AN ADDRESS PRESENTED BY THE GENERAL PRESIDENT OF BLOCK ROSARY CRUSADE, CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE OF LAGOS TO MEMBERS OF BLOCK ROSARY CRUSADE BRIGADE OF GUARD ON THEIR FIRST GENERAL CONVENTION HELD ON SUNDAY 29TH APRIL, 2012 AT OUR LADY QUEEN OF NIGERIA PARISH SURULERE, LAGOS.

The Archdiocesan BRC Chaplain, Rev. Fr. Joachim Ochibili

ADC/Parish Patrons and Patronesses

ADC Block Rosary Crusade Officers and Co-opted Executives

Parish Block Rosary Presidents

Distinguished BRCBG Members

Glory be to Jesus, Unto life everlasting, Amen.

It gives the Block Rosary Crusade of Lagos Archdiocese joy to meet with the entire members of this uniform Para-military outfit of Block Rosary Crusade known as Block Rosary Crusade Brigade of Guard. This general summit being the first of its kind in Lagos Archdiocese is very timely as it is taking place at beginning of the 2nd year of this regime.

I wish to use this opportunity to welcome and salute you all Patriot and Cadet for the wonderful work you are doing to the Church in Nigeria through the Block Rosary Crusade. It is a great thing of joy that this Para-military arm of our society which started in Lagos Archdiocese has today spread across every part of Nigeria and is waxing very strongly. Of course, we can beat our chest and proudly say that it is the child of our brain anytime and anywhere. This administration shall continue to support and promote BRCBG of the Archdiocese in all her good endeavours as no responsible parents disowns his or her good child.

This convention will allow us the opportunity today to overview our performance over the years in relationship to the activities of the Block Rosary Crusade whom this arm belongs to. We should recall that the Block Rosary Crusade Brigade of Guard was formed in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary, for the propagation of her message at Fatima in the year 1917, and to help her members towards a greater love of God and their neighbours. Its objective is to work for the welfare of her members, spiritually, morally, and for the good of the Block Rosary Crusade and the Catholic Church. It is a duty bestowed on the members of the department to control traffic and ensure orderliness in and around the church, and in all Block Rosary Crusade Activities of which you are the disciplinary vanguard of the Block Rosary Crusade. It is good for us to begin to ask ourselves if that is the result Block Rosary Crusade of Lagos Archdiocese is getting from BRCBG and her members.

NUMERICAL STRENGTH OF MEMBERS OF BRCBG IN LAGOS ARCHDIOCESE:

From recent census conducted on ADC BRCBG which was the first assignment given to the Chief Commandant, Major Martins Uche Onwukwe on his appointment last year, if that assignment was thoroughly done, today we have 754 members in Lagos state BRCBG which formed 20% of total number of Crusaders in Archdiocese. I am very optimistic that all of you are present in this summit and whoever that is not here today without genuine written apology ceases to be part of this arm effective from date. This is a convention fixed over six months ago thereby giving enough time for each member to reschedule his or her activities to participate in this programme as a mark of respect to the authorities of Block Rosary Crusade. The State/Parish commandants are mandated to enforce this directive to the later. Block Rosary Crusade Brigade of Guard members must cloth themselves with Our Lady’s virtues and be submissive to the authority of the Block Rosary Crusade at all levels.

MEMBERSHIP OF BLOCK ROSARY CRUSADE BRIGADE OF GAURDS:

Brothers and sisters, if you look around you will discover that this uniform arm of the

Crusade accommodates majority of adult members of our society and today, we still lack adult and grown-up members seriously in our Centres and Parishes. At center /Parish levels where are these able brothers and sisters present in this gathering? Do you go to prayers and fulfill your obligations as Rosarians? On the above subject, I would like to draw your attention on article 10, sub-section XV; paragraph C/E of the constitution of the Block Rosary Crusade which defines clearly who should be a member of BRCBG and the purpose of the arm. “Block Rosary Brigade of Guards is for the Diocese, through the Parishes, and members are recruited from the local centres on representatives’ basis. These members must be active crusaders and of good characters”. You should not be a member of BRCBG if you are not an active member of the BRC with good repute. There is need for you to return urgently your uniform and other materials of BRCBG under your possession if you do not fall into that category. You may also wish to retain them on your own accord but when the owner – The Ever Blessed Virgin Mary starts demanding for it, do not say,’ had I know’.

AUTHORITY OF BRCBG IN THE CENTRE, PARISH AND ARCHDIOCESE:

Every member of Block Rosary Crusade MUST belongs to the basic unit of the society called centre and we are expected to obey and respect constituted authorities of that level. In that vein, each member of BRCBG must have a centre where he or she attends prayers regularly. Failure to comply with that, the person remains an imposture, intruder, detractor, infidel and a false Crusader. At all levels, members of BRCBG are not different from other members of the Block Rosary Crusade. Irrespective of the recognition we accord to this arm and members managing it, the commanding officer in-charge in the Parish remains the Parish President and should be duly respected. All members ranging from the Parish Commandant to the Flag bearer or Principal Store Officer must take instructions from him. Same is applicable to higher Council where the Chief Administrator (C.A.) or National Administrator takes directive from the Diocesan Council President he or she belongs. All the attached ranks are the beauty of the organ and should not blindfold us from the real essence of our membership in the Society. Let’s not forget our identical password “Obedience & Sacrifice”. It should remain our watch word. We don’t want see disloyal troops from any Parish of this Archdiocese.

DISCIPLINE AND MORAL BEHAVIOURS OF MEMBERS OF BRCBG:

In the past and at present Block Rosary Crusade of Lagos Archdiocese has been experiencing great challenges from the members of BRCBG. Counting from Jos 1999 till date, we still encounter at high rate those problems that should have drastically reduced or totally overcome as a Marian Society. These include attitude ridiculing the image of Block Rosary Crusade, insubordination/disobedience to constituted authority, illegal dealings, abusive utterances, embezzlement of Crusade funds and properties, indecent and immoral acts among BRCBG members and other members of the Crusade. There has been a case of Brigade brothers impregnating Brigade sisters, cases of brigade members encouraging crusade sisters to commit abortion which eventually resulted to untimely death, illegal use of BRCBG uniform, lack of respect from the brigade members to the Parish officers of Block Rosary Crusade, not to talk of non attendance to daily centre prayers by members. They are among the reasons of summoning this general assembly for us to redress from those behaviours. They are anti-BRC and never our call. Personal sanctity must be the first aspiration of every member, sincere and constant effort shall be made to acquire it, so that one can help to make others holy “or no one can give that which he has not gotten”.

LEADERSHIP OF BRCBG IN LAGOS ARCDIOCESE:

Today, the Block Rosary Crusade of Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos runs a straight forward government under a single leadership. The president of the Council is the Commanding Officer of BRCBG in Lagos Archdiocese with all the ranks and files officers from the National, Provincial and Archdiocesan body surrounding him. We owe respect to one another to ensure that the course of the Archdiocesan Crusade advances forward. No external individual or body should influence the serving officers of this arm of the Crusade. More so, it is a serious offence for the leaders of BRCBG to embark on any assignment or project be it from the Provincial or National Council without the pre- knowledge and approval of the Archdiocesan President and his officers. If that has existed in the past, it should come to an end today. All old officers of the Brigade should go back to their Parishes and work for our Lady in the Parish Block Rosary Crusade. Ex-officers of BRCBG co-opted to the executive council of the BRC should allow the incumbent officers of BRCBG to lead the arm and join the council officers to move the Diocese forward.

The only advisory body of the BRCBG as at today is the BRC Chaplain and the officers of the ADC BRC. It is absolutely wrong for you to make consultations on how to administer the office of the BRCBG from anybody who is no longer an active member of the Crusade and does not know the current trend of the Crusade. Those illegal advisers - former members who have outgrown being members of the Block Rosary Crusade should stay away from BRCBG and allow the officers to exhibit their God given talents.

We are proud to have the founder of BRCBG in Nigeria Bro. Clement-Mary Opara in our Archdiocese. As a member of BRC, he is appointed as one of the co-opted executive of this Archdiocesan Council and stand to offer more to the BRC of Lagos Archdiocese. On that note, all past leaders of BRCBG who are no longer attending prayers in their respective centres and do not come out for other activities of Block Rosary Crusade should surrender immediately their BRCBG uniform and proceed on self-RETIREMENT. What makes you a member of BRCBG is your Block Rosary Crusade membership and if you are no longer active in the Block Rosary Crusade you can’t be a member of BRCBG nation-wide.

After today’s summit, all members of BRCBG present will be given LA/ADC/BRCBG personal identification number which shall also be posted to our website and published in the next edition of our Crux Magazine. Please log into our website our next general meeting to confirm your members and number. Meanwhile make sure you write down your name correctly according to your Parishes. Whoever does not found his or her name on the posted list should not be counted as a member of BRCBG in Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos. Upgrading of BRCBGmembership list for new intakes will be the responsibility of the Council.

Finally fellow Comrade of BRCBG, we must stand-up for Block Rosary Crusade and defend her integrity. Today, our society’s image is more eye-catching to the Church and general public through you and your uniform; we must defend and protect it strongly. We should all realize that the growth and development of Block Rosary Crusade as a body is also the development and growth of BRCBG as her arm. We should jointly work to lift the society and her arms for greater glory of God, honour to the Blessed Virgin Mary and fulfillment of Her ardent desires at Fatima in 1917. This can be speedily achieved if we resolve today to match force with force against sin and become better members of Block Rosary Crusade. We must run away from quarrelling, sins of disobedient, immodesty, cheating, immorality, insubordination, indiscipline and other vices that would only robe us our citizenship in heaven. “At the end the Immaculate Heart of the Ever Blessed Virgin Mary will Triumph”.

Glory be to Jesus, Unto life Everlasting, Amen.

Bro. Fidelis-Mary O. Nwachukwu(KSM)