Oyo, 01 May, 2022 / 9:00 pm (ACI Africa).
Bishop Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo of Nigeria’s Oyo Diocese has directed the people of God under his pastoral care to “a more vigorous May devotion to the mother of Jesus” for an end to violent conflicts globally and in the West African nation.
In his letter issued on the feast of Our Lady, Mother of Africa Saturday, April 30, Bishop Badejo directs that all Priests, women and men Religious, Catechists, and Lay Leaders “invite all the faithful in the Catholic Diocese of Oyo to a more vigorous May devotion to the mother of Jesus”, beginning May 1.
“I call you all to focus your devotions with them on the rosary as an effective weapon against conflict, war, insurgency, bloodshed, injustice and corruption in the world and particularly in Nigeria, Ukraine and Russia,” the Nigerian Catholic Bishop says in his letter shared with ACI Africa.
The Local Ordinary of Oyo Diocese who doubles as the President of the Pan African Episcopal Committee for Social Communications (CEPACS) also calls for prayers for world leaders saying, “Please pray for leaders at all levels to repent and end their insincerity and insensitivity to the suffering of the masses.”
“Remind our people that the Rosary has been used by the Church all through human history as a weapon for peace,” the 60-year-old Nigerian Bishop further says, and adds in reference to the practice of praying the Holy Rosary, “We have been doing this too, but let us do so more at this time. “
