The Masses Advocate

As part of their 2025 National Annual General Meeting (AGM), the St. Jude Thaddeus Society of Nigeria embarked on a "Jubilee of Hope" pilgrimage to the St. Jude Thaddeus Shrine in Benin City, which culminated in a visit to Archbishop Augustine Obiora Akubeze. A Pious Welcome from Archbishop Akubeze expressed his joy in receiving the society members, who had traveled from various dioceses across Nigeria.  He shared his appreciation for their prayers, noting that the spiritual act would also bless the local archdiocese.  The Archbishop recalled his own personal history with St. Jude, sharing that when he was a seminarian in the 1980s, his mother made sure her offering to St. Jude came before his own pocket money.  He assured the attendees that God would take care of their families while they were away, reminding them, "you do not do anything for God without getting your reward." The Pilgrimage: A Journey of Rest, Renewal, and Reconciliation:  R...

 -By Ruben Mario Brodrick The Catholic Church in the Benin City Ecclesiastical Province has announced a new set of standardized fees for Mass booking (stole fee) and other sacramental services, effective immediately.  The decision, which aims to ensure uniformity and prevent exploitation, was finalized after a meeting of bishops from dioceses under the Benin City Metropolitan See, comprising of Benin City Archdiocese, Warri, Isele-Uku,  Auchi, Uromi and Bomadi Dioceses respectively. A notification signed by Archbishop Augustine Obiora Akubeze confirmed that the new approved offering for a Mass is ₦500.  Additionally, the fees for other services, known as stole fees, have been harmonized across the province.  Baptism, Marriage, and Confirmation each now cost ₦1,000. In a significant move, the Archbishop however emphasized that funerals must remain free of charge and stressed that priests should act with compassion toward grieving families.  He fi...

    -By Ruben Mario Brodrick  MINNEAPOLIS — A peaceful morning mass at Annunciation Catholic School in south Minneapolis turned into a scene of terror and tragedy Wednesday when a gunman opened fire from outside the building, killing two children and injuring 17 others. Of those injured, 14 were children. The attack, which city officials have called a "senseless act of violence," occurred around 8:45 a.m., shortly after the all-community mass had ended. Witnesses recounted a horrifying scene as an individual, dressed in black and armed with multiple weapons, fired shots through the windows of the church. Bullets struck several children who were still inside, praying. The two children killed were ages eight and ten. Doctors reported that seven of the wounded children remain in critical condition. Police confirmed that the shooter, believed to be in his early twenties with no significant criminal history, acted alone. He died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound ...

 -By Ruben Mario Brodrick In a powerful homily delivered on the feast of St. Augustine, the Dean of Iguobazuwa Deanery, Very Rev Father Benjamin . A. Brodricks delivered a stark and unforgettable message: no one is beyond God's mercy, and no one is immune to temptation. He used the dramatic life story of St. Augustine to challenge his congregation to stop procrastinating change and to abandon the dangerous lies of spiritual overconfidence. Speaking on the Gospel reading where Jesus warns that "you do not know the day or the hour," Father Brodricks highlighted a common human flaw.  He pointed out that many people, including those in Nigeria, live as if their future is guaranteed, constantly postponing important acts of reconciliation, honesty, and faith.  This behavior, he noted, mirrors St. Augustine's own early reluctance to convert, captured in his famous prayer: "Lord, make me holy… but not yet." The priest cautioned that such delays could be ...

-By Ruben Mario Brodrick  A stunning new bronze sculpture in Assisi, Italy, is bridging the ancient and the modern, celebrating soon-to-be-saint Blessed Carlo Acutis, a 15-year-old computer prodigy who used technology to share his faith. Unveiled on August 15th at the Shrine of the Renunciation, the 11-foot statue, titled "St. Carlo at the Cross," is a powerful symbol of the Catholic Church's connection to today's youth. Created by renowned Canadian sculptor Timothy Schmalz, the piece depicts Blessed Acutis kneeling humbly at the foot of the crucified Christ. Unlike traditional saintly portrayals, this sculpture shows him in a sweatshirt, jeans, and a backpack, holding a laptop displaying the sacred vessels for Holy Communion. This unique detail honors his legacy of creating an online database of Eucharistic miracles before his death from leukemia in 2006. Schmalz explained that the statue is a message to the world that the Church is "youn...

By Ruben Mario Brodrick  What was once a place of worship has become a battleground of accusations and high-stakes probes.  The Anglican Diocese of Awka is in turmoil after its Chancellor, Justice O.J. Okeke, accused top church officials of forging his signature on land sale documents.  This bombshell has ignited a full-blown crisis, prompting Justice Okeke to escalate the matter to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and reject any internal reconciliation process he deemed a "charade." In a dramatic response, the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Most Revd. Henry Ndukuba, has formed a powerful investigative panel, including four judges, a bishop, and a venerable, to get to the bottom of the scandal.  While several diocesan officials have been dismissed and the diocese insists its Archbishop has been cleared of wrongdoing, Justice Okeke alleges that church leaders are protecting those responsible.  With an official probe underway and ...

-By Ruben Mario Brodrick  Benin City, Nigeria — In a solemn ceremony marked by faith and fellowship, the Association of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary in the Archdiocese of Benin City celebrated the 2025 Solemn Admission of new members.  Held at the revered Holy Cross Cathedral, the event saw 29 Sacred Heartians and 2 Associate Members formally inducted into the fold, all uniting under the theme: "Tepid Souls shall become fervent." The celebration drew a large congregation of participants from various parishes across the Archdiocese.  Presiding over the ceremony was the Cathedral Administrator, Very Rev Fr James I. Ogbeiwe. The proceedings were rich with spiritual significance, featuring the Act of Consecration, and the blessing of scapulars, medals, and badges of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary. Following the blessings, the postulants were officially recognized with the solemn tradition of kissing the...