The Second Quarter General Meeting of the Deanery was held at St. Joseph Catholic Parish, Jibia, bringing together members to deliberate on key pastoral, administrative, youth, and financial matters affecting the Deanery and its constituent parishes.
The meeting commenced at 9:45 a.m. with an opening prayer led by the Deanery President, Mr. Francis Emmanuel, followed by the singing of the Catholic Youth Organization of Nigeria (CYON) Anthem.
St. Joseph Jibia Presents Parish Challenges
During the meeting, the President of St. Joseph Catholic Parish, Jibia, presented the challenges currently confronting the parish to the house. Members engaged in extensive deliberations on the issues raised and offered recommendations aimed at addressing the identified concerns and improving the overall situation of the parish.
The discussions reflected the Deanery’s commitment to supporting individual parishes and finding practical solutions to challenges affecting pastoral activities and youth engagement.
Deanery Supports Participation in Diocesan Youth Day
A significant part of the meeting focused on registration for the forthcoming Diocesan Youth Day (DYD).
To encourage greater participation from St. Joseph Jibia, the Deanery President, Mr. Francis Emmanuel, registered two delegates from the parish for the forthcoming event. The gesture was aimed at promoting active youth participation and ensuring that the parish is represented at the diocesan gathering.
Members Deliberate on Strengthening Deanery Finances
The financial sustainability of the Deanery also featured prominently in the discussions. Members considered strategies for strengthening the Deanery’s financial base, with the objective of reducing both the frequency and financial burden of levies placed on parishes during programmes and activities.
In a related discussion, the President of St. Joseph Jibia appealed to the house to engage the Parish Priest on the possibility of conducting a second collection specifically in support of CYON.
According to the proposal, such a collection would help improve the parish's financial capacity to support youth activities and programmes while contributing to the growth and development of CYON within the parish.
New Deanery Officers Elected
The meeting also featured elections to fill vacant positions within the Deanery. Following the electoral process, members elected the following officers:
Gerald Samuel Moses — Public Relations Officer (PRO)
Mr. Victor Chukwu — Assistant Secretary
Mr. Kingsley Anmgbiomshui — Financial Secretary
Michael Ashiekaa — Welfare Secretary
The election of the new officers marks an important step towards strengthening the administrative structure of the Deanery and enhancing communication, coordination, financial management, and welfare among its members and parishes.
Commitment to Collaborative Leadership
The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment to collaborative leadership, stronger youth participation, effective financial management, and practical responses to the challenges confronting individual parishes within the Deanery.
The gathering further underscored the importance of regular meetings as a platform for members to share concerns, develop solutions, strengthen unity, and work collectively towards the growth of CYON and the pastoral mission of the Church within the Deanery.