COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED AT THE END OF A 3-DAY RETREAT OF THE CATHOLIC MEN’S ORGANIZATION (CMO) OF AWKA HELD AT THE ARCHBISHOP OBIEFUNA RETREAT AND PASTORAL CENTRE OKPUNO AWKA FROM FRIDAY-SUNDAY 6TH MARCH 2022

‘The Role of Fathers’

A three-day retreat Organized by the Catholic Men’s Organisation (CMO), Awka Diocese, has ended at Archbishop Obiefuna Retreat and pastoral Centre, Okpuno Awka South L.G.A., with a call on the fathers (CMO) to play their role as heads and leaders of their respective families properly.
The 3-day conference was attended by ADCMO Officials, regional, deanery and parish officers. About 130 delegates out of 200 expected delegates from the 13 deaneries and 108 parishes attended the conference. The conference had Rev. Fr. Dr. Cajetan Ifeanyichukwu Obiekezie as the retreat moderator. The conference started on Friday, 4th March, 2022, with Stations of the Cross and ended on Sunday 6th March with a Holy Mass.
The conference described fathers as the Pope of their respective families and urged them to live a life worthy of that standard. It insisted that Christians, particularly Christian fathers, had faith but regrettably their faith and trusts were more in idolatry and other fetish practices not rooted in Christ. The devil, the conference noted, seemed to be having a field day because fathers seemed to be having more trust in idols than in God. Fathers, the conference noted, should remember the Biblical injunction in Jn 14-12 which says, ”If you keep my commandment you will do more than me”. They should remember that what matters in Christian life was acceptance and trust in Jesus Christ who is the way, truth and life, not minding the position one holds in the church or society.
As the father expects obedience from his children so does God expect unquestionable obedience from us, His children too. Parents should therefore work tirelessly, whatever the challenges, to train their children in the fear of God and the best way to live their lives. Fathers should therefore do their best for their children and leave the rest to God. When and where a father is doing good things will always come from and to his family.
Christian fathers should not keep silent/mum when certain things go wrong, either in their families, parishes, deaneries or diocese. They should always stand up in defence of their faith and ensure that whatever decisions taken on any issue are in consonance with their Catholic faith.
Fixing of social activities on Sunday should be opposed by members of Catholic Men’s Organization in order to protect the integrity of Sunday as a Holy day of obligation.
The preference for expensive traditional marriage over and above church sacramental marriage was highly decried by the conference delegates. The Catholic Men’s Organisation is therefore expected to ensure that sacramental marriages take precedence and are given a pride of place during marriage ceremonies
Husbands and wives should be ready to die for each other, where the need arises, if actually they believe and love each other.

Conclusion

The participants expressed satisfaction and joy for the superb presentation of Words of God to participants by the retreat moderator. They unanimously agreed to go back to their various homes, parishes, deaneries and diocese to make a difference based on all that they learnt. They promised the retreat moderator that they would put into practice all that they discussed and learnt during 3-day retreat. They asked the retreat moderator to always honor their invitation whenever invited.

Signed:

Gozie Joesammy Okeke Josephat Anagboso

Chairman of Communiqué Comm. Sec. Communiqué Comm