Catholic missionaries in Nigeria urged to persevere amid insecurity, restrictions on worship

ABUJA, Nigeria — Catholic missionaries in Nigeria have been encouraged to persevere in proclaiming the Gospel despite the threat of attacks and restrictions that prevent some Christian communities from acquiring land and building churches.

In an Oct. 13 interview with ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, the national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Nigeria, Father Solomon Patrick Zaku , described the challenges facing evangelization in the West African nation and urged missionaries to draw strength from their faith in Christ.

“Even though we are facing challenges, those who want to go on a mission or those who want to preach the good news should not give up or be discouraged, but they should go,” he said.

Zaku spoke on the sidelines of a media chat organized by the Pontifical Mission Societies national office ahead of the centenary celebration of World Mission Sunday .

“In Nigeria today, we have the security challenge. Insecurity is almost in every part of this country,” he said.

“When people are going for mission animation, trying to go to places to preach the good news, they are afraid of what will happen in the next place because…