CATHOLIC NEWS
Prince Robert-Joseph Soji Olagunju, of Nigeria, has announced Tuesday the launch of a Catholic television station, ‘Lumen Christi TV,’ on Africa’s DStv platform.
The televisions station first started its broadcasts to a Nigerian audience in 2014. This week, Lumen Christi TV was allocated channel 350 on the DStv platform.
DStv (Digital Satellite Television) is owned by the South African company, MultiChoice. Among other media interests, MultiChoice provides a relatively modern and popular digital Satellite TV service in Africa. It has various television bouquets available to customers. DStv is said to have 8 million subscribers in Africa.
The Lagos-based Lumen Christi TV was officially launched in 2014 by the Archbishop of Lagos, Alfred Martins in the presence of other Bishops and the Catholic faithful.
Lumen Christi TV was established by an African for African Catholics, broadcasting the practice of Catholicism by Africans from the perspectives of their age-long, rich socio-cultural heritage.”The Tv station started in Lekki, Lagos on 13 May 2014. We broadcast pure Catholic content 24 hours daily.”
Catholic viewers in Africa can expect the Daily Mass, Angelus, Holy Rosary recitation, homilies, reflections and Catholic teachings meant to deepen the knowledge of the Catholic faithful. Other programmes will be on the Catechism of the Church, documentaries and the coverage of major Church events.
Presenting Lumen Christi TV to the Bishops of Nigeria in 2014, Mr Olagunju told Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama, the President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria, that he felt inspired to present to the Catholic Church of Africa, a channel that would compliment the work of the Church. I wanted to give hope to those who had lost their Catholic faith.
“Lumen Christi (TV) is a Satellite television station I conceived as a direct answer to that soul inspiring Catholic hymn that says – ‘How can I repay the Lord for his goodness to me?’... I am humbled beyond doubt, that one cannot really repay God in totality for his numerous blessings over the years, simply because these blessings and favours are immeasurable and of course unquantifiable,” I am concerned that the Church in Africa, with millions of the lay faithful across the continent, did not have direct means, such as a television station, for her work of evangelization.
Nigerian media this week quoted the Managing Director of MultiChoice Nigeria, John Ugbe saying that the introduction of Lumen Christi TV on the DStv platform was in line with the company’s strategy to provide a diversified range of content that would appeal to its different subscribers.
“We are making great content more accessible with the launch of Lumen Christi, and we believe it will enrich the lives of our subscribers especially those of the Catholic faith,”
ARCHBISHOP MARTINS COMMISSIONS LUMEN CHRISTI TV, RETREAT CENTRE
The Catholic Archbishop Lagos Most Rev Alfred Adewale Martins at the weekend in Lagos, commissioned the Lumen Christi Television Network and retreat centre birthed by Sir Robert Soji Olagunju.
In his speech, Archbishop Martins who was the chief celebrant at the Mass to mark the launch of the facilities, commended the work Lumen Christi had been doing in promoting the Catholic Church across the world through its television network.
He particularly applauded Sir Olagunju for the great sacrifice he made during the COVID-19- induced lockdown to ensure that daily Masses and devotions were brought live to the living rooms of Catholics via his television station.
While blessings the facilities at Our Lady of Fatima Complex, Lekki, Lagos, he enjoined more lay Catholics to take up the challenge of heartening to the voice of God by devoting their time and resources for the selfless promotion of the gospel and by extension the betterment of the society.
Founder of the Lumen Christi Television Network, Sir Olagunju said that his purpose for setting up a retreat and media centre was borne out of the need to impact on the spiritual life of Christians and also deepen media development in the country.
Speaking on the occasion, Sir Olagunju explained that his action was in obedience to the will of God who had mandated him to avail his resources for the benefit of the Church and the entire humanity.
The papal medalist told a crowd of priests, religious and lay faithful amongst others that he sees the unseen hand of God leading him over the years.
“These facilities being blessed today have been on ground for quite some time for other purposes. But from all indications God wants it to be a retreat and media centre. Before now, I realised that I made a mistake and had to retrace my steps to hearken to the voice of God. Now, all that we do at Lumen Christi have been dedicated totally to God.”
He equally revealed that the centre would be partnering the Mass Communication Department of the Augustine University, Epe for the issuance of relevant certificates and diploma certificates in communication.
The successful event which was attended by the crime de la creme of the Catholic community in Nigeria, was highly commended by the National Director of Communication, Very Rev. Fr Michael Umoh who, on behalf of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, lauded the Lumen Christi family and assured them of the support of the Church at all times.
Among the dignitaries at the event were the Secretary General of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Very Rev. Fr Zachariah Samjumi and a former Secretary General, Very Rev. George Ehusani, amongst other dignitaries and papal Knights.
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