Cleric Underscores Importance of Pastoral Visit
By Polycarp Ifeanyi
A Catholic priest of Archdiocese of Onitsha, Very Rev. Fr. Marcel Chukwunonye, PhD, has underscored the spiritual and administrative significance of a bishop’s pastoral visit to a parish community.
Fr. Marcel, the Parish Priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Awada, in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, made this known during the pastoral visit of the Archbishop of Onitsha, His Grace, Most Rev. Valerian Maduka Okeke, to SS John and Paul Catholic Church, Iba Pope, Awada.
According to him, a pastoral visit is a special period when a bishop visits a parish to bless the faithful, offer prayers, and strengthen them spiritually.
He explained that beyond imparting blessings, the visit provides the bishop with the opportunity to personally meet the flock entrusted to his care and assess the spiritual and administrative wellbeing of the parish.
“A pastoral visit enables the bishop to evaluate how the parish is being managed and how the Parish Priest is attending to the spiritual and pastoral needs of the people,” “From the response and disposition of the congregation, the bishop can discern whether the parish is thriving and whether pastoral responsibilities are being effectively carried out.”he said.
Fr. Marcel further noted that such visits also serve as occasions to evaluate the overall welfare of the parish and to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation to eligible candidates.
Speaking on Archbishop Okeke’s visit to SS John and Paul Catholic Church, Iba Pope, Awada, Fr. Marcel urged the newly confirmed candidates to live exemplary lives reflective of the faith they have received.
He encouraged them to allow the Holy Spirit, received through the Sacrament of Confirmation, to strengthen them in their Christian vocation and empower them to defend their faith whenever necessary.
He also advised them to remain steadfast, to uphold their beliefs courageously, and to be shining examples of Christ wherever they find themselves.
Describing the Sacrament of Confirmation as a spiritual empowerment, Fr. Marcel said it strengthens candidates and equips them as soldiers of Christ, ready to witness to their faith in both word and action.
He also commended the Parish Priest of SS John and Paul Catholic Church, Iba Pope, Awada, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Aloysius Maduka Agba, for successfully hosting the Archbishop within a few months of his resumption in the parish.
Fr. Marcel praised Fr. Agba’s leadership qualities, noting that they had previously worked together and expressing confidence in his pastoral capabilities. He thanked God for his dedication and prayed for continued success in his ministry, expressing optimism that the parish would continue to grow under his stewardship.
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