The Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission, Rev, Uja Tor Uja has promised to join forces with the Knight of St. Mulumba to promote Pilgrimage to Uganda. He stated this recently in Abuja while playing host to the national Executive members of the order of the Knights of St. Mulumba, Nigeria.
In the words of the NCPC boss, “I believe that this Pilgrimage to Uganda is a blessing to Africa,” affirming that a team from the Commission would be sent to Uganda from this year and next May on a fact finding mission; for contact building and information documentation of the holy site. He assured that the Commission would partner with KSM to make Uganda Pilgrimage the center of Africa Pilgrimage.
The NCPC helmsman also stressed the need to have a conference of St. Mulumba together in order to discuss the issue of Pilgrimage to Uganda holistically.
He also hinted that the Commission’s policy on Pilgrimage must include Israel which is the cradle of our Christian religion. He therefore charged his guests to ensure that Israel must be part of the Pilgrimage arrangement for Uganda. He explained that going to Israel should be a perpetual reminder of our Christian faith.
He commended the Catholic Church for the way and manner they have been involved in missionary works across the globe. According to him, “the Catholic Church has got the correct global perspective of missionary work.”
He urged the Catholic Church to partner with other churches in the promotion of Pilgrimage to Uganda. He asserted that the Commission would want Pilgrimage to be holistically developmental and would want all the churches to come together for every Pilgrimage, because the Commission would ensure that Pilgrimage would be interdenominational.
He further informed that every church must register and be certified with the Commission before they would be allowed to travel on Pilgrimage to reduce and check the menace of absconders.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, the Supreme knight, Bro. Diamond Ovueraye thanked the Executive Secretary for granting them audience. He informed the NCPC boss that the order of the knights of St. Mulumba, Nigeria was established in 1953 by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN).
He defined “Pilgrimage as a journey of faith, to a place of faith for an increase of faith.” He explained that in 2003, the order commenced the yearly pilgrimage to Uganda, to allow members and Christian faithful (Clergy, Religious and Laity) visit the home of Uganda Martyrs and participate in the annual Martyr Day June celebrations held every 3rd of June. According to the Supreme Knight, the objectives of the Knights of St. Mulumba Pilgrimage to Uganda are to make that country the home of Uganda Martyrs the center piece of Africa Pilgrimage.
He sort the assistance of the NCPC boss to officially recognize KSM yearly Pilgrimage to Uganda as one of the Christian Pilgrimages. He stated that the period of the Pilgrimage is usually between 28 or 29 of May to 4th or 5th of June.
He solicited Rev. Uja’s support in the effective promotion of Pilgrimage to Uganda through the organs of NCPC.
In another development, the Executive Secretary of NCPC also received in audience Executive Members of the Association of Virtuous Women in Pilgrimage and Tourism in Nigeria, led by the founder/CEO, Lady Chy Schwimmer.
Rev Uja averred that “Pilgrimage is something noble and as such every willing Christian should have the opportunity to participate at-least once in a life time”.
He intimated the AVWOPAT women that the Commission’s Maiden Women Pilgrimage to Israel recorded a huge success, stating that it was the best ever organized pilgrimage of the Commission as the women were exposed to a lot of empowerment drive in Israel.
According to the NCPC boss “We are hoping that the NCPC Women Pilgrimage will be an annual exercise”.
Earlier, Mrs. Schwimmer told the Executive Secretary that they were in NCPC to see how they could partner with the Commission and Government. Her words: “we felt there is need to carry the women along in the programme of government.”
She further expatiated that part of the reasons for their visit was to go to Israel to pray and explore Nigeria Tourism.
