doing, the Lord had done it even before we were born, He knew that we’ll be here today to be celebrated, because He knows the type of life we’ll live when we are born: so we thank God Almighty for today.”

The former Minister further hinted on her innate attributes since birth as one who has passion for the poor, needy and humanity ” I was not doing what I did that gave me this award for anybody to celebrate or appreciate me; right from the word go, since I was born, I committed my life to reaching out to those, I can reach out to, adding that, her Mother once remarked that” when you start work you’ll be ringing bell for people to come and collect money ” owing to her kind gestures to the poor, widows and vulnerable at an early age.

” I think my Mother saw this in me, as someone who is concerned about the poor in our midst, and the church has seen this in me, I didn’t know that I was going to be one, but I thank God, because it’s God who prepared me for this award” noting that the homily of the Archbishop is wake up call to all and sundry, especially the well to- do individuals to always do the needful for the common good of all.

Another Awardee, Papal Knight Stephen Orgar, elated, said ” I feel very humbled, weak in every thing, because this is grace, nothing to do with any of us, it’s just the Grace of God, He however said the award is a task to do more ” well I have always done much within my strength”, As the chief security officer of the Archdiocese, he admonished

“we know that the times are hard, but we’ll continue to beg ourselves to be security conscious; watch what you say, watch what you do, we have to be very careful because the times are really really bad, I pray that every body in the state and federal to have a very wonderful time, it’s not easy, but God will see us through ” he assured.