Nigerian Priest’s New Book Calls for Unity Among Clergy, Religious and Laity

Fr. Michael Ufok Uduekpo, a priest from Nigeria’s Catholic Diocese of Ikot Ekpene, has released a book titled “Care and Unity among Priests, Religious, and the Laity with Biblical Roots.” The 239-page work explores how priests, consecrated men and women, and laypeople can build relationships based on communion and collaboration to fulfill the Church's mission.

In an interview with ACI Africa on October 8, Fr. Uduekpo said the ongoing Synod on Synodality initiated by Pope Francis encouraged him to write the book. He explained that the Church's mission is relational and cannot be completed by a single group alone.

Fr. Uduekpo described care and unity as requiring fraternity, humility, mutual support, and self-giving among all baptized members. He noted that priests, clergy, and religious should demonstrate fraternal charity to support the shared responsibilities of pastoral life.