Fides Media Living the Faith
Fides Media Insipirational Personality Page Anchor, Miss Mercy Hill, has explained why she always celebrates her birthdays with elderly priests, reports Alexander Johnson Adejoh
Speaking at Awka Diocesan Priests’ Welfare Home, Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State where she celebrated her birthday, Wednesday, March 3, 2021, with the elderly priests and inmates of correctional centre (prison) Awka, the journalist said celebrating with aged priests and the less privileged (prisoners) in society gave her maximum joy, saying it added value to their lives.
Miss Hill who had earlier visited the correctional centre (prison) at Amawbia before visiting the Priests’ Welfare Home, was prayed for by the oldest priest in the home, Rev. Fr. Simon Achie Azuka, who was also celebrating his 83rd birthday that same day.
3rd Right; Mercy Hill, Her Director, Rev Fr Martin Anusi, and friends, celebrating her birthday with aged priests at Priests’ Welfare Home, Awka, last Wednesday, March 3, 2021.
According to the Journalist who was accompanied on the visit by her Director, Rev Fr Martin Anusi, friends and staff members of St Charles Medics, ‘I celebrate my birthdays with aged priests annually so as to give them a sense of belonging. They need all the love and care that we can shower on them. Do you know what it takes growing old without anyone to care or cater for you? We must all try as much as possible to live for the old in our society. Celebrating with them to me, adds value to their lives.’
Addressing the plight of prisoners, she said, ‘Society is not doing enough for those of us born into the so-called comfort zone. But what about millions of others who are not so comfortable as we are? If they have been rejected by the society, we cannot on our own throw them away too. Let us live for them and give them a sense of belonging and it does not take so much to take care of the needs of the needy in our society.’
Continuing, she added, ‘A little love shown to prisoners in our society keeps them going. So many times, we failed to wipe their tears. So many times, we did nothing for them. But the prisoners should be given a better deal by all of us in any way we can. We should remember them once in a while with a little bread and water. Do not wait until you have millions in your bank account before you do something about their plight. We need to live for each other in society.’
For his part, Fides Director, Fr Anusi who lauded what he tagged the initiative of Mercy Hill in remembering the aged and prisoners, urged young people to always care for the aged and neglected, noting that by so doing, one attracted blessings and favours.