On the 7th of July 2026, the Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations of the Holy See, His Excellency Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, visited the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria to celebrate a Thanksgiving Mass with the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria and staff of the agencies of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN). The Eucharistic celebration marked the successful conclusion of his historic visit to Nigeria, which commemorated the 50th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between the Holy See and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Reflecting on the Gospel of the day, Archbishop Gallagher called on the faithful to imitate Christ’s compassion by becoming instruments of hope, mercy, and selfless service while responding generously to the Lord’s invitation to labour in His harvest. He also expressed heartfelt appreciation to the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria and the staff of the various agencies of the CBCN for their unwavering dedication, faithful service, and invaluable contributions to the growth of the Church and the mission of the Conference.
As a symbol of the enduring relationship between the Holy See and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, the President of the CBCN, Most Rev. Dr. Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, alongside the Vice President, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, presented commemorative gifts to Archbishop Gallagher. The celebration was attended by the Papal Nuncio to Nigeria, Most Rev. Michael Francis Crotty; His Eminence John Cardinal Onaiyekan; Archbishops, Bishops, priests, religious, staff of the various agencies of the CBCN, and parishioners of the Chaplaincy.
