Posts by Fr. Maurice Emelu
Not Just About Them: It’s Also About Me
Depth in faith conversations deepens when it turns from judging others to examining oneself. In that sacred turn begins the quiet work of spiritual self-examination. The noise of comparison fades, and the heart awakens to God’s gentle truth within. Jesus’ Conversations Style Paying attention to Jesus’ conversations in the Bible reveals far more than moral…
Read MoreA Passionate Believer
Grace to you! Oct. 1, the universal Church celebrates the memorial of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, a young woman whose life radiated passionate faith. In Nigeria, it is also a day the local church honors another excellent model of Christian faith: the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Queen of Nigeria. Both women show what it…
Read MoreTo Bring Glad Tidings to the Poor
Into this scene walks Jesus to bring good news to the poor. Picture the synagogue in Nazareth on a Sabbath day. The faithful community gathers to read and interpret the Torah. In those days, the synagogue was not only a place of worship but also a forum for dialogue and debate. Any man could speak,…
Read MoreYour Light Must Shine
I returned from Nigeria a couple of days ago after the Jubilee of Hope celebration, where our ministry provided food for about 5,000 people. God moved hearts in ways I could never have imagined, and to him alone be the glory. Amen. Today, as the Church celebrates the memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, founder of the Congregation of…
Read MoreWhy We Kissed Their Feet and Served Them: Witness of Hope and Service
Our team barely slept that night. As dawn broke July 10, 2025, in Umuchima, Ideato South, Imo State, Nigeria, my body ached from exhaustion, but my spirit clung to peace. For months, we planned and prayed, coordinated, and emptied pockets of energy and resources to prepare for the Jubilee of Hope, themed, God’s Special VIPs,…
Read MoreCalming the Storm: Trusting God in Turbulent Times
On Thursday, June 26, I was returning from a two-week visit to Europe, where I had the privilege of visiting nine countries. The trip was filled with moments of prayer, documentation, and capturing memories through photographs. You may read some of the moving moments in my Substack. As the plane took off from Amsterdam, turbulence…
Read MoreA Story of Elevation and An Invitation to Witness and Live the Word
God’s blessings and call are an invitation to witness, communicate, and live the Word. On May 28 this past week, I stood in a hall at Harvard University. There, I received the Outstanding Dean’s Capstone Award for my digital media tech design project, EnKrist. When they called my name, something in me paused because, at…
Read MoreWelcoming Our New Pope: Leo XIV
We join the Church and the world in celebrating the election of our new Holy Father, Leo XIV. On May 8, 2025, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost—a native of Chicago and a lifelong Augustinian—was elected the 267th pope of the Catholic Church. With a rich background in missionary service and deep theological and pastoral experience, the new…
Read MoreThe Power of Witness: Obeying God Rather Than Men
In a world bent on control and quick to shift blame, obeying God rather than men sounds a bold call to freedom and faithful witness. This morning, I found myself lingering over Acts of the Apostles 5:27-33. Peter and the Apostles were arrested for bearing witness to Christ. Standing before the Sanhedrin, they heard the high priest’s rebuke:…
Read MoreThe Water Flows from the Sanctuary
Picture this: a sanctuary. Still, sacred, and brimming with mystery. From the right side, something begins to stir. A small spring bubbles forth, emerging from the threshold of the temple. It’s quiet at first, barely brushing your ankles. But it doesn’t stay that way. What starts as a trickle becomes living water from the sanctuary—a stream…
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