Igbo Catholic Community
New York @ Angela Merici Catholic Church
917 Morris Avenue, Bronx, NY 10451
Na Aha Nna, Na Nwa, Na Muo Nso. Amen.
Welcome to Igbo Catholic Community
2ND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
In various times, in the history of Israelite exiles in different places, God sent various prophets and messengers to give them message of Hope. They held unto those Hopes as long as the exiles lasted with their multifaceted problems. In today's reading, God gives the same hope to the people of Israel in Babylonian exile through Baruch the scribe of prophet Jeremiah. He speaks of Jerusalem being in 'mourning and misery; and they were told to take off the 'robe of mourning and misery' and put on the 'splendor of the glory from God forever'. The greatest hope is that the people will once again be secure in their covenant relationship with God; they will prosper and have peace. That is our lot as community of believers. Paul in the 2nd reading also lived in hope and wrote the people of Philippi from prison. Despite his own suffering, his letter is full of joy because he loves the people and was confident that God will bring to completion the good work already started. It was with faith and hope that John went about preaching repentance in the desert in anticipation of the coming Messiah who comes to make rough ways smooth and allow all to see the salvation of God. ‘Hope is a waking dream’, according to Aristotle. Martin Luther King Jnr, make us understand that 'only in the darkness can we see the stars'. The present situations, rifts, divisions, confusion, frustrations and apathy should serve as our darkness that help us see the stars. Never lose hope. Once there is life, there is hope and our hope will not fail us [Rom5:5] 'When you have lost hope, you have lost everything. And when you think all is lost, when all is dire and bleak, there is always hope' Pittacus Lore, 'I am Number Four'
Happy Sunday!!!
BY REV. FR. STEPHEN OKEKE
Mission
Our mission is to establish a thriving Catholic ethnic community for the Igbo Diaspora in New York. We seek to build a community that galvanizes and serves as a rallying point, a fountain of hope, and a forum for the worship of Almighty God in Igbo language and in accordance with the Roman Catholic faith. We envision a community that preserves and perpetuates the Igbo culture, language, social values, charity, and our Roman Catholic heritage through evangelization, catechesis, Bible studies, and advancement of Catholic principles and ideals.