By CHARLES IWUOHA

President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, has emphasized the critical importance of faithfulness to Catholic doctrines and the necessity of the laity working in close union with the Bishops' Conference.

He spoke on Friday when he received the Laity Council’s National President, Sir Ambrose Obioha KSM, who was in the company of Rev. Fr. Augustine Ifediba, the National Chaplain and Prince Faith Uche Iwuorisha KSM, the National President of CMO, at the Maria Assumpta Cathedral complex in Owerri.

Archbishop Ugorji highlighted a major ongoing initiative by the bishops to root Catholic Social Teachings (CST) deeply within the church's educational framework.

“The Conference is working to make Catholic Social Teaching trickle down to Catholic owned Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary institutions, so Catholics can internalize our core values,” Archbishop Ugorji stated.

He urged the Laity Council to take a lead role in encouraging the faithful to fully embody these traditions and their faith in everyday life.

This he said, will help effect the positive changes we all desire in Nigeria; as well-trained children become well trained men and women.

In his speech, the Laity Council President reaffirmed a shared commitment to the Church’s core teachings and social values.

Obioha pledged the council’s unwavering cooperation and alliance with the vision and guidance of the Bishops Conference.

He emphasized a desire to seek the Archbishop’s counsel “to act appropriately and promote the common good.”

The Laity President also used the occasion to discuss his work plan with Archbishop Ugorji, outlining his strategic vision for the council and formally seeking the episcopal guidance necessary for its proper implementation.

The courtesy visit is seen as a pivotal effort at collaboration between the clergy and the laity’s leadership structures.

The move reinforces a unified front aimed at strengthening the faith of millions of Nigerian Catholics and systematically promoting the Church’s teachings on social justice, human dignity, and the common good in the public sphere.

The meeting concluded with a shared resolve to continue fostering unity and actively propagating the Catholic faith across Nigeria.