Fides Media Living the Faith
By Fr Constantine Echichechi Okoli
Sisters of The Society of The Holy Child Jesus Centre for Renewal has been blessed and opened in Nise, July 3. The historic event started with a Holy Mass which was presided over by the Catholic Bishop of Awka, Most Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor.
The Bishop in his homily explained the importance of taking care of the body and soul, both of which, he said, made up the composite nature of man and woman. According to the Bishop who was just returning from leave, having an environment in which discernment and communion with God was supposedly possible was essential for human growth and development.
‘In a world that is visibly afraid of silence, this Centre for Renewal is timely,’ said Bishop Ezeokafor.
Immediately after the Mass, the Centre for Renewal, together with the statue of Our Lady, were blessed by the Bishop. And in her vote of thanks, the visibly excited sister Director of the Centre for Renewal, Sr. Ogochukwu Ekwedike, SHCJ, thanked the Bishop, the priests present and all for sharing in their joys, even as she praised God and the Blessed Virgin Mary for making that day a reality.
She remarked that the Centre was open to welcome people who were challenged by problems of all kinds, especially psychological problems.
Fides gathered that the Sisters of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus were inspired to undertake the building of the Centre for Renewal because of their conviction on the need to fight the malaise in society. This religious congregation has experts in various fields of learning, including Psychology, Guidance and Counselling, Eco-spirituality, Theology, Reconciliation and Rehabilitation, et cetera.
The building of this Center affords them the opportunity to impact their knowledge to the people, especially families and the youth.The Centre is set to welcome families bedeviled by marital crises; youths cowed by any form of abuse; people who desire to be heard and those searching for someone to listen to them.
It was a joyous celebration that attracted many people, among whom were the parish priest of St. Felix, Nise and other priests; religious men and women, parishioners of Nise, friends and well-wishers.