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	HISTORY The present Benin City Province was carved out from the old Lagos Ecclesiastical Province. The creation and erection of Benin province took place on the 23rd July, 1994. However, the activities of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Nigeria predated the creation of Benin province. To be precise it started about 1970’s in Benin City, but has attained its height before the creation of the province. At a time, the National Service Center of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Nigeria was in Benin City under the administration and supervision of Bro Paul Anie. On creation of the province, the members of the Renewal in the former Lagos province now assumed a new autonomy. THE CATHOLIC CHARISMATIC RENEWAL OF NIGERIA IN THE PROVINCE The presence of Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Nigeria in the province dates back as far as 1973. In 1973. ReV. Fr. Abiebhode of the blessed memory had the first ever Catholic Charismatic prayer meeting in Benin with the approval of the Administrator of Holy Cross Cathedral, Rev. Fr. Matthew 0’ Connell. The journey of the Renewal in the province started after that prayer meeting. The establishment of the Renewal spread almost immediately to places like Ekpoma, Urormi and environs. In 1978 prayer meeting has started in Kwale in Wari Diocese. Other notable places where the Renewal had taken of are: Wari, Isscle — Uku, Agbor Obi, Asaba, Auchi, and Sapele to mention a few. Since then there is no Diocese now in the Province that the Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Nigeria is not found. POPULATION As a result of the wild spread of the Renewal in the Province, the population of members have sky rocketed. The province has about 270 prayer groups with a population well over 10,000 members. Other prayer groups in the making are over 30 across the Province.