Easter: Archbishop at Correctional Centre, calls for love, new life among inmates

By Alphonsus Nweze, Onitsha

The Catholic Archbishop of Onitsha Archdiocese, Most Rev. Dr. Valerian Okeke, has called on all to have love of God which attracts new life and divine strength.
The Archbishop who spoke during his homily tagged:” Following Jesus With Love” at Onitsha Correctional Centre, where he celebrated this year’s Easter with the inmates said love of God makes people attractive”.
He called for a new life which would usher in “life of divine strength and love of God”.
The Archbishop said Mary Magdalene displayed this rare love for Jesus Christ, stressing that when others were sleeping, she decided to pay respect to a ” dead man”.
He said Mary Magdalene was rewarded when an angel of God told her that Jesus had risen, saying :” God does not discriminate, God has no favourite. All of us are sons and daughters of God”.
Continuing the Archbishop said: “If you have joined Jesus, you live a new life. Apostle Paul insists that we change our ways, our lives”.
Archbishop Okeke said when people displayed love, God gives them: “sacred power, makes them join group of indistructability”.
“Mary Magdalene met Jesus, got a new life, entered a new platform. If we worship, we ‘ll enter into a new platform. And God’s favour will always be our portion.Mary did it. Love of God makes you attractive”.
He presented Easter cake , toilet soaps, tissue papers,cabin biscuit that would go round all the inmates.
He also presented coolers of rice cooked with one cow in addition to two life cows that would be killed later in the week.
In his speech, the Controller of Corrections, Anambra State, Mr Adindu Uzonwanne, commended the Archbishop, who is the Grand Commander of Corrections in Nigeria for being “a beacon of hope and a source of inspiration to all”.
He prayed the Archbishop would continue to be strong in the service of God and humanity.
The Archbishop was accompanied to the Correctional Centre by the Vice Chancellor, Rev. Fr.Dr.Prudentus Aroh, Deputy Chancellor, Rev. Fr.Dr.Basil Ekwunife, the Chaplain, Rev. Fr. Bartholomew Okpalugo, the Director of Communication in the Archdiocese, Rev.Fr. Dr George Admike and others