Cleric tasks parents on godly upbringing of children

Akwanga (Nasarawa State)   –   A Christian cleric, Rev. Fr. Peter Semenlinso on Saturday urged parents to bring up their children in a godly to ensure proper upbringing for a better society.
Semenlinso, who is also the parish priest in charge of St. Patrick Catholic Church, Akwanga, Nasarawa, made the call in Akwanga while administering holy sacrament of baptism to over 24 infants whose parents presented them for the ceremony.
He said that the society would be better off if parents and guardians trained their children in a godly way, adding “God is always happy with parents who train their children to follow His commandments’’.
The cleric urged parents to live exemplary lives by shunning all negative acts, saying that a lot of children grew up with the good or bad attitudes of their parents, hence the need for the parents to live a life worthy of emulation.
“All of us know the meaning of baptism and today these infants will receive the sacrament of baptism, meaning that their original sins will be washed away and they will also receive new life once they have been baptised.
“Parents must continue to ensure and train their children in a godly way so that the society will be better off. They must teach their children the commandments of God and also do things according to the commandments.
“But how will the society will be better off if parents do not train and take adequate responsibility of their children, that is the problem facing the society and we need to pray to God at all times for the progress of our families and children,” he said.
Semenlinso also advised parents against abusing the rights of the child in the name of discipline, adding that disciplining must be done in a godly way rather than maltreatment.
He called on the Christians and other Nigerians to live in peace and tolerate one another irrespective of their ethnic, religious and political affiliation.
“As a priest, my role is to preach peace, unity and to advise my faithful and other Nigerians to live in peace, unity and to show love, care to one another.
“To also shun negative tendencies at all times in order to inherit the kingdom of God and for better society,“ he added.
The parish priest reinstated his determination to continue to organise programmes that would foster unity and peace among its members and their neighbours considering the importance of peace to societal development. (NAN)