There was merriment and ceremony among members of the Catholic Men’s Guild (CMG) of Catholic Church of the Assumption, Falomo, Lagos, last Sunday when the group celebrated their 2023 Patron Feast Day and induction of new members in grand style. The event, a commemoration of the life of John the Baptist, the CMG Patron Saint commenced with a retreat, followed by the Feast of Bread and Honey, and the thanksgiving/induction of new members was graced by friends, family and guests of the celebrants. In his Welcome Address, Bro. Sylvester Ngini, President, said the Catholic Men’s Guild of the Catholic Church of the Assumption, Falomo, adopted St. John the Baptist as their Patron Saint because the role of St. John the Baptist in the Christian faith cannot be overemphasised. Ngini said John the Baptist possessed sterling qualities of candour, humility and courage as the fore bearer of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, seeking repentance from sins. He added that his fidelity in carrying out the mission God entrusted to him sets John the Baptist apart from all other messengers of God.
He said: “Today, we the members of the CMG are encouraged to emulate this great man, our patron, St. John the Baptist in all that we do. We must endeavour to be humble, and committed in accomplishing any assignments we are given. The President said St. John the Baptist had a good understanding of his mission to be the path finder, the one heralding the arrival of the saviour, preparing the people in readiness to receive their Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. He said: “Even when he was seen as the lone voice in the wilderness, that did not discourage him, he remained focused. “The Catholic Men’s Guild is a pious society, with a clear mission to defend our faith from government forces. In carrying out this assignment, we must remain focused, humble and dedicated. This assignment will demand our time, talent and treasure. We must not be discouraged, but like St. John the Baptist, remain committed to see the job through.”
Delivering a paper entitled, “Post 2023 elections in Nigeria: Setting an agenda for the government”, Barr. Matthew Egbadon, KSM, Emeritus, President of the CMG, advised the present administration that appointments to important and sensitive public offices should be based on merit. He added that any form of impunity by public office holders should be decisively and transparently dealt with, and there should be no sacred cows. Speaking on transparency and accountability on the part of public officers, Egbadon said there must be leadership by example by those who occupy public offices and this must start from the top. According to him, “There is serious trust deficit between the government and citizenry and this must be resolved quickly. The rule of law must prevail at all times, no matter whose ox is gored. In addition, the cost of governance must be contained for full resource development.”
Expressing his delight at becoming a member of CMG, Bro. TC Awagu said what attracted him to the guild, was the friendly nature of members who were disposed to guiding him and other new members on the guiding principles of the society. According to him, “The guild looks like a prestigious society, but it is actually a pious society. It makes people to come close to the Church and God. In fact, if there’s anything for which people are on earth, it is to recognise God and do His bidding. I will advise any person who is qualified to come and join us and experience what we see in CMG.”
