Ealing: Nigerian Bishop visits St Benedict's School

Bishop Jude with students. Image St Benedicts

Bishop Jude Arogundade from Nigeria visited St Benedict's School in Ealing, west London, on Thursday, 17th November. He talked about how his diocese of Ondo fell victim to one of Nigeria's worst acts of violence against churchgoers.

In June this year, gunmen opened fire during the Pentecost Sunday service at St Francis Xavier's Church, Owo, killing 40 people.

Bishop Jude's visit to St Benedict's was part of the Aid to the Church in Need's Red Wednesday campaign, raising the plight of many Christians around the world who are persecuted.

Speaking to students, he said: "When I arrived at the church that day, I saw such a terrible scene, and I am still traumatised by it. There is such anger in people that they do these things to each other."

He told the students that the future of the world was in their hands: "You are among the 10% of young people in the world who are fortunate to have education, health, security, a beautiful environment. To whom much is given, much is expected - care for the poor, challenge injustice, and transform the world."

Bishop Jude's talk was also attended by Patricia Hatton from Aid to the Church in Need, who thanked St Benedict's for supporting the charity's Red Wednesday campaign: "We must stand with the survivors of these atrocities and call on the UK Government to do all it can to address the persecution of Christians. We will not be silenced."

Bishop Jude was the keynote speaker at the launch of the ACN UK's Report on Christians oppressed for their Faith 2020-22 in the House of Lords on November 16th, which was attended by a group of sixth form students from St Benedict's. The charity has set up a petition calling for Government action to stop the growing persecution of Christians, by pressing the Nigerian government to do more to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Red Wednesday is on 23rd November, when events will take place nationally and internationally, to demand justice for persecuted Christians worldwide.

The petition can be signed on the ACN website: www.acnuk.org/our-campaigns/redwednesday/