Torchlight News

A dream can be delayed, but with determination and tenacity of purpose, it surely, one day, comes to fulfilment. Our darling publishing site, Torchlight has been off radar for over a year. It was a temporary hiatus, meant to serve restrategization, reformation and repackaging. We are almost through with what is cooking in the kitchen. Watch out for it. Sooner than later, it will be served to you deliciously. 

St. Leo's Catholic Church Ikeja Lagos is in a festive mood. She is celebrating the 50th anniversary of her existence. And with open arms, she is inviting all and sundry to the merriment.  This was made known to newsmen on Thursday, August 25, by the Vicar General, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos and Episcopal Vicar of Ikeja Region, Rt. Rev. Monsignor (Dr.) John Aniagwu. Torchlight News was there and reports. Aniagwu who is also the parish priest of St. Leo's Parish was represented at the media briefing by his Associate, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Omoroke, SMMM and other members of the Planning Committee. According to the Vicar, it was a success story for the parish with a very humble beginning, having started in a make-shift Assembly hall of the then Southern Police College, Ikeja.  Created in the month of September 1972 by the then Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. John Kwao Amuzu Aggey, he said, St. Leo's Catholic Church could be likened to the proverbial ...

"Consecration” means being set aside for a holy purpose.  Perhaps, you may or may not have heard of the concept of consecration before. A person or nation consecrated is set aside for a holy purpose.  Sometimes the word “entrustment” is used synonymously with consecration.  The Vatican's Congregation for Divine Worship defines consecration to Mary as an overt recognition of the "singular role of Mary in the Mystery of Christ and of the Church, of the universal and exemplary importance of her witness to the Gospel, of trust in her intercession, and of the efficacy of her patronage." By consecrating oneself to Mary, one accepts her help in offering oneself fully to Christ. Pope St. John Paul II during his pontificate consecrated the entire Church and the world to Mary three times.  Consecration as an entrustment is an appeal to God, laying ourselves, our hearts, our prayers, our desires at the feet of Our Lady for our particular needs. Marian consecrations...

Pope Francis On Friday, March 25, Pope Francis, united with all the Bishops and Catholic faithful around the world,  will consecrate Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on the Feast of the Annunciation.   The Pope will pray the Act of Consecration around 6:30 PM, and has asked all Bishops and priests to join him spiritually in this prayer. Here below is the official translation of the Act of Consecration:          "O Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, in this time of trial we turn to you.  As our Mother, you love us and know us: no concern of our hearts is hidden from you.  Mother of mercy, how often we have experienced your watchful care and your peaceful presence!  You never cease to guide us to Jesus, the Prince of Peace.          "Yet we have strayed from that path of peace.  We have forgotten the lesson learned from the tragedies of the last century, the sacrifice of the millions who fel...

  Msgr. (Dr.) J. K. A Aniagwu All appears set for the unveiling and public presentation of a new book, a Memoir, written by Rt. Rev. Msgr. (Dr.) J. K. A Aniagwu, Vicar general Lagos Catholic Archdiocese and parish priest of St. Leo's Catholic Church Ikeja, Lagos.  This was disclosed to newsmen, penultimate Thursday, in a chat, by the cerebral priest himself, in his office.  The book is part of the highpoints of the celebration of his Golden jubilee priestly ordination. Msgr. John Aniagwu was ordained a priest on August 15, 1971 at the age of 27. He was born in Ijebu-Ode, Ondo state, Southwest Nigeria, on 15th March 1944.  A prolific writer, theologian, quintessential teacher, and seasoned administrator, "Fr. John," as he is fondly called by his teeming admirers and parishioners, was rector of Ss. Peter & Paul Seminary, Bodija, Ibadan, for twelve years. He has been in active pastoral work as parish priest of St. Leo's Catholic Church Ikeja since 1995...

Reports by Pascal Chimezie His Grace, Alfred Adewale Martin, Archbishop of Lagos The Lagos Archdiocesan Catholic Charismatic Institute (LACCI), an academy initiative of the  Lagos Archdiocesan Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Nigeria, on Sunday, May 30, held its first matriculation ceremony for its pioneer students.  It was inside the main hall of St. Mary's Catholic Church, Isolo. Very Rev. Monsignor Anthony Obanla, the Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Lagos represented His Grace, Most Rev. Dr. Alfred Adewale Martin, the Archbishop of Lagos.  Also in attendance was the Chaplain of the Lagos Archdiocesan Catholic Charismatic Renewal, Msgr. Paschal Nwaezeapu, amongst other dignitaries. A cross sections of the students The institute, according to Uche Anyanwu, chairman of Lagos Archdiocesan Service of Communion (LASC), an umbrella body of charismatics in Lagos Archdiocese, is to train members on discipleship, having intimate re...

By our Correspondent Where is the Paschal Candle of St. Brendan Catholic Church Amakohia Ikeduru, Imo state, Southeast Nigeria? Strange as this might sound, it has been the question agitating the mind of almost every parishioner of the Church. The Paschal Candle went missing about fortnight ago in a difficult-to-explain circumstance, and all efforts made to trace its whereabout, or who took it, have proved abortive. In reaction, the parish priest, Rev. Fr. (Capt.) Ishmael Iwuala, and his bewildered parishioners have resorted to prayers in order to unravel the mystery behind the disappearance of the Candle.  Speaking to Torchlight News , one of the parishioners who did not want his name in print, said, "It is strange how the Candle got missing when none of the Church's doors or windows was broken into! Why will anybody steal the Candle, and for what purpose?", he asked.  The Church is, therefore, enlisting the prayer support of all well meaning individuals and ...

. ..Advises religious leaders to be cautious with their utterances The Catholic Bishops in Nigeria have called on the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari to be open to constructive criticism and to wake up to its constitutional obligation to protect life and property of Nigerians. Augustine Akubeze, CBCN President  In a statement titled " URGENT CALL TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO BE OPEN TO CRITICISM IN ADDRESSING THE PERVADING INSECURITY IN NIGERIA," released on Thursday, May 6 and signed by its National President and Archbishop of Benin City, His Grace, Most Rev. Dr. Augustine Akubeze, the Bishops advised religious leaders across faith, political and opinion leaders in  Nigeria to be cautious with their utterances in order not to imperil the country fragile democracy, even as it prayed that God should grant government actors the wisdom and courage to bring peace and justice to every Nigerian. Full text of the statement reads: "On behalf of the Catholic...

...An Easter Message By Matthew Hassan Kukah "If a religious leader is afraid to say what is right, what else can his silence mean but that he has taken flight? Hiding behind a wall of silence is like taking flight at the approach of the wolf."  - Pope St. Gregory the Great (540–604 AD) 1: Easter Sunday is here again. But first, let us step back to Friday. Good Friday was a Kairos moment for the beleaguered followers of Jesus, a defining moment that separated truth from falsehood and light from darkness. At Golgotha, Jesus remained silent when the first thief taunted Him, and when bystanders scornfully asked him to demonstrate His divine powers by coming down from the cross. Everything about Christ–the prophecies of His birth, His life on earth, the miracles He performed, the sermons He preached, His torture and subsequent death–now hung languidly on a wooden cross on the hill of Golgotha. There were two types of persons at Golgotha: observers and waiters. The ...

2021 Laity Week Celebration (Being text of speech delivered by Pascal Chimezie, the publisher of  Torchlight news , on behalf of the St. Leo’s Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Nigeria, during the 2021 Parish Laity Week on March 19, 2021, at St. Leo’s Catholic Church, Ikeja Lagos-Nigeria). Bro Pascal Chimezie Greetings brothers and sisters in Christ. I consider it great privilege and honour to have this invitation extended to me to make this presentation on behalf the Charismatic Renewal. I thank the organizers of this year's Laity Week and, indeed, the Parish Laity Council (PLC), for their great efforts. May God bless you all in Jesus Mighty Name. I was just wondering what must have been in the mind of the organizers when they chose this topic: "The word of God and the sanctity of the human life."  And also how relevant and apt is the topic in our present day Nigeria? I must say they are in the spirit when they chose the topic, because it seeks to take us deep into th...

  Sunday, March 28, 2021 Knowing Jesus, the Suffering Servant Today, we remember both Palm Sunday and the Passion of Our Lord. How has God’s sacrificial love changed me this Lent? Today’s Readings At the Procession with Palms: St. Mark 11:1-10 or St. John 12:12-16 First reading: Isaiah 50:4-7 Psalm: 22:8-9, 17-20, 23-24 Second reading: Philippians 2:6-11 Gospel: St. Mark 14:1–15:47 or St. Mark 15:1-39   Over the past few weeks, the readings have taken us through salvation history, which clearly shows us how God worked in the history of mankind, eventually culminating in the birth, life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus.  In the reading from Isaiah today, we see one of the prophecies that tells us about Jesus many years before He was born: I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I hid not my face from shame and spitting. - Isaiah 50:6  And as we read through the Gospel today, we should remember that the even...