Way out of economic challenge is to be more generous to God - Onaiyekan

His Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, has called on Christians to be more generous to God, saying this could help the nation out of its current economic recession .

Onaiyekan said this in an interview with newsmen during the Foundation Laying of the Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles Cathedral, held at Papal Ground, Kubwa, Abuja on Saturday.

He advised Christians to contribute to projects, especially those that have to do with God and the church, as this would reaffirm their faith in Christ.

He prayed that the nation would continue to grow in peace, prosperity, and harmony and move very fast toward coming out of recession.

According to him, when you have good ideas and good intentions to serve the Lord you do not allow any challenges to stop them.

He said “The time has come for this project to take off after more than 30 years in preparation and we do hope that it will be finished quickly.

“Some people may be asking that in the midst of recession, we are undertaking a project that will cost a lot of money.

“We will go to a good distance in the next few years and depending on how quickly we raise the funds the work will move very fast.’’

Onaiyekan described the project as a magnificent one and encouraged the Catholic Church to keep building more dioceses not just by way of physical structures but also with faith in the gospel of Christ.

“We shall continue to build our diocese not only with physical structures, which are no doubts important and necessary but also above all with faith and gospel of Christ.

“We will give in charity to the needy of whatever kind. The cathedral will be a sign of our spiritual grandeur of our community that stands out as light in the darkness,’’ he said.

“His Eminence, late Cardinal Ekandem pushed for the building of the cathedral at a time when there was very little on ground to start the project.

“He did not only do it in the archdiocese but also in the FCT as a whole. Ekandem’s vision has brought us to this day. I am happy that this day has come.

“Our cathedral will push us to ever greater love and solidarity with our fellow men and women. There is no better way to show honour and glory to God,’’ Onaiyekan said.

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He also informed the faithful that the late Dominic Cardinal Ekandem,the first bishop of the then Diocese of Abuja initiated the idea of buiding the Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles at a time that there was very little resource on ground.