Goodwill Message of the Director, Catholic Women’s Organisation (CWO), Awka Diocese

Goodwill Message of the Director, Catholic Women’s Organisation (CWO), Awka Diocese, Lady Sabina Ngozi Ndigwe on the Occasion of the 2021 Mothers’ Day Celebration

My dear mothers of the Catholic Diocese of Awka, in particular, and all Catholic mothers in Nigeria, it is with a heart full of thanksgiving and love that I write to you on this occasion of the 2021 Mothers’ Day Celebration. I wish to use this opportunity to most specifically thank God for the gift of motherhood. Our joy is boundless for the privilege to celebrate this great day set aside by the Holy Mother Church to celebrate mothers in a special way.

Considering that the global COVID-19 pandemic scuttled so many activities last year, including our Mothers’ Day activities, we most heartily thank God for this year’s celebration. To our God be all the glory and praise forever. Amen.

The theme of this year’s Mothers’ Day Celebration is, “The Role of Women in Eliminating Discrimination and Gender-based Violence” (I am sure you have chosen capable resource persons in your parishes to talk on this). This theme is apt, especially now that our women and girls bear the brunt of economic hardship and ills in our society today. Rape, sexual/mental abuse, human trafficking, denial of opportunities on the basis of gender, are all common occurrences in our society.

A situation where the girl child suffers sexual abuse, even from close family members, calls for urgent action from all women and re-evaluation of our roles as Catholic mothers. We must therefore work very hard in our various capacities to create a violence-free world for women and the girl child.

In our struggle to meet up with the challenges of the present day Nigeria, we must not forget this primary responsibility which is the proper upbringing of our children, both male and female. Let’s all remember the biblical injunction which says,“Train up a child in the way he should follow, when he grows up, he will not depart from it”.

My dearest mothers, I wish to equally appreciate you in a special way for your various efforts towards moving the new Awka Diocese forward, despite the debilitating effects of COVID-19.

Daalunu. I plead that as we celebrate with our families, let us not forget the less privileged in our midst, especially the orphans and the motherless babies. Let us try to show them love as we mark our day.

On this special occasion, let us all remember mothers who were affected in one way or the other by the COVID-19 pandemic, those who lost their means of livelihood, those that lost their loved ones, etc. May God in his infinite mercy provide for and console them and may Our Lady Mother of Perpetual Help and Comforter of the Afflicted intercede for them. For those mothers who lost their lives, we pray that our good God may grant them eternal rest in His kingdom Amen.

Finally, I pray that the Almighty God will bless all mothers and meet each and every one of us at the point of our needs. Amen.

I wish you all a very wonderful and grace-filled celebration.

Through Mary Our Mother…We Succeed!

Yours in Jesus and Mary,