Drugs, porn destroying families, relationships – Catholic Archbishop

The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, has described drug and pornography addiction as two evils that threaten the very fabric of family and faith.

He made this known during his homily at the Thanksgiving Mass to commemorate the 11th convention of the Lagos Archdiocesan Catholic Men Organization of Nigeria (LACMON), held at the expansive playground of St. Gregory’s College, Lagos.

The convention is reputed as the largest single gathering of Catholic men in Africa.

While commending men in the Archdiocese for their efforts towards ridding the family of the evils of drug and pornography addiction, which are bedevilling many homes daily, the Archbishop urged them to put more effort into confronting the menace.

Addressing the over 5,000 delegates drawn from the 20 deaneries in the Lagos Archdiocese and beyond, on the theme: “Overcoming Drug and Pornography Addiction in Family Life,” the cleric posited that “drugs and pornography hold the brain captive and destroy relationships, giving promises of escape, satisfaction, and pleasure but delivering only bondage, shame, and despair.”

“As fathers, you are called to confront these twin evils that enslave people by working to restore the values and truths that have been handed on to us. The family is a sacred nucleus of love, a place where values that stand as the bedrock of evangelization are taught. Drugs and pornography are plagues that afflict the sacredness of far too many families,” he added.

“We can overcome these addictions by making fundamental options for God at all times, seeking His grace as we cultivate a life of prayer which is capable of changing old habits as it enhances our intimacy with God. We should immerse ourselves in the Scripture, journey with the Lord, and seek the intercession of the Saints.”

Similarly, the Archdiocesan Chaplain of LACMON, Very Rev. Fr. Francis Ike, and the LACMON President, Kingsley Ekwuem, while relishing the success of the two-day event, noted that the theme of the convention was very apt and would also form the subject of focus at the 2025 edition of the convention.