Former Minister of Transportation and current nominee, Rotimi Amaechi, has been promoted to the highest rank in the Catholic Church under the order of the Knights of St. John.
Mr Israel Ibeleme, his media Aide, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
He said Amaechi was conferred with the Exemplification honour of the knights of St. John from Grand Master, Nigerian Temple Noble and Exalted Knights of the Holy Cross Knight of St. John International.
Ibeleme said the former minister was conferred with the honour for his service to the Order and humanity for over 20 years at the Pope John Paul II Catholic Centre in Abuja.
He quoted Monsignor Kenneth Enang, in charge of the Pope John II Catholic Centre, as saying that the promotion was premised on Amaechi’s support toward the growth of the Catholic church.
“We want to thank you Knights of St John’s, all the other knights, college of knights for the work you are doing for the church.
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“For the support we get from the Knights in many areas not only the financial support but the moral support.
”The Knights built the seminary we have now at Kuje when cardinal Ekandem Dominic was alive and many of the Knights have built churches and handed over to the church.
“We ask God to bless you and your good works and let your labours not be in vain,” Enang was quoted as saying.
According to Ibeleme, the former minister, while accepting the honour, expressed joy for the promotion.
He said Amaechi also thanked the leaders and grandmaster of the Knight for considering him and his friends worthy of the promotion. (NAN)
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
