By Emmanuel Awari-Jalingo
The Catholic Bishop of Jalingo Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Charles Hammawa has advocated for the importance of developmental achievements on the lives of communities.
He stated this during the Lenten Campaign Flagg – Off at the St. Charles Boromeo Pastoral Center Mile Six Jalingo.
“The Justice Development and Peace Commission JDPC is a Commission in to work for and promote key vital issues, concerns and needs of humanity. It is not peculiar to Jalingo Diocese, but Catholic Church’s response to integral human growth of which spiritual life is not averse to. The human being is both a spiritual and material or bodily being.
“Specifics are amongst others, good governance, justice, peace, human dignity, care for the poor or vulnerable and care for the earth. The JDPC works with and all people of different religious beliefs.
According to him, the Lenten boxes, collections at the liturgy of the stations of the cross have been the traditional forms of raising the local support and that the statement of the purpose or aim of the Lenten Campaign Flagg -Off to be done every year at a more robust way to boost and increase the local form of raising funds to enable the Commission to carry out its mission and vision.
“As a Church, we will like to see more done, though it is not always possible to meet all demands a 100%, please help us today and moving forward to realize something worthwhile to answer or respond to such needs – he said.
In his remarks, the Coordinator JDPC Jalingo Diocese Rev. Fr. Clement Tiba, describe Lenten Campaign as one major activity that aim at the sustainability of the activities of Lent which the JDPC at the Parish and Diocesan level are saddle with the responsibility to drive.
“Many people home and abroad have sacrifice their resources in advancing Lent and humanitarian works in Nigeria. Today however, such aid or assistance no longer comes, because Nigeria have attend the age of looking inward to develop itself, attaining self sufficiency.
“In looking inwards to engage in humanitarian and development works, the Church calls for the practice of Lent (Charity) preferential treatment for the poor as tangle by our Lord Jesus Christ – he said.