Catholic Bishop of Yola diocese, Dr. Christopher Abba, has charged Christian women in the country to train their children in the path of truth and discipline and fear of God, as part of efforts to curb cultism and other social vices in the society.
Abba, who gave the charge in a message he sent to the annual convention of Zumuntan Mata Katolika (Catholic Women Organisation), (CWO), Jos province in Yola, that cases of secret cults and other social vices were rampant in the society.
He noted that the rampant social ills in the society was because parents were not living up to their responsibility of bringing up their wards in accordance with the religious injunction.
The clergy, who was represented by the vicar-general of the diocese, Rev. Father Peter Semelinso, enjoined women to change their attitude to conform with the Christian life and serve God without any fear or shame. He said that women should be courageous and steadfast in their worship to the Almighty.
The bishop also urged women to be prayerful in whatever situation they found themselves and continue to spread the gospel to the whole nation as they are commanded to do by our lord Jesus Christ.
Abba encouraged Catholic women to work toward excellence in their various endeavours and not to succumb to defeat. The guest speaker at the occasion, Rev. Charles Hammawa, of St. Patrick's Catholic Parish, numan in Adamawa, who spoke on the theme Manufar Zumunta, meaning essence of fellowship, called for unity, peace and love among the Christian faithfuls the world over. Hammawa, who quoted from several books of the Bible, charged women to abide by the ingredients of the fellowhip, such as fairness, truth and peace to be one in the Lord.
Activities for the convention, which drew women groups from Yola, Jalingo, Maiduguri and Jos dioceses, as well as Bauchi apostolate vicariate, included singing and offertory competitions, as well as handing over ceremony to the new officials of the CWO elected last year.