The ‘Religious’ Are The Icons Of The Church—Says Bishop Badejo

By Babatunde Joseph Oduntan

THE catholic Bishop of Oyo diocese in Nigeria, Most Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo has expressed the view that ‘Religious’ in their spiritual activities for a better world, must be seen as the great ICONS of the church.

He stated this in his homily at St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral Catholic church, Ilesa, Osun State Nigeria, on 6th August 2016, at the thanksgiving mass of the Golden jubilee anniversary celebration of Reverend Sister Jeannine Legere, the Silver Jubilee anniversary celebration of Reverend Sisters Helena Ugorji and Agnes Obembe and the final vows of Sisters Immaculata Onyong, Lauretta Adegbe and Maria Enemuo of the Daughters of the Holy Spirit(DHS) congregation of Osogbo Catholic diocese of Nigeria.

Bishop Badejo observed that true transformation of the people and the society today is only possible through the church. The church he said, since inception more than two thousand (2 000) years ago, have through the sacrifice of consecrated Priests and Religious, helped individual in communities, enhanced families, support and complement government efforts for social and economic development, education, Health care, provide employment opportunities for the jobless and today the church is still growing strong and working hard for the benefit of the people.

As many political leaders around the world boast and see their offices as the most important position in the world as presidents or ministers, Bishop Badejo, rather in his view sees Mothers, Fathers, Priests, the Religious and those who have the responsibility of transforming human lives as soon as they come into the world, as people who hold the most important and powerful positions in the world.

“Whatever we do to transform or change those youths and children in our custody before they leave our respective homes, Institutions of learning or churches is what matters most,” he said.

He urged the youths and young people who as a result of today’s technological race and attractions that promote the culture of the ‘Ephemeral,’ which may make them to run away from lifelong commitments of either marriage, Priesthood or Religious lives to take leaf from the jubilee and professing Sisters celebrating today and take up Holy vocations of Priesthood, Marriage or Religious life or even in other works of life as Engineer or Lawyer, to have joy and become good channel or vessels of transformation in the society.

“It is only in life long commitments like these, that we can have peace, development and fulfillment in life and nothing else,” he said.

The professing Sisters the prelate said, by their vows have committed themselves in a ‘New Birth’ in Christ to a consecrated life.

“This is what is called been ‘Born Again’. Been ‘Born Again’ in the real contest of it, is been able to see things of the Spirit, things of God, inspite of the attraction of things around us or the attractiveness of the world and you rather just decide in the things of God to follow Christ,” he said.

As a Christian with the new birth of been ‘born again’ the Bishop said, you must have the capacity to build with service and love, no matter who you are, whether you are a youth, a married woman, mother or father. It is with the help of the ‘Holy Spirit of God’ that you are able to do that, when you give your life to Christ, when others cannot.

“We must pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit to achieve this,” he said.

The prelate praised the efforts of the Daughters of the Holy Spirit congregation who in the spirit of ‘Pentecost’ and living a life of chastity, simplicity and service work for God and serve the church for the benefit of the poor and the underprivileged in the society.

Bishop Badejo thanked and commended the efforts of Rev. Sister Anne Marie Couloignier, the Superior General and founder of the Daughters of the Holy Spirit congregation for the inauguration of the Vice Province of the congregation in Nigeria on 18th April 1986, through the vision of Emeritus Bishop Julius Babatunde Adelakun, the then shepherd of Oyo and Oshogbo diocese of the catholic church in Nigeria. He prayed for Rev. Sister Teresa Buckley, the first Vice Provincial of the congregation in Nigeria and the seven Reverend Sisters from the English province ,who laid the foundation of the congregation in Nigeria and are today part of the success story.

The congregation was founded on 8th December, 1706 in Brittany France and has international recognition and growth in Africa is presently limited to Nigeria, Burkina Faso and the Republic of Cameroon.

Most Rev. Dr. Badejo, also thanked Archbishop Gabriel Adeleke Abegunrin, the chief shepherd of the Archdiocese of Ibadan, for his support for the congregation, when he took over the mantle of leadership from Bishop Adelakun in 1995, when the diocese of Osogbo was created.

The presence of the congregation in Nigeria Bishop Badejo observe, through thick and thin has given Lives, Joy, Grace and has also produced fruits of good Education to our children, fruits of care of the sick, handicapped and has in addition provided confortable pastoral engagements everywhere they served in the country. Many people who are neither catholic or Christians have experienced and benefited from their lives and works as Reverend Sister of the DHS in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

“No matter how hard things are in Nigeria or other countries of the world, God has always been kind and good to us as his creation, we give God the glory,” he said

He congratulated Reverend Sister Jeannine Legere ( American missionary and longtime Associate of the DHS in Nigeria), Reverend Sisters Helena Ugorji and Agnes Obembe( the first two Nigerian indigenous Reverend Sisters of the DHS , as they celebrate their Golden and Silver jubilee anniversary as Daughters of the Holy Spirit congregation in the vice province of Nigeria..

“Today I know you are full of joy and songs of praise to God, that you have been able to go through the fifty (50) and twenty five (25) years in times of joy and sadness, in times of fulfillments, in times of pains and in times of fun and yet, you have continued these years to say ‘Yes’ to God in all you do. Sisters we rejoice with you and we thank you for giving your lives, service and commitments for these long number of years,” he praised the celebrants.

As the day coincided with the church’s transfiguration day celebration, he urged the entire members of the DHS congregation to go into the world with the mandate and call of God and transform and bring the people to Christ, this he said is an important obligation fotr all Christian and especially the consecrated people.

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“The joy of the Gospel which motivated you to hear, know and answer God’s call, will continue to sustain you to win more souls for Christ,” he prayed.

Bishop Badejo, observed that there are so many bad things happening in our nation and around the world today, has taken people’s attention and are not making them to see all the good things God is doing in our midst (the air we breathe, the good health we have, his provision, protection, love and mercy. People he said, prefer to pay more attention to news of wars, coups, bombings, bloodshed, terrorism, corruption, kidnapping and the like. He admonished the church congregation to always praise God with songs for his goodness in whatever they do in life.

The lives and presence of the Daughters of the Holy Spirit congregation at today’s anniversary he said, is announcing the good news of what God has done in the lives of our sisters, irrespective of evil going on around us.

The prelate then made a call on the evil ones amidst us or in the society who kill, make people sad, cause wars and disrupt social peace and justice of the people, to desist from such evil acts or behavior and follow the line of dedicating their lives for the work of the church.

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Congratulating the professing Sisters, Immaculata Onyong,Lauretta Adegbe and Maria Enemuo, Bishop Badejo urged them to be good Religious, Missionaries and Evangelizers anywhere they may eventually find themselves in the service of the DHS congregation.

He thanked their families for giving birth to them, looking after them, training and supporting them to achieve their vision and aspiration in their vocational calling.He called on the sisters and all Christians to have Christ kind of love that will make them be of service to the church, help their families, communities, nations and indeed our world.

“We must rescue our people from powerful evil forces of greed, selfishness, violence through our faith and help of the Holy Spirit,” he said.

He stressed the importance and contribution of women to the growth and development of the church and emphatically expressed his view that, women ‘Religious’ and all women working for the church around the world are great ‘ICONS’ of the church in their service for God, the church and humanity. He prayed that God will keep the DHS Sisters faithful to God and their Holy vows to the end of their lives.

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He passionately called on the youths to be more dedicated and commit their lives to God in all they do in life. He urged them to spend more of their time with Jesus for the transformation they need for a better life and world. The diverse culture and tradition in the body of Christ today he said, must protect and unite us to move the church forward.

In conclusion, he thanked the celebrants, their families and all associates of the DHS congregation, prayed and encouraged them in the words of prophet Isaiah: “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and never be weary and they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah.40:31).

The concelebrated thanksgiving and profession mass was led by Archbishop Gabriel, the chief shepherd of Ibadan Archdiocese, assisted by Bishop Emmanuel Badejo of Oyo diocese and the host Bishop, Most Rev. (Dr.) John Akinkunmi Oyejola of Osogbo diocese.

During the profession rite, the three sisters, Immaculata Onyong, Lauretta Adegbe and Maria Enemuo, at the altar before the officiating Bishops made their vows solemnly, while the church congregation prayed for them seeking the help of the saints and the Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of the church to assist them in their journey into the world to serve.

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Each sister then lighted a candle from the Pascal candle on the stand near the altar as a symbol that Christ is the light of the world and the light of Christ they received at baptism which they need for God’s guidance and success in their vocation.

The sisters after their vows, together with their referees as witnesses signed the church register at the altar. The Superior General of the congregation in Nigeria greeted and welcomes the new Sisters to the fold and after which they greeted the Bishops.

Sisters Legere, Ugorji and Obembe the jubiliants who celebrated their anniversaries renewed their vows at the ceremony and were later warmly greeted and congratulated by each member of the DHS congregation present at the ceremony.

The celebrants were blessed by the Archbishop and the congregation had a special thanksgiving to express their joy and appreciation to God.

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Rev. Sister Monica Anyi, the Vice provincial of the congregation in Nigeria, in her vote of thanks expressed appreciation and gratitude to Archbishop Abegunrin, Bishop Badejo, the host Bishop, Most Rev. Dr. John Oyejola, Monsignors, Rev. Fathers, Parish Priest of St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral Church church, Ilesa(Rev. Fr. Ambrose Olasinde), Foreign Guests, Catechists, Altar servers, Families of celebrants, Associates, parishioners and well-wishers from within and outside Nigeria for honoring their invitation and for their immense contribution to the success of the celebration.