Fides Media Living the Faith
By Chioma Ndife
The president of Awka Diocesan Life Members Association, Lady Vero Onyenwe, has said the group’s evening time out at the Priests’ Welfare Home was enjoyable, noting that members look forward to another of such visit.
Fides gathered that the group had on Thursday, 28th April, visited the Priests’ Welfare Home in Awka, in celebration of Easter and to enquire about the state and welfare of old priests at the home for better support and assistance.
Speaking at the visit, the group leader, Lady Onyenwe, noted that the visit was part of the association’s itinerary of looking out for retired priests in order to support them. She recalled the zeal with which the priests at the welfare home served the Church and toiled for the sake of humanity at the peak of their years.
She stated that the retired priests after working for the Church and humanity at the peak of their years should be well catered in old age and commended the caregivers and priest in charge of the home for what they described as the excellent work they did in taking proper care of the aged priests, urging them to bear in mind that every good work attracted divine blessings once it was done diligently and happily.
Lady Onyenwe who went on the visit in company of the President of Awka Deanery II Life Members, Lady Vero Okeke, and the diocesan Secretary Emeritus, Lady Rose Onyedibe, said the visit brought back old memories as most of them had worked with some of the priests in the welfare home at some point.
Welcoming the Life Members, the Director, Priests’ welfare home, Rev. Fr. Emmaunel Udoh, appreciated the mothers for coming and commended them for bringing the exact things priests in the welfare home needed, noting that food was also taken as supplement to complement their drugs for effective functioning.
He noted that the mothers’ love, care and assistance had been helpful in maintaining the home, saying that priests at the home always looked forward to their visits as most of the priests worked with the life members in their most productive years.
In a vote of thanks, Msgr. Basil Nwajozie commended the priest in charge of the welfare home whom he referred to as the senior Mass server, for ensuring the well-being of all the retired priests. He said he had attained 80 years as a priest and disclosed that good faith brought him far. He urged them to visit again, saying that their visit had brought old and cherished memories.