The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Umuahia, Most Rev. Michael Ukpong, has charged the Catholic media practitioners to help disseminate the church doctrines among youths.

Mr Ukpong gave the charge on Wednesday when a group known as the Catholic Media Practitioners Association of Nigeria paid him a courtesy visit in his office at the Mater Dei Cathedral, Umuahia.

He described the knowledge deficit among the Catholic faithful as worrisome, saying that the phenomenon was more prevalent among the younger generation.

The cleric said that the prevailing delinquencies and societal ills could be attributed to ignorance and the lack of knowledge.

“All these challenges that we are witnessing are as a result of ignorance and the lack of knowledge,” he said.

Mr Ukpong further appealed to the CAMPAN members to enhance their activities, in order that the church would feel their impact more.

The cleric stated, “The association can do better to make a greater impact in the church. You can also help to ensure that the activities of the church go viral on social media because that is now the global trend.”

He advised the group’s National President, Chimdi Oluoha, to ensure that he excelled in his assignment to bring honour rather than shame to his home diocese.

He promised that the church would do the best within the available resources to support him to succeed.

Earlier, the Abia Chairman of CAMPAN, Hyacinth Okoli, said the visit was to invite the bishop to the 2024 World Communications Day celebration, scheduled for Sunday.

Mr Okoli, represented by his deputy, Chikezie Onyeabor, also formally presented the new national president to the bishop during the visit.

Mr Oluoha, who was the immediate past Abia Chairman of the group, was elected at the association’s 2024 convention held in Issele-Ukwu, Delta State, last week.

In a brief remark, Mr Oluoha promised to discharge the duties of his office diligently and efficiently to take the association and the church to higher heights.

(NAN)