Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri

10/09/2026

THURSDAY OF THE TWENTY-THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME



Jesus said to his disciples: “To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount. But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as also your Father is merciful. “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.” Luke 6:27-38

– THE WORDS OF THE POPES
Is it possible for a person to come to love his or her enemies? If it depended only on us, it would be impossible. But let us recall that, when the Lord asks for something, he wishes to give it. The Lord never asks for something he has not already given us first. When he tells me to love my enemies, he wants to give me the capacity to do so. Without that ability, we would not be able, but he tells you to “love your enemy” and gives you the capacity to love. Saint Augustine prayed in this way — listen to this beautiful prayer: Lord, “give what You command, and command what You will” (Confessions , X, 29.40), because you have already given it to me. What should we ask of him? What is God happy to give us? The strength to love, which is not a thing, but rather the Holy Spirit. The strength to love is the Holy Spirit, and with the Spirit of Jesus, we can respond to evil with good, we can love those who do us harm. (…) And we, do we try to live following Jesus’ invitations? Let us think about someone who has wronged us. (…) And then let us ask the Holy Spirit to act in our heart. Finally, let us pray for that person: praying for those who have done us harm (cf. Lk 6:28). When someone has wronged us, we immediately go and tell others and we feel we are victims. Let us stop, and pray to the Lord for that person, that he might help him or her, and so this feeling of resentment will be dispelled. Praying for those who have wronged us is the first step to transforming evil into good. (Pope Francis, Angelus, 20 February 2022)

May you have a blessed

09/09/2026

POPE AT AUDIENCE: HUMAN DIGNITY MUST ALWAYS BE DEFENDED AS GOD’S GIFT

At his Wednesday General Audience, Pope Leo XIV continues his reflection on Vatican II’s ‘Gaudium et Spes,’ and says the dignity of every human person is a permanent gift of God’s love that we must defend.

Vatican News

Pope Leo XIV dedicated his Wednesday General Audience to the dignity of the human person, urging Christians to defend it in every circumstance with “the light and strength of the Gospel.”

Continuing his reflections on the Second Vatican Council’s Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et spes, the Pope said recognition of fundamental human rights represents one of the most important achievements in human history.

However, he warned, humanity’s journey towards the full recognition of human dignity remains incomplete, since old and new contradictions continue to obstruct it.

Pope Leo said the Church contributes to this journey by recalling that dignity arises from the very being of each person.

Quoting his encyclical Magnifica humanitas, he stressed that every human being is “planned and willed by God” for communion with Him, with others and with creation.

“Human dignity does not depend on a person’s abilities, wealth or position in life, nor on the right or wrong choices made,” he said. “Instead, it is a gift that precedes and transcends each person, endowed by God as an expression of His unfailing love.”

The Pope explained that this infinite dignity is rooted in humanity’s creation in the image of God.
Human beings are capable of knowing and loving our Creator, while the rest of creation is entrusted to our responsible care.

Christ, he added, reveals the ultimate foundation of this dignity by revealing humanity to itself and making known to us our highest calling.

Pope Leo went on to say that human dignity can never be understood in isolation.

“To be a person means to perceive oneself as a gift to be shared, growing and maturing through acceptance, reciprocity and service,” he said.

Dignity therefore entails both personal responsibility and solidarity with others. It calls for mutual care and for resistance to the many forms of manipulation that distort the understanding of the human person.

The Pope acknowledged that humanity remains wounded by sin and divided within itself, caught in a struggle between good and evil.

Yet, he said, Christians can face this fragility with hope because Christ came to free, strengthen and renew humanity from within.

Citing Gaudium et Spes, Pope Leo also rejected any separation between body and soul, recalling that the human person “though made of body and soul, is one.”

Treating the body as an object that can be used or disposed of arbitrarily, he said, constitutes a denial of human dignity.

The body must instead be regarded as good and worthy of honour, since it was created by God and destined for resurrection.

The Pope then highlighted intelligence, conscience, and freedom as three essential expressions of human dignity. Intelligence seeks truth, conscience gives unity and meaning to life, and freedom allows people to take responsibility for our decisions.

Pope Leo concluded by recalling that the Holy Spirit frees us from fear and confirms our dignity as children of God.

“Created in God’s image, through Christ and for His sake, we have received a unique and indelible dignity,” he said. “Let us commit ourselves to promoting and defending it always.”

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2026-09/pope-leo-xiv-general-audience-human-dignity-gaudium-et-spes.html

09/09/2026

WEDNESDAY OF THE TWENTY-THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME



Raising his eyes toward his disciples Jesus said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours. Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way. But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. But woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep. Woe to you when all speak well of you for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.” Luke 6:20-26

– THE WORDS OF THE POPES
On the mountain, Christ gives his disciples the new law, no longer written on stone. It is a law that renews our lives and makes them good, even when the world seems to have failed us and is full of misery. Only God can truly call the poor and afflicted blessed (cf. vv. 3-4), because he is the highest good who gives himself to all with infinite love. Only God can satisfy those who seek peace and justice (cf. vv. 6.9), because he is the just judge of the world and the author of eternal peace. Only in God do the meek, the merciful and the pure of heart find joy (vv. 5.7-8), because he is the fulfilment of their expectations. In persecution, God is the source of redemption; in falsehood, he is the anchor of truth. Therefore, Jesus proclaims: “Rejoice and be glad!” (…) In this way, Jesus illuminates the meaning of history. It is no longer written by conquerors, but rather by God, who is able to accomplish it by saving the oppressed. (…) The Beatitudes become for us a measure of happiness, leading us to ask whether we consider it an achievement to be bought or a gift to be shared; whether we place it in objects that are consumed or in relationships that accompany us. It is in fact because of Christ (cf. Mt 5:11) and thanks to him that the bitterness of trials is transformed into the joy of the redeemed. Jesus does not speak of a distant consolation, but of a constant grace that always sustains us, especially in times of affliction. (Pope Leo XIV, Angelus, 1st February 2026)

May you have a blessed

08/09/2026

PICTORIAL HIGHLIGHTS: A beautiful day of learning, guidance, and fraternity as the Archdiocese of Owerri held an orientation programme for her newly ordained priests today, Tuesday, September 8, 2026.

May God continue to guide, direct, enlighten, and strengthen our newly ordained priests as they begin their priestly ministry. 🙏

08/09/2026

September 8: FEAST OF THE NATIVITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Let us celebrate with joy the nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, from whom arose the sun of justice, Christ the Lord. With the whole Church, we honour Mary, the mother of Jesus and our mother. She was chosen in a special way to be the handmaid of the Lord and to play an important part in the history of salvation and in the mystery of our redemption.

Happy Birthday, Mother Mary. Pray for us now and at the hour of our death. Amen

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death. Amen

Photo credit: pinterest.com

08/09/2026

SEPTEMBER 8 – FEAST OF THE NATIVITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY



The Book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse, Jesse the father of David the king.

David became the father of Solomon, whose mother had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon became the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asaph. Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Uzziah. Uzziah became the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amos, Amos the father of Josiah. Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the Babylonian exile.

After the Babylonian exile, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.

Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means "God is with us." Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23

– THE WORDS OF THE POPES
The Gospel of Matthew presents to us the "genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham" (Mt 1: 1), underlining and further explaining God's fidelity to the promise that he puts into practice not only through human beings but with them, and, as for Jacob, sometimes in tortuous and unexpected ways. The awaited Messiah, the subject of the promise, is true God but also true man; the Son of God, but also the Son born of the Virgin Mary of Nazareth, the holy flesh of Abraham in whose descendants all the peoples of the earth would be blessed (cf. Gn 22: 18). In this genealogy, in addition to Mary, four other women are recalled. They are not Sarah, Rebecca, Leah, or Rachel, that is, the great figures of the history of Israel. Instead, paradoxically they are four pagan women: Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Tamar, who seemingly "cloud" the purity of a genealogy. Yet, in these pagan women who appear at crucial points in the history of salvation, also appears the mystery of the church of the pagans, the universality of salvation. (…) They are also sinful women, and thus the mystery of grace appears in them: it is not our works that redeem the world, but rather the Lord who gives us true life. (Pope Benedict XVI, Homily, 17 December 2009)

07/09/2026

The Owerri Archdiocesan Priests’ Fitness Football Tournament commences today.

Time: 4:00pm
Venue: Maria Assumpta Playground, Owerri

Priests and the faithful are encouraged to be present and support this initiative that promotes wellness, fraternity, and renewed pastoral vitality.

Owerri Archdiocese Set to Kick Off Priests’ Football Tournament 2026: A Celebration of Fitness, Fraternity, and Pastoral Vitality.

The Archdiocese of joyfully announces the commencement of the Owerri Archdiocesan Priests’ Tournament, a fraternal sporting event designed to promote physical , strengthen priestly bonds, and renew the spirit of pastoral service.

The tournament begins on September 7, 2026, and will conclude on December 7, 2026, at the Maria Assumpta Play Ground, Owerri.

This initiative springs from a simple but profound truth: healthy priests are essential for healthy pastoral ministry. The demands of priestly life—celebrating the sacraments, offering pastoral care, teaching, counselling, and leading communities—require strength of body as well as strength of soul.

By encouraging regular exercise, teamwork, and joyful , the tournament becomes more than a game; it becomes a pastoral investment. A physically fit priest is better equipped to serve God’s people with energy, resilience, and renewed enthusiasm.

The competing priests have been grouped into six vibrant teams, each bearing the name of a revered shepherd in the history of the Archdiocese: Bishop Whelan, Bishop Unegbu, Archbishop Obinna, Archbishop Ugorji, Bishop Chikwe, and Msgr. Nwanegbo. Their participation reflects the unity of the presbyterate—young and old, parish priests and those in specialized ministries—coming together in brotherhood and friendly competition.

As the tournament begins, the Archdiocese invites the faithful to pray for their priests, support them with their presence during the matches, and celebrate this initiative that blends wellness, faith, fraternity, and mission.

May this sporting encounter strengthen the bonds of and renew the vigor needed for pastoral service.

07/09/2026

MONDAY OF THE TWENTY-THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME



On a certain sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely to see if he would cure on the sabbath so that they might discover a reason to accuse him. But he realized their intentions and said to the man with the withered hand, "Come up and stand before us." And he rose and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?" Looking around at them all, he then said to him, "Stretch out your hand." He did so and his hand was restored. But they became enraged and discussed together what they might do to Jesus. Luke 6:6-11

– THE WORDS OF THE POPES
In the Gospels, many pages tell of Jesus’ encounters with the sick and of his commitment to healing them. He presents himself publicly as one who fights against illness and who has come to heal mankind of every evil: evils of the spirit and evils of the body. (…) When a father or mother, or even just friends brought a sick person for him to touch and heal, he never let time be an issue; healing came before the law, even one as sacred as resting on the Sabbath (cf. Mk 3:1-6). The doctors of the law reproached Jesus because he healed on the Sabbath, he did good on the Sabbath. But the love of Jesus was in giving health, doing good: this always takes priority! (…) This is the glory of God! This is the Church’s task! To help the sick, not to get lost in gossip, always help, comfort, relieve, be close to the sick; this is the task. (Pope Francis, General Audience, 10 June 2015)

May you have a blessed New Week

06/09/2026

This week’s edition of The Leader Newspaper.
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05/09/2026

Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation - (23rd Sunday, Year A): Food of the Soul from Archbishop Anthony Obinna (Emeritus)