Mr Edward Asuelimen, Chairman, Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Nigeria, Abuja Archdiocese has called on churches to empower their members with skill acquisition to cushion the effect of the economic recession.
Asuelimen told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Saturday that the church should speak the truth and be a voice of the poor at this crucial period in country.
He said the church has a duty to alleviate the sufferings of members.
“Church should empower their members with skill acquisition and help them to develop their lives.
“We have a lot of people in this country, who have no skill, nothing to do. They can be assisted to be productive.
“I salute the churches that have started doing that. They should set up skill acquisition centres, where they can train their members free or with token,” he said.
Asuelimen said that empowering the members is a way of supporting the government.
“Things are happening, people are suffering. Therefore, they should look after them. Take care of the sheep, feed the flock, and provide them with basic things that could help them.’’
He advised the church to be careful about diverting the resources their members contributed to worldly things, noting that such resources should be used to help the members.
According to him, churches with enterprises such as schools are doing that to help their members not for profit making.
“I don’t see schools as enterprise for Church. I see it as a way of helping their members. I don’t see it as money generating venture.
“It is a way of building their members academically and morally,” he said.
Speaking on Kaduna killings, Asuelimen said that those carrying out those dastard acts were criminals and that no religion approves killing.
He said that the Muslims elites, traditional rulers and the Emirs have also dissociated themselves from the killings of Christians in the area, saying “ they are peace loving people’’.
He, however, urged Nigerians to pray for the conversion of people involving in the killings, adding that government should ensure adequate security of lives and property against criminals and terrorists.
Asuelimen said that that Christians and Muslims had lived in peace for so long and should continue to embrace peace and unity.
“We should pray for peace in this country, our teaching should be on peace whether you are a Muslim or Christian. I don’t see any religion that will ask us to go and kill. God didn’t create us to kill.
“Therefore, the way out of crisis is to preach peace, pray for peace and our prayer is that our enemies should fall in love with God,’’ the leader said. (NAN)
