BY ABUCHI IFESINACHI, AWKAThe Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor has urged Christians world over to always remember the poor, the physically challenged and the less privileged around them especially during this Easter period and always.
He observed that it was a blessing to help the poor and underprivileged in our society.
Bishop Ezeokafor who stated this yesterday at St. Patrick's Catholic Cathedral, Awka while presenting clothing materials, disinfectants, bags of stock fish, toiletries, bags of rice among other consumables and food stuff to the poor and less privileged in Awka and its environs.
His words: 'Most times, we are being distracted by the euphoria of Easter celebration, forgetting the poor and down trodden in our midst. What we are doing today is part of the cooperate social responsibility of the church and we do it on monthly basis but today being good Saturday is the climax because we reach out to more people and donate more items for your Easter celebration. We do this because God loves those who give back to the poor.
'Many politicians and philanthropists come here almost on daily basis to give me one gift or the other but I am quite sure that I can’t eat all of them and that is why I make it a point of duty to remember the poor and I want all Christians and philanthropists to always remember this group of people in our midst as they are integral part of the society,' he urged .
The Catholic prelate however charged the poor not to question God about their condition, adding that 'God knows why you find yourself in this kind of predicament which is not your fault. Our prayer is for you to celebrate your Easter very well and as you do that, you will find people among people that will help you,' he prayed.
Bishop Ezeokafor also used the opportunity to beckon on the government at all levels to articulate policies that will gear towards helping the poor, stressing that government was obliged to provide jobs for its citizenry.
Some of the beneficiaries, Nneka Ezeume, Grace Nwuzo, Simon Ozoemena and Reuben Oraka eulogised the bishop for the gesture and prayed God to continue to bless him.
