“Because of our love for our youths, we had hoped to begin the youth project by now, but what we have gathered through Lenten collections is inadequate in the face of the very high costs of building materials,” the Nigerian Archbishop explained.
He said that from the proceeds of each Lenten campaign, the Archdiocese of Abuja has always supported the poor, the needy, and the marginalized, such as the hungry, the prisoners, flood victims, as well as the internally displaced.
Many people, the Catholic Archbishop said, approach the Church either individually or in groups. “You don’t get to meet such people,” he said in his homily at the Guardian Angel Catholic Police Chaplaincy of his Metropolitan See, and added that various groups within the Church help the less privileged “without any media publicity”.
He urged the people of God under his pastoral care to make “some reasonable savings”, and to submit whatever they will have saved to the Church at the end of Lent “as your personal way of joining the Archdiocese in contributing to the well-being of the poor and the less fortunate in our society.”
In his message on the Second Sunday of Lent when the Gospel Reading is on the event of the Jesus’ Transfiguration, Archbishop Kaigama said the event on the moutain serves as an invitation for the people of God to reflect on their lives and the areas that require transformation.
“Just as the disciples were called to listen to Jesus, we too must cultivate the ability to hear God’s voice amid the noise of daily life. This requires setting aside time for prayer, engaging with Scripture, and seeking moments of silence,” he said.
The Lenten Season, the Nigerian Catholic Bishop noted, is an encouragement for the people of God to identify and relinquish habits that hinder their spiritual growth.
He highlighted sacrifices such as giving up excessive social media use as well as unhealthy relationships and replacing them with activities that nurture faith. He pointed out activities such as volunteering, connecting with family, and participating in work for the common good.
“We can establish a daily prayer routine, perhaps starting or ending our day with quiet reflection, engaging in communal prayer, such as attending Mass or societal meetings, and so on,” the Local Ordinary of Abuja, who started his Episcopal Ministry in April 1995 as Bishop of Nigeria’s Catholic Diocese of Jalingo said.
