Church's Role Must Go Beyond Worship, Nigerian Catholic Archbishop Says, Urges Outreach to Poor, Afflicted

Abuja, 14 July, 2025 / 4:07 PM

The people of God need to go beyond participating in worship and combine the life of devotion with that of reaching out to the needy as exemplified in the Gospel story of the Good Samaritan, Archbishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama of Nigeria’s Archdiocese of Abuja has said.

In his Sunday, July 13 homily during the dedication of  St. Anthony Zuma Church in his Metropolitan See, Archbishop Kaigama said that the Church in Nigeria must stand out as “a beacon of hope”, where the needy find solace amid a surge in social ills.

He advocated for a refocusing on the needy, saying, “This new church must not only be a mere place of worship, but also a place of outreach, where the poor find comfort, the lost find guidance, and the broken find healing.”

“In our society today, marked by insecurity, poverty, corruption, and the erosion of values, the Church must stand as a beacon of hope,” the Nigerian Catholic Archbishop further said at the church dedication Mass during which he administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to 165 candidates.

Addressing the candidates for Confirmation, he underscored their role in making the person of Jesus Christ known, loved, and worshipped, saying, “You must shine the light of Christ to the ends of the earth and be agents spreading God’s love and hope to our troubled world.”

The Local Ordinary of Abuja Archdiocese went on to encourage Catholics to remain committed to their faith and cautioned them against wandering towards non-Catholic worship, including sects.

He emphasized the need for demonstrating reverence in places of worship, lamenting that this is “dying in our church today.”

“People come into the church and they show no sign of reverence whatsoever. As Catholics, we are known for showing reverence whenever we come into the church,” he said.

The Nigerian Catholic, who started his Episcopal Ministry in April 1995 as Bishop of Nigeria’s Catholic Diocese of Jalingo urged parents and guardians to teach children under their care reverence in places of worship.

“Teach them to know when to genuflect, bow, and kneel. Our postures and words should reflect the faith that dwells within us, a faith that finds its home in this sacred building,” he explained.

Referring to the scriptures, Archbishop Kaigama said that “the concept of biblical worship encompasses the spirit, a person's state of mind apart from any physical, outward connection, and the truth, a person’s active relationship with God.”

He also emphasized the need to worship God in “spirit and truth”.

“Offer God a worship that is alive with the Holy Spirit and rooted in the truth of who He is, a worship that flows from faith and love rather than mere ritual or obligation,” the Local Ordinary of Abuja since December 2019 said in his July 13 homily during the dedication of St. Anthony Zuma Parish.

He highlighted the dedication rituals, saying, “The altar we will anoint, the walls we will incense, and the Eucharist we will celebrate, all remind us that God is present here – truly, really, and sacramentally.”

Archbishop Kaigama emphasized the sanctity of the church to be dedicated. He said, “This is not just a hall or a community center. This is the house of God, a sacred space. Let us not make the church a place of politics, fighting for one position or the other. This church, now dedicated, is meant to unite us more than ever before.”

He described the church’s dedication as an opportunity for self-rededication and renewal, and added, “Let us not forget, that while we dedicate a physical church today, God desires to also build a spiritual church from living stones – that is, from each one of us.”

“Are we temples of the Holy Spirit? Are our hearts a fit place for God to dwell?” he posed referring to 1 Corinthians 6:19, and added, “Where God dwells, there is love, peace, and unity.”

“St. Anthony’s Church, Zuma, must now become a spiritual lighthouse – not just a building, but a witnessing community. A place where God is truly worshipped, where peace is preached, where justice is defended, and where love is lived,” he said.

Archbishop Kaigama implored, “May our Mother Mary continue to intercede for us and our nation, to open our ears to listen to the word of God, and to bring an end to corruption, hatred, and violence.”

“It is not enough for Nigerians to claim that we are religious; we must show that we are religious in the true, positive, and edifying senses, and in conduct and character,” he added.