By REV. FR. LEO OLUWASEYI AWOJINRIN CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF IJEBU-ODE

The 59th Independence day was a unique one in the Catholic Diocese of Ijebu-Ode as the Bishop celebrated it in the company of all his Priests and Religious living and working in the Diocese with a day of prayer and discussion.

During his words of encouragement to his collaborators, Bishop Francis Adesina prayed that God will lift Nigeria out of the woods in which we have found ourselves. The Shepherd told some of his flock who gathered with him at the Parish Church in J6, a mission territory, that everything about Nigeria is not all sadness. He was optimistic that God must be doing some great things which we may not even see or notice. He encouraged all citizens of Nigeria to lift up hands of prayers for all our leaders and the citizenry.

In the same vein, the Local Ordinary has called for a monthly novena in all parishes in the diocese for peace, unity, healing and growth in our Diocese that has now existed for 50 years. He lamented that Ijebu-Ode Diocese is faced with challenges and serious burdens in many areas of the life of the Diocese. He therefore called for prayers for himself, the Bishop Emeritus, all the Priests, Religious and Laity of the Diocese. ‘We need to rescue the soul of our Diocese’, he said.
He requested all and sundry to change their attitude and mentality to a more positive one as expected of Priests and religious. He made this call today when he convened his collaborators in prayer as requested by the Holy Father to usher in the extraordinary mission month.

Kindly join the Diocese in prayers as we seek the face of God for the restoration of the soul of our Diocese.

God bless the Church!
God bless Ijebu-Ode Diocese!
God bless our faith!