Category: blog
CFR WELCOMES YOU TO THE NEW YEAR 2023
On behalf of the CFR Team, Management and Staff, I heartily welcome you to the year of the Lord, 2023. It is indeed a privilege to see this New Day, New week, New Month, New Year and new opportunities, hopes, aspirations and dreams. May we experience newness in every aspect of our lives. Wishing you all a wonderful & Spirit-filled New Year 2023. ENNEAGRAM WORKSHOP @ THE HOLY NAME SPIRITUAL YEAR SEMINARY KANO
The CFR Team Srs. Josephine Olagunju, Caroline Mberekpe and Chinyere Oliobi recently organised a workshop on enneagram for the seminarians the Holy Name Spiritual Year Seminary Kano. The workshop which was very interactive and participatory afforded the seminarians opportunity to grow in self-knowledge, acceptance of self and others and openness to growth. CFR WISHES YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR
CFR programme for the year
2022 Communication Workshop Report
Reflection on Nature 2022 Communication Workshop Report
Inter Congregational CFR Report
THE DENIAL OF JUSTICE AND ITS IMPLICATIONS
Justice delayed is justice denied. William Gladstone
Administration of justice is of utmost importance for the growth and stability of a state. The judiciary is the refuge of the citizens since it is the sole duty of the judiciary to protect the rights and privileges of the citizens regardless of social or financial status; irrespective of any classification. “The effectiveness of the court lies not only in their ability to be fair, firm, and ultimately neutral, but also for justice to be dispensed timely” (Muhammad, 2019). Justice is defined basically as giving to each one what he/she deserves.
Denial of justice consequently means the refusal to give a person his/her due, that is, any violation of any legal right, privilege or immunity of any person. In Nigeria, the denial of justice has become the order of the day. Denial of justice here refers to those very many times when justice was delayed and eventually not served, court rulings and orders were flouted by people who consider themselves above the law.
One prominent case of the denial of justice is the unlawful detention of Shiite’s Islamic Leader Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and his wife Malama Zeenatudeen by the DSS in December 2015. The Federal High Court in Abuja as at 2nd December, 2016 ruled that they both be released within 45 days and be paid compensation of twenty-five million Naira each. The order was given again in January 2017 as the DSS did not comply. They were finally released on the 28th of July, 2021; 1700 days since the first order.
The most recent is the ENDSARS case of October 10th, 2020 where scores of unarmed Nigerian youths were killed by the Nigerian military. There has been a systematic delay of justice and court proceedings. In the end, the hatchet has been buried and we hear nothing about the issue again. The Nigerian government is good at prolonging cases, distracting citizens and then muffling them. The rich in Nigeria have a ‘different justice’ from the poor masses.
Implications:
Most prisons, now known as Correctional Centers, are filled with Awaiting Trial Persons (ATPs). Many inmates in these centres have not been convicted of any crime and some spend between 10-20 years awaiting trial (Muhammad 2019). The average waiting time for trial in Europe is 167 days but in Nigeria, it is between 3-7 years in prison. Other implications of the denial of justice in Nigeria are:
- Distrust and loss of confidence in the judiciary
- Anger and hatred
- Jungle Justice; take laws into their hands
- Loss of the sanctity of human life
- Suicide and frustration; since there seems to be no remedy, death seems an escape rout
- Individualism; unconcern for others and focus on only the self and self-survival
Bitterness and pain; since there seems there’s no one to help out, we swallow pain.
Observing the Nigerian society today, we notice that these implications are already in effect and they play out. We as religious therefore, what do we do? Do we, in our communities, ensure that we uphold justice and not deny the serving of them? To affect the tree, we must affect the root. To affect the whole, we must start at home. To affect greatly, we must begin small.
Presented by Br. Daniel Obi, OSA for Group Two, 30th July, 2022. Compiled by Unitative Uzo (Sr Uzo, SSND), Magnificent Mariamu (Br. Amos Ezra, FPM), Admirable Agnes (Sr Agnes Tadok, IJ) and Divine Dee (Br. Daniel Obi, OSA); Group Two, Communications Workshop, Centre for Renewal, 2022.
Celibacy and Today’s Youth
Celibacy and Today’s Youth
In a society where sexual liberty and licentiousness has become the order of the day, the thought of a celibate life immediately causes the eyes of the modern man to twitch. Is it possible? For what purpose? And who can endure such hard teachings? The call to celibacy stands tall and unique in this current world system. It is a call to difference, to be a sign of contradiction and instruction to the world that has closed its ears to the gospel cries for purity and chastity.
What is celibacy, then? Celibacy is the state of life where a person willingly, deliberately and intentionally decides to live without a partner or getting married. In the context of the church, it is done so that one is freed to love the entire church as his family and spouse. In the Vatican II document "Perfectae Caritatis", celibacy is seen as "a gift of grace from God that uniquely frees the heart of man so that it becomes more fervent in love for God and for all men". This way of life stems from Jesus Christ himself, who was celibate, and who said in Matthew 19:12 that some are called to be eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of God.
St. Paul also reiterates this in 1 Cor 7 when he said that he urges the unmarried to remain the way they are, so that their focus will be on God; for the focus of the married ones will be their spouse. He goes a step further by proving this way of life by his own life, and the fruit was the enormous conversions of gentiles and spread of Christianity to the corners of the ancient gentile maps!
Today's Christian is also called upon to take up this call. What hinders him? Why should he take up this path? And what is in for him to gain? The Daily encounter with a culture that glorifies sexual freedom distorts and distracts his mind, but this influx of licentiousness is not new, for Augustine himself complained ages ago, "In truth, you command me to be continent, you have commanded me to be free from concubinacy; yet, there still remain images of those things that were in my former life!"
Following from Augustine who was very much like today's youth, we too can take up this call, knowing that Celibacy and Chastity is impossible without God's grace and it cannot be sustained without God's power upholding it. It is difficult, but God's grace, as on Augustine, will make it possible.
As for what the youth intending on celibacy will pocket home, "But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. (Mk 10:30). By this, Jesus promises him that this way of life will free him to love men and women of all tribes and cultures by breaking boundaries through love; for these will all become his own brothers and sisters, their lands his land; persecutions from his own flesh and outside him will abound, but at the end, He or She will smile his way into the gates of heaven, knowing that God's promise of the celibate attaining eternal life is fulfilled in his life.
June 2022 Defense & Graduation
Centre For Renewal resumes full services after break
The Centre For Renewal (CFR), Jos has resumed full services after her break on the 22nd of September, 2022. CFR invites you to come, pray, reflect, contemplate, relax and enjoy yourself.
CFR offers facilities for Retreats, Seminars, Workshops, Conferences, Lodging, Halls, Holidays, Meetings as well as Catering Services at affordable prices. Come and experience the quiet, serene & conducive environment with natural vegetation that will uplift your spirit and move you to journey inwards in solitude. Come & be blessed!
CFR is located at No 1 UTAN Lane off Goodluck Jonathan Road, Rock Haven Jos.