In Awka, Aquinas Parish, Block Rosary, Legion of Mary celebrate

IT WAS a celebration of love and thanksgiving to God as the Catholic faithful celebrated Mary on Sunday, during the Feast of Assumption.

  At St Thomas Aquinas Parish, Government House, Awka, the members of the  Block Rosary celebrated Parents Day, the  Legion of Mary lighted Centenary Candle to mark 100 years of its existence worldwide, while 145 candidates received first holy communion.

  In his homily, Rev Fr. Blaise Ejike explained that the church has four dogmas of the Blessed Virgin Mary as follows: Mother of God, perpetual virginity, immaculate conception and assumption of body and soul into heaven. He said: “Today’s celebration teaches us that our lives as Christians do not end here. We have hope as believers that we will make heaven. To encourage us to honour the Blessed Virgin Mary, we have a lot of devotions in the church. They help us to emulate the saints; that’s why we have Legion of Mary, Our Lady of Perpetual Help etc. In the Bible, Elizabeth’s prayer in Luke, ” Hail Mary full of grace” is the official prayer through which the church honours the Blessed Virgin Mary.

  Fr. Ejike further testified a miracle from Mary, even as he encouraged parents to teach their children how to pray.

  On her part, the girl that sang the responsorial psalm, who is one of the candidates that received first Holy Communion, Agbata Maryann had this to say: ” I thank God for giving me life to see today. May he make the first communion I received today  to bear fruit in me, lead me and provide for my family all they want.”

  The president of Legion of Mary, St Thomas Aquinas Parish, Bro Chukwudi Nwizugbo said: “We are starting the activities marking 100 years of existence of Legion of Mary, by bringing the centenary candle to Aquinas Parish, the seat of Morning Star Legion Presidium.”

  He continued by saying that the process has taken off in Ekwulobia, while other lines of activities to mark the centenary are coming up –  rosary carnival, celebration of the centenary at parish levels, immaculate conception, which come up with the dedication of Legion House in Awka.

  Nwizugbo also said that Legion of Mary that started in 1921, with the seat in Dublin Ireland had spread worldwide. He also stated that the Regia covers Awka and Ekwulobia Dioceses.

  Samuel Onuorah, father of one of the children that received first holy Communion, Adaeze Matilda Onuorah stated that it was a great day, another stage after baptism for the candidates. He said, “they are now full grown Catholics. It’s a thing to glorify God, children are happy, parents are here, everybody is happy. Over 100 received first holy communion today.”

  A Block Rosary member, Chukwuma John said that they do Parents Day as the kids thank God for life.