- Positions Proper Catechesis to drive growth
- Charges Parents, Priests with promoting deeper Youth Engagement
As the New Year unfolds, the Catholic Bishop of Ahiara Diocese, Most Rev. Simeon Okezuo Nwobi, CMF, has set a clear pastoral roadmap for the year as he continues his pastoral visits to parishes across the diocese, emphasizing proper catechesis and deeper youth engagement.
The prelate disclosed his mind during a brief chat with the Guide crew at the Ahiara Diocesan secretariat on Thursday, February 5, 2026.
According to the prelate, the 2026 pastoral visits build on his sustained engagements with clergy and faithful in the diocese, aimed at deepening evangelization in our homes, revitalizing parish life, and fostering effective youth participation in church activities.
Reflecting on these challenges—economic, spiritual, and others—confronting the faithful in recent times, Bishop Nwobi explained that these realities informed the central theme and focus of his pastoral engagements for the year. He noted that his messages during parish visits would center on greater catechetical formation, particularly among young people and candidates presented for confirmation.
He called for a return to the time when catechism occupied a central place in the spiritual life of our people, urging parents and priests to prioritize faith formation ‘from the cradle.’ He further encouraged the revival of evening catechism classes, as no aspect of the faith should be neglected.
While charging parents to embrace their primary responsibility for catechesis in the home, the bishop also encouraged priests and religious to promote activities that would encourage broader participation among the faithful. “The Church belongs to all of us. We must encourage our lukewarm members; no one should be left out,” he enjoined, while acknowledging the support of the faithful over the years and noting that more still needs to be done.
Addressing the moral, social, and spiritual pressures facing young people today, Bishop Nwobi urged them to remain steadfast in faith and disciplined in character despite the challenges of modern society. He called on parents and priests to accompany them more closely on their faith journey. “Show them love, appeal to them, animate them, and show closeness. Let them know that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. Never relent in teaching them obedience to the law of the land and the Church. Encourage them to find joy in God, embrace good morality, and shun illicit substances that are inimical to their health,” the Bishop advised.
He further encouraged young people to cultivate sound judgment, pursue good education, embrace honest work, and remain respectful and ever ready to serve others, reminding them of their call to be courageous witnesses to the faith. “The responsibility to revive the faith of our youths rests on all of us—parents, teachers, priests, and other members of the faithful,” the prelate stressed.
Bishop Nwobi, once more, encouraged the faithful to take courage and remain strong in faith, the present challenges notwithstanding, even as we hope that our current difficulties will gradually become a thing of the past. He wished the faithful a very prosperous and faith-filled 2026.
As the year progresses, expectations remain high that Bishop Nwobi’s pastoral roadmap for this year will translate into more effective evangelization, deeper spiritual growth, and a renewed sense of mission and shared responsibility across the diocese.
