WITNESSING THE IDENTITY AND MISSION OF AN INSTITUTE OF CONSECRATED LIFE IN THE FACE OF CRISIS AND VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA

Abstract

People in the consecrated life live out their vocation and unique charisms in the human society, and thus, are equally challenged by the violent situations around them. On a face value, one is short of words over what consecrated persons can do in the context of violence. Can a consecrated individual or group offer any help in ameliorating violence? The paper is a modest discussion of some ways people in the consecrated life can witness in the situation of violence. It is subdivided into three sections: section one will describe the notion of violence and some of its forms and causes as it exists in the Nigerian context. Section two will throw light on the identity, vocation and life of people in the consecrated life. Furthermore, the section will highlight some of the impacts of violence on the consecrated life in the Nigerian context. Finally, in section three, we shall examine some patterns of witnessing in the context of violence for a consecrated person. Our argument is that, while crisis and violence challenge their total submission and faith in God, at the same time, the violence around people in the consecrated life challenges them to a more prophetic witnessing in the world.