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Benue Bloodbath: JDPC Director Warns “Wrong Diagnosis, Wrong Treatment” in Escalating Crisis, Demands Genocide Recognition -By Ruben Mario Brodrick Benin City, Edo State – The escalating violence in Benue State is not merely a “clash” but a systematic campaign bearing the hallmarks of ethnic cleansing and potential genocide, warned Rev. Fr. Benedict Onwugbenu, Director of the Justice Development and Peace Centre (JDPC), Benin City. Speaking recently in Benin City, Fr. Onwugbenu decried the persistent mischaracterization of the crisis, stating unequivocally that “wrong diagnosis will lead to wrong treatment” of the unfolding tragedy. Reacting to the latest wave of brutal attacks…

STATEMENT ON THE MASSACRE IN NIGERIA Bishop Joseph Strickland Jun 16, 2025 My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, With a heart weighed down by sorrow and righteous anger, I join the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, in mourning the brutal massacre that took place in Benue State, Nigeria. Nearly 200 souls—many of them our own brothers and sisters in Christ, internally displaced and seeking refuge in the arms of the Church—were savagely slaughtered in Yelwata, Guma, during the night of June 13th. They were not soldiers. They were not armed. They were poor. They were vulnerable. And they were…

🕯️ SAD NEWS – A PRIEST DIES IN THE LINE OF DUTY 🕯️ It is with deep sorrow and shock that we announce the passing of Very Rev. Fr. (Major) Goddy C. Oparaekwe (Rtd.), a beloved priest of Umuahia Diocese, originally from Ulakwo. He tragically lost his life on 17th June 2025, while performing a pastoral duty aimed at fostering peace and reconciliation. Fr. Goddy had gone to intervene in a long-standing marital conflict between a separated couple in his parish. The woman and her children had left the family home due to persistent tensions. Despite the priest’s repeated efforts…

The Universality of the Church! Archbishop Valerian Maduka OKEKE of Onitsha Archdiocese Nigeria administering the Sacrament of Confirmation to candidates at the Blessed Sacrament Parish, New York, USA. The Church is Catholic!

WHY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH RESORTS TO PRAYER IN TIMES OF NATIONAL TRAGEDY – By: Rev. Fr. Dr. Okhueleigbe Osemhantie Ámos In recent days, social media platforms have been awash with pastoral calls from various Catholic Provinces across Nigeria—Onitsha, Lagos, Benin City—urging the faithful to turn to prayer. More provinces will likely follow. Understandably, these calls have sparked questions, even frustration: *What kind of response is this? Why pray again?* When there were early signs of danger, bishops issued communiqués. Now that unspeakable inhumanity has unfolded in Benue State—again—they call for prayer. Is this all the Church can offer? Can she…

HUNGER FOR BREAD (CORPUS CHRISTI) Bishop Gerald M. Musa St. Maximilian Kolbe says, “If angels could be jealous of men, they would be so for one reason: Holy Communion.” A special gift that Jesus gave to humankind is Holy Communion. Annually, the Church celebrates Corpus Christi (Body of Christ), the Bread of Life. Several passages in the scriptures direct or indirectly refer to the bread. For example, Genesis, the first book of the Bible mentions bread and wine in the sacrifice offered by Abraham to Melchizedek; the gospel of John speaks of bread, which satisfies hunger; and the Apostle…

Benue Killings: We’ll Confront Land-Grabbing Head-On to Restore Peace — Tinubu By Augustine Orapine Makurdi — President Bola Tinubu has vowed to tackle the issue of land-grabbing directly, if it is found to be the root cause of the recurring killings by armed herdsmen in Benue State. He made this declaration during a visit to Makurdi, following last Friday’s deadly attack in Yelwata, where over 200 people were killed. During a town hall meeting with stakeholders in the state capital, President Tinubu stressed the need for a lasting solution and peace, describing development as impossible without peace. “We were not…

OKPEBHOLO HIGHLIGHTS FATHERHOOD, DIVINE MANDATE AT THANKSGIVING SERVICE Edo State Governor, His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo, was a prominent figure at St. Paul Catholic Church in Benin City, on Sunday, where he attended a special thanksgiving mass marking the second year in office of the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Blessing Agbebaku to commemorate Father’s Day celebration. Governor Okpebholo’s address to the congregation formed a central part of the event, where he took the opportunity to deliver a message that intertwined the significance of Father’s Day with his personal journey and divine calling. The…

She was drowning. And nobody noticed… Nobody, except her. It was June 2022, at the World Championships in Budapest. Anita Álvarez, an American artistic swimmer with Mexican roots, was performing a flawless routine. But when her performance ended… she didn’t come up for air. She had lost consciousness. Her body floated for a few seconds, then began to sink. Slowly. All the way to the bottom of the pool. The audience didn’t notice. Neither did the judges. Everyone was clapping. But her coach, Andrea Fuentes, noticed. She knew Anita—knew exactly how long it took her to surface. She felt in…

Sacred Art, African Soul: SIGNIS Africa Unveils Inculturated Iconography in Enugu -By Ruben Mario Brodrick Enugu, Nigeria – In a vibrant convergence of faith, art, and communication, SIGNIS Africa, in collaboration with the SIGNIS Foundation and Regina Cultural Art Initiative, is currently hosting its 2nd Conference and Art Exhibition at the Holy Ghost Cathedral in Enugu. From June 11th to 14th, 2025, this historic gathering, themed “Sacred Symbols, Cultural Identities: Rethinking Iconography and Imagery in Global Religions,” is challenging conventional interpretations and fostering a new understanding of religious imagery within an African context. The conference officially commenced with an opening…