By Rejoice Paul

Board Chairman of the National Christian Pilgrims Commission, Rt. Rev. Monsignor Cletus Gotan,  has called on six newly professed sisters of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus (SHCJ) to persevere in their commitment to religious life, emphasizing the need for them to uphold the ideals of their constitution and advance the mission of the Church.

Speaking during the sisters’ temporary profession of vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, Monsignor Gotan, who also doubles as the Vicar-General, Administration and Religious in Jos Archdiocese, highlighted the importance of religious vows, describing them as a profound commitment to God that directs the course of a believer’s life. The vows, he noted, are the spiritual horizon to which the faithful aspire.

“In a world afflicted by crises, conflicts, moral decay, and hunger, where fanaticism and selfish interests often prevail over humanity, we rejoice that these six daughters are offering themselves to serve a higher purpose through religious life,” Monsignor Gotan stated at the ceremony, held in the SHCJ African Province, Jos, Plateau State on the 29 August, 2024.

Representing the Archbishop of Jos, Archbishop Matthew Ishaya Audu, Monsignor Gotan urged the sisters and the faithful to deepen their relationship with Christ through regular devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, stressing the need for spiritual resilience in a turbulent world.

“Private visitation to the Blessed Sacrament should become a habit for each one of us. We must engage with Christ not just as a rescuer but as a friend,” Monsignor Gotan urged, adding that a close relationship with Christ through the sacraments of the Eucharist and Reconciliation is essential for spiritual growth.

The six sisters – Lawrenta Akhere Aidoyin, Regina Amarachi Ani, Mary Nesochi Martin, Roseline Chigozie Ogbozor, MargaretMary Ugochi Onyecoha, and Margaret Sam – took their temporary vows in a ceremony, publicly declaring their intention to live a modest, consecrated life in service to God and His Church. The vows will be renewed every two years until they take their final profession.

During the ceremony, SHCJ Novice Mistress, Rev. Sr. Priscila Memuwa, expressed gratitude to the attendees, including religious communities, priests, seminarians, and the families of the professed sisters, for their support. She noted that the prayers and presence of the attendees made the occasion a memorable one, as the sisters embarked on their religious journey.

“Thank you all for being a part of this momentous occasion. The best and most beautiful things in life are not seen or touched but felt by the heart,” Rev. Sr. Memuwa remarked, as she acknowledged the six sisters’ dedication to their new vocation.

Following the profession, the Province Leader, Rev. Sr. Helen Ebede, presented the SHCJ emblem to the newly professed sisters, symbolizing their official entry into the religious congregation.

As is customary, the six sisters stepped forward to the altar and publicly renounced worldly desires, committing themselves to a life of poverty, chastity, and obedience in God’s service.

The ceremony marked a significant moment for the families of the sisters, who, Monsignor Gotan reassured, have not lost their daughters but have offered them to God. “Whatever you place in the hands of the Lord will be blessed, and you, too, will be blessed,” he affirmed.