St. Mary’s Quasi Parish- Mararaba Udege Lafiya Diocese
BRIEF OF HISTORY:
It was officially declared and made as New Mission (Quasi parish) on 30th of June 2023. It was carved out of St. Kizito Catholic church. I am the first priest in charge of the new mission even though our confreres worked in this region a long time ago. It was said that St. Kizito was established by SMA Missionaries in the 1960s. St. Mary’s quasi parish was created on the request of the faithful. We have a parish house built by the parishioners in 2013. It has a small church. It has a Nursery and Primary school run by the religious congregation for the diocese of Lafiya.
There are several tribes in this mission such as Igbos, Igala, Eggon, Tiv, Bhygi, Siyava, Idomas, Afo and other tribes. The indigenous tribe is Afo who are basically traditional believers. Missionary activities took place among the Afo people. They are new converts in this mission along with other tribes. Outstations are basically of different tribes. Tiv speaking outstations are more than the other tribes. They are in small regions. A very few families come together and form a small community of believers. Many of our outstations are the areas of primary evangelization.
It was said by the people the old church we have in our church campus was raised by SMA priest. It is a rural mission. It has 28 outstations, most of them are quiet in the interior. Many stations do not have church structures. I do masses under trees and in unfinished thatched churches. Majority of the people are farmers and do move around for their survival.
CURRENT SITUATION:
Historically this region has been in crisis of arm robbery, kidnappings and vandalism by different unknown gun men and unknown persons. This mission celebrated barely one and half year since its inception as a new mission. Presently the community has been in tribal crisis for the past six months. Afo community is fighting for their own religious, political and social status among themselves. In the centre afos are many and have evacuated themselves to safer places. Our catholic Christians of Afo tribes hardly come to church due to ongoing crisis of killing, kidnapping and encroachment of lands. There are daily masses on done with few faithful of other tribes.
The participation on Sunday in the Holy Eucharist has been reducing drastically which is dishearting. The financial strength of the parish has been on reducing. The parish is no longer standing on its own but on the help the province and the diocese. Many of our outstations are badly affected to the ongoing crisis. Many of our parishioners have not been going to the farms due to unknown attacks on them. There is fear on their faces. The parish has been doing some humanitarian activities to those who are affected by this present crisis.
CHALLENGES OF MISSION:
This mission has multiple challenges.
The financial status of the mission is not quite encouraging. The faithful are new converts and are still ignorant of their responsibilities towards the church. They are not able to help the parish in a way they should because majority are farmers.
The ongoing crisis is crippling us badly. Priests and sisters who are working in these regions are living in fear and anxiety. Pastoral activities cannot be done smoothly. The commitment of the faithful to mission is going down drastically.
The lack of electricity is one of the major challenges in this mission. We don’t have electricity is this region. We rely on generator which takes most of our income to run it. The most viable alternative is to install solar energy which the parish cannot afford.
We have a small old church which used to be an outstation. Being a quasi-parish now, there is need a standard church for worship.
Another challenge is that parish cannot be sustained by her faithful but by the support of donors. Our stations are far from each other and have to be reached by the motor bike.
Language is also one of the major challenges in this mission due to the presence multiple tribes spread all over the territory. Some don’t understand Hausa, others don’t understand English and still move others faithful do not understand even local languages.
PROSPECTS OF THE MISSION:
There is a long way to go in order to reap what is being sown in this mission. A lot of missionary work has to be done in this region. Our faithful do show lot of enthusiasm in reception of infant, adult baptism as well other sacraments. They are willing to learn and support the mission if they are enlightened about their duty and responsibility toward the parish.
This mission can be self sufficient in the years to come if we increase pastor activities. Since the situation at hand is not helping the members to be support and firm in their faith, certainly priests in this mission need to be patient.
Parish can grow financially strong if the economy of the country becomes better. I am confident that few years to come we may have better established mission. Faithful are eager to learn about the church and its mission. Some stations are supporting parish while others not trying at all even thouhg is so much willingness.
This is a new mission so therefore we may have to be patient and hard working to benefit from the faithful till then this mission has to be supported to further our activities.
Fr. Prem Raju KASAPOGU,SMA