From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
Former archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, His Eminence, Cardinal, John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan s, has called on the religious leaders to preach peace among Nigerians for the development of the country.
Onaiyekan stated this Friday during the foundation laying of the remodelling and building of the Dominic Cardinal Ekandem Villa in Abuja.
He said that the project was set aside to impact on Nigerians in different ways, education, social amenity empowerment and social economic development in the country.
“Our aim is to promote an African level, a dialogue between the church and the modern world in line with the Second Vatican Council Document, Gaudium Et SPES, which stipulates that the Church should be visibly present, relevant and influential in the modern world.
“The Institute, which is resourced with two priests specially trained in psycho-spiritual therapy, apart from providing us a venue for worship and veneration, has helped to rehabilitate hundreds of people from different faiths and backgrounds who have suffered various forms of psychological and spiritual challenges, including but not limited to depression, trauma and addictions.
“We have helped to give them joy and hope for a new beginning. We also support the needy within our community and outside through charitable works and programmes. What we offer is to the society at large. Christians, Muslims, traditional religionists, atheists, etc, as our concern is the society at large.
“We are currently inundated with requests for psycho-spiritual therapy and counseling sessions, and huge demand for our other programmes like interfaith dialogues, retreat, pastoral and other training, and charity activities.
“Our current facilities are very basic with only nine rooms and have become grossly inadequate for the demands and needs of society which we serve; that is why this remodelling and building of the Dominic Cardinal Ekanem Villa has become Imperative.”
According to him, the design for the new facility would provide for 50 rooms, three conference rooms against one in the old building, standard counselling rooms, adding that a private chapel, ample parking space, 250 capacity chapel, 150 capacity conference room, restaurant, well equipped kitchen, library and prayer garden, etc.
Meanwhile, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, who is the Chairman of the Development Committee at the GAUDIUM Et SPES Institute, while making his remarks, said the proposed remodelling aimed to accommodate 50 rooms, three conference spaces, counselling rooms, a private chapel, a well-equipped kitchen, and other essential amenities to cater to the community’s needs.
Ndoma-Egba expressed hope and reliance on the goodwill of supporters, appealing for financial, material, and moral assistance to realise the project.