JDPC ONITSHA FLAGGED OFF JDPC WEEK 2019 IN STYLE

This year’s JDPC week flag off started with a Mass celebrated by the Chancellor of Onitsha Archdiocese, Very Rev Fr. Dr. Prudentius Aroh. Joined in the Mass celebration were Rev. Fr. Philip Ibeneme, the Archdiocese Financial Administrator and Rev. Fr. Dr. Edwin Udoye, the Executive Director of JDPC. In the homily, the Archdiocesan Financial Administrator, Fr. Ibeneme pointed out that any Society that would be better starts from the family. He urged the audience and participants to the flag off to emulate good values in order to keep their families together.

The representative of the Archbishop of Onitsha, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Prudentius Aroh who is also the Chairman of JDPC Board of Directors in his amiable style extoled the sustainability of JDPC programs in alleviating the sufferings of human persons in the society. According to him, the impact of these programs are unarguably felt by all and sundry.

In his keynote address, the Executive Director of JDPC Onitsha Rev. Fr. Dr. Edwin Udoye re-echoed the Church’s Vatican II doctrine, which provided that the family is a miniature Church. According to him, the family is a foundational and fundamental place where human values of self-control, strength of character, sincerity, love of Justice, fidelity, truthfulness among other virtues are learnt. Fr. Udoye added that the emerging realities and re-awakening of consciousness on the collapse of family values make this year’s JDPC Week a topical one with the theme, “The collapse of Family Values and Upsurge of Crime in Nigeria: A Call for Value Re-Orientation.” He further pointed out that the church has been striving in various ways to do the needful by driving some of its organizations like the JDPC, CWO, CMO, CYON and the Laity Council to reach various families through seminars and other programmes in order to imbibe good values and promote same outside their homes.

During the flag off ceremony, participants were thrilled by the two wonderful discussants who delivered papers on the following topics:

1. Firstly, Mrs Ngozi Osuchukwu, a lecturer at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka presented a paper on “Vademecum for Electors in Nigeria.” She called on members of various statutory bodies and organizations who are the face of the Church and the society to stop Agonizing and start Organizing. This calls for proactive intervention in the work we do. She further stressed that Christians and citizens should be aware of their civic responsibilities and see their social and political engagements and positions as a vocation to bring about a better world where everyone is protected by the law. This a call to discipleship in the world of politics, which will in turn ensure equitable distribution of common good, while guaranteeing both civic and religious virtues. The paper called on the citizens to be the change the desire.
2. The second paper centered on the main theme “Collapse of Family Values and Upsurge of Crime in Nigeria: A call for Value Re-orientation,” was summarized and delivered by Barr. Uju Nnagboh. Other sub theme include:
   i) Understanding the Family as a Domestic Church
   ii) The Nigerian Cultural Roles and Responsibilities in the Upbringing of Children
   iii) The Role of Western Education and Social Media on Family Values
   iv) The Role of Church in the Upbringing of Children
   v) Re-evaluating our Cultural and Family Values, the way forward
   According her, many families have invite strangers and strangers’ offspring into their homes over the past four or five decades including cable TV, Smart phones, internet etc. that are even bolder than the original stranger. They show explicit sex, speak vilely about human person, especially women, and push the limits of immorality to heights never before imagined. She stressed that these messages not only undermine traditional family values but also social and religious values, which children lean in homes. She called on families to inculcate good old values. Parents were called to educate their children as essentially as it connects with transmission of human life, ..it is irreplaceable and inalienable, and therefore incapable of being entirely delegated to others or usurped by others. The discussants’ papers were quite inexhaustible as what they shared served as eye opener to wide audience.
   More than 300 participants attended the programme, which included the JDPC Board members: (Board Secretary, Mrs Biddy Iwuchukwu, Laity Chairman, Comrade Leo Obiefuna, CMO President General Sir Ifeanyi Nnajiaku, CWO Director represented by her deputy, Lady Theodora Onyenze). Others include JDPC Onitsha Provincial Secretary, Rev. Sr. Maryann Okoye, Rev. Sr. and Barr. Benette Regis Nnadozie from Onitsha Region. There were also presence of media personnel from ABS, Awka and Trinitas Newspaper, Onitsha. The 6 regions in Onitsha Archdiocese were fully represented by JDPC members who will replicate the flag off in their various parishes from Sunday 14th July.
   One of the major highlights of the event was an empowerment session of 20 widows from different parishes in Igbariam region sponsored by Mrs Theresa Nweke, the Regional Chair. She told story on how she borrowed N5, 000 as a widow to start petty business and trained her 8 children in higher institutions until she got to the position she is presently. She advised the widows to borrow from her leaf and bring light to their respective families. She gave out N5, 000 each totaling N100, 000 to the 20 widows to support their efforts. Thereafter Fr. Udoye prayed and blessed the widows who smiled away with their envelopes.
   Apart from the paper presentation and empowerment, the audience were electrified by drama show piece done by JDPC members from Sacred Heart Parish, which centered on collapse of family values