The newly appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria, Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty, has commended the abundance of vocations to the priesthood and religious life in Nigeria. In an exclusive interview with The Catholic Herald during his visit to the Lagos Resource Centre, Archdiocese of Lagos, Archbishop Crotty noted that Nigeria has been evangelised in a relatively short time and is already contributing significantly to the Universal Church.
He emphasised the importance of the Church’s role in nation-building and encouraged Catholics to be engaged and work towards building a better society by bringing the values of the Gospel to society. Archbishop Crotty also highlighted the significance of education in the Church’s mission, citing the Catholic school system as a veritable means of evangelisation. He encouraged the Church in Nigeria to build on its strengths in education, particularly in the new frontier of third-level education. Regarding the challenges facing Nigeria, including insecurity, corruption, and economic hardship, Archbishop Crotty stressed the need for prayer, and encouraged Catholics to be involved in their communities and to play their part in building a better society.
He also stressed the importance of interfaith relationships, citing the initiatives of Pope Francis in fostering good relations with other religions, particularly Islam. Archbishop Crotty’s visit to Lagos Archdiocese is part of his familiarisation tour of the dioceses in the country. His role key as the representative of the Holy Father is to foster relations between the Holy See and the local Church.
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