The Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Tedi in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State, on Sunday expressed its commitment to the protection of love, justice, equity, selflessness and sacrifice in the society
The parish in a show of love on Valentine’s day distributed gift items to indigent persons in the community.
The gift items which were donations from parishioners were given to not less than 300 indigents, including non-Catholics after the Sunday Mass to show love and care, NAN reports.
Delivering his sermon during the church service, the Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Godfrey Udeh, who had requested the gifts items from the parishioners on behalf of the indigents, said that as believers in Christ, people ought to practice that which they profess to foster unity in society.
Udeh, who reflected on the importance of the day, said the world marks the feast of St. Valentine on Feb. 14 every year, to commemorate the life of a Priest who worked against the decision of the Roman Empire to outlaw married soldiers in the Roman military.
He said St. Valentine’s stance against what he believed was wrong, made Emperor Claudius order his imprisonment and execution on Feb. 14 in 269 A.D.
“After his execution in 498 A.D., Pope Gelasius declared Feb. 14 Church holiday in his honour as he was martyred for the protection of the sanctity of holy matrimony.
“St. Valentine was a dispenser of love and an epitome of justice, equity, selflessness and sacrifice. He sacrificed his freedom, time and personality solemnizing and guarding the institution of marriage from attack and ultimate destruction.
“As a priest whose lifestyle symbolises more than filiation and conjugation, his life was embedded in charity, chastity, kindness, forgiveness, gratitude and selflessness,” Udeh said.
The Catholic priest, who regretted the contemporary perception of the Day, said that it was not a time for social events or a day for extravaganzas, indulgence in merriment and immoral activities, rather, a period for reflection on the sacrifice of selfless love and passion exemplified by St Valentine.
