Nnewi Catholic Diocese Marks Triple Milestone with Jubilee, World Communication Day, and New Office Launch

 

A remarkable convergence of spiritual significance and institutional growth unfolded on Sunday, June 1, 2025, as the Catholic Diocese of Nnewi, located in the Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State, hosted a triple celebration. The event commemorated the 2025 World Communication Day, the Jubilee Year of Hope declared by the Vatican, and the grand opening of the Diocese’s new communication office complex.

Held at the St. John Cross Pro-Cathedral Parish, Nnewi, the celebration attracted a large congregation of priests, religious, and lay faithful. Presiding over the day’s activities was the Diocesan Bishop, Most Rev. Jonas Benson Okoye, who played host to clergy and guests from across the Diocese.

The celebration found deeper meaning in its alignment with the global Catholic calendar. Rev. Dr. Onwudiwe Martin, Director of Communications for the Diocese, emphasized the spiritual resonance of this occasion. He recalled that Pope Francis, of blessed memory, had declared 2025 as a Jubilee Year of Hope, a time traditionally observed every 25 years by the Church as a season of grace and spiritual renewal.

Highlighting the theme for the Jubilee, “Pilgrims of Hope”, Fr. Martin explained that the focus is on encouraging believers to walk in faith through life’s trials, guided by the Apostle Paul’s teachings on forgiveness and reconciliation. The aim, he stressed, is to revive confidence in Christ and foster resilience in a turbulent world.

Coinciding with the Jubilee celebration was the 59th World Communication Day. Fr. Martin reflected on the message and legacy of this observance, established by Pope Paul VI in 1967 to encourage the Church’s engagement with the modern world through communication. He revealed that the theme for 2025, “Share with Gentleness the Hope that is in Your Hearts”, serves as both an invitation and a challenge to Christians to communicate not with hostility, but with compassion and clarity.

“Communication today often tends to be aggressive, rooted in conflict and dominance,” he remarked. “We are called to cleanse our words of this violence, to create dialogue and not division.”

Fr. Martin went further to lament the toxicity present on many modern communication platforms, particularly social media. He cited verbal aggression, unhealthy competition, and digital hostility as troubling trends that contradict the Christian message. “True communication must be community-centered and must reflect the message of Christ in a way that brings hope,” he added.

A significant highlight of the day was the unveiling of the Diocese’s new communication office complex. The building, which now houses multiple departments including a printing press, newspaper section, bulletin unit, computer training school, and bookshop, represents a major leap in the Diocese’s communication infrastructure.

Fr. Martin shared the backstory of the relocation, attributing the vision and insistence on the move to Bishop Okoye’s leadership. “Your Excellency, if you had not pushed for this transition, we wouldn’t be here today celebrating such a major development,” he expressed gratefully. “This new complex is a game-changer, and its impact will only grow over time.”

Also speaking at the event was Rev. Fr. Ralph Ezeoba, former Director of Communications for Awka Diocese. Drawing on the metaphor of the human heart as the “central processing unit” of communication, Fr. Ezeoba challenged the audience to pursue truth in all communicative efforts. “The heart, not technology, is responsible for disinformation,” he said. “Technology only reproduces what we give it. If the heart is clean, communication will be healthy.”

He cautioned against selective acceptance of truth, warning that supporting falsehood for personal gain ultimately erodes communal trust and credibility. For communication to remain a force for good, he concluded, it must be grounded in truth and goodwill.

Adding a festive touch, the ceremony featured choral performances and the presentation of awards to individuals and institutions—among them, loyal customers of Cathcom and clergy—recognized for their contributions to the progress of the Diocesan communication apostolate.

The triple celebration not only marked a moment of reflection but also heralded a new chapter of evangelization, rooted in hope, technological advancement, and renewed commitment to truth. As the Diocese steps into this new era, it does so with a bold vision to make communication a tool of peace, unity, and spiritual growth.