Bishop Nwobi charges the faithful to be agents and witnesses of peace in the diocese.
On Sunday, April 26, 2026, the Catholic Bishop of Ahiara Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Simeon Okezuo Nwobi, CMF, officially inaugurated the Year of St. Francis in the Diocese. This initiative aligns with the proclamation of the Jubilee year of St. Francis of Assisi by Pope Leo XIV, which spans from January 10, 2026, to January 10, 2027, marking the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi. This jubilee year emphasizes the themes of forgiveness, mercy, and ecological care, as highlighted by the Holy Father, and serves as a time of spiritual renewal, peace, and reconciliation, allowing the faithful to obtain a plenary indulgence and venerate the saint’s relics.
In a pastoral message addressed to the priests, religious, and lay faithful of the Catholic Diocese of Ahiara, titled: Called to Be Agents and Witnesses of Peace in the Catholic Diocese of Ahiara in the spirit of St Francis of Assisi, Bishop Nwobi urged the faithful to embrace peace in a world ravaged by division, fear, war, and unrest. He described the life of St Francis of Assisi as one marked with total surrender to God’s will and as an exemplar of peace. He noted that Francis had a deep encounter with Christ that transformed him into a man of humility, simplicity, and reconciliation, serving as a channel through which divine peace flowed into a troubled world.
The prelate encouraged the faithful to follow the example of St. Francis and embrace such transformation and encounter. Bishop Nwobi highlighted that peace goes beyond the mere absence of conflict and war; it is the fruit of justice, love, and right relationships with God and one another. “To be agents of peace, we must first allow God to heal our troubled hearts-freeing us from anger, pride, resentment, and every form of division and self-seeking,” he stated. He encouraged the faithful to actively seek peace, embrace humility and simplicity, and, like St. Francis, resist the temptations of pride and self-seeking and instead choose the path of service. In the homes, he called for the fostering of forgiveness and understanding and advocated for the rejection of all forms of rivalry in offices and parishes. He advised the faithful to build communities rooted in unity and love and to build bridges of reconciliation and promote dialogue, compassion, truth, and justice without resorting to violence.
Bishop Nwobi urged the faithful to keep the flame of faith aglow, insisting that no form of division should weaken the bond that brings the diocese together as one family in Christ. He called for the continual renewal of their commitment to live as true disciples, brothers and sisters bearing witness to the peace they proclaim. “Peace also demands simplicity of life. In a world driven by material pursuits and flamboyant lifestyles, the example of St. Francis reminds us that true joy and lasting peace are found not in possession and wealth, but in our relationship with God and in loving service to others,” he stressed. He concluded by calling on the faithful to be courageous, sacrificial, and ready to persevere in their mission, reminding them that this path also leads to deep and abiding joy—the joy of knowing that they are instruments in God’s saving work. Finally, he entrusted all to the maternal intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
