Knights of St. John Donate N8million to Flood Victims

By Lucky Isibor

The Catholic Order of Knight of St. John International (KSJI) has donated eight million naira to ameliorate the plight of flood victims across the country.

Presenting the donation to the president of Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Most Rev. Dr. Lucius Ugorji, the national president of Knights of Saint John International Nigeria, Major Gen (Professor) Remy Uche said the donation is aimed at supporting the rehabilitation efforts of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) of Catholic institutions affected by the ravaging flood in the country.  

while explaining  that Knights and Ladies of St. John International are devoted to acts of charity, both for the church and within the Order, Remy Uche pointed out that beneficiaries of the donation include the Idah Diocese; Markurdi Diocese; Lokoja Diocese; Auchi Diocese, Bomadi Diocese; Warri Diocese, Onitsha Archdiocese and Owerri Archdiocese.

According to the KSJI President, "The act of charity exist not only in the love for God, but also extends to the love of our neighbour. This act of charity is what we stand for as an Order and are happy to extend our hands of support to those affected by this flood. Through this gesture, we believe, we would have assisted families and children in need but also to follow them over time. The message we carry forward is that ours is a real commitment, which never ends, with the certainty that even small gestures can really be a support for those in difficulty or in moments of fragility."

Receiving the donation on behalf of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, Most Rev. Dr. Lucius Ugorji who is also the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province, thanked the Knights for their show of charity to the affected people and Catholic institutions.

Archbishop Ugorji, explained that the lives of Christians will only be meaningful when they imbibe the spirit of charity, love and share what they have with the less privileged ones adding that what KSJI has done is not only an act of charity, but also, evangelization and the beneficiaries will know that they belong somewhere. 

“Interestingly, this charity is happening on the feast of All Saints Day. As Christians, we have important roles to play towards making the society beautiful and a better place for all. Jesus teaches us to love others as we love ourselves; He urged us to always give so that we can also receive. I charge all true Christians to learn to show love because life is meaningless without sharing,’’ he said.

Knight of St John International (KSJI) is a family apostolate charged with the defense of the Roman Catholic faith and came to Nigeria in 1976. It has a membership of over 18,000 Knights and their Ladies in Nigeria. The Order exists in the USA, England, Germany, Canada, Trinidad and Tobago, as well as in other African countries like, Kenya, Ghana, Togo, Sierra Leone and Liberia.