The Catholic Church in Nigeria says citizens have continued to suffer because people at the helm of affairs do not genuinely listen to their scream for comfort.
In a homily titled, “listening brings peace”, the National Director for Social Communications, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Abuja, Reverend Father Mike Umoh at a Holy mass to commemorate the 2022 World Communications Day at Saint Gabriel’s Chaplaincy, Durumi Abuja, urged Christians to show love in order to achieve lasting unity.
According to him, unity is only possible through communication, and communication is not possible without listening, a reason listening should be more than mere physical, and has to be amplified with media literacy, which he noted helps citizens in democracy.
Reverend Father Umoh explained that when listening with the ear of the heart, one is able to empathise, have true dialogue and authentic communication, which is founded on respect for dignity of the human person and awareness of one’s inalienable right to speak and to be heard.
The Communication Director noted that disunity in the world, communities, families and homes can be traced to failure to listen to one another, and urged people to listen to the Church, as according to him, God has continued to communicate with humanity through the Church, the bearer and custodian of God’s revelation.
He stressed that if perpetrators of different atrocities in Nigeria and Nigerian politicians had listened to Jesus, they would have surely acted otherwise, insisting that listening is a virtue all needs to cultivate in daily interactions.
In an interview, the Secretary-General of Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Abuja, Very Reverend Father Zacharia Sanjumi, who represented the Bishop Chairman for Social Communications, Most Reverend David Ajang of Lafia Diocese, said politicians will become more sensitive to the plight of the masses if they listen.
The World Communications Day was established by Pope Paul sixth in 1967 to reflect on opportunities and challenges the media afford the Church to communicate the gospel of Christ, and how using the technology impact on society and life of the people.
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