Monthly Bulletin /Circular September, 2022 /038

By Anthony Adetayo

TO ALL PRIESTS, RELIGIOUS AND THE LAY FAITHFUL IN THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF IJEBU-ODE.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord

Grace and Peace of Christ be with you.

The Month of September: I warmly welcome you to the month of September, 2022, the last quarter of the year, the beginning of the ‘ember’ months (September to December). We are gradually approaching the end of the year. There is the need to evaluate our Christian journey of faith since the beginning of the year.

Election campaign will begin in this month in preparation for 2023 General Election. I invite all to be more spiritually conscious and politically sensitive in making the choice of leaders who will serve the people. Let us shun every form of violence and be instruments of peace.

The Liturgy of the Church offers us the opportunity to celebrate and reflect on the lives of the following saints whose feasts and memorials occur this month: Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Sept. 8); Exaltation of the Cross (Sept. 14); Our Lady of Sorrows (Sept. 15); SS Cornelius, Pp. M. & Cyprian, B.M (Sept. 16); St. Andrew Kintaegon & Companion (Sept. 20); St. Matthew, Apostle (Sept. 21); St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Sept. 23); and the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael (Sept. 28); St. Jerome (Sept. 30).

May God grant us peace and tranquility of soul. Amen

Pope’s Intention for the month of September: For Abolition of Death Penalty: Let us pray that the death penalty, which attacks the dignity of the human person, may be legally abolished in every country.

Bishop’s Intention for the month of September: For Human Fraternity: Let us pray for the grace to live in communion and fellowship with one another as brothers and sisters, assisting one another and praying for one another.

Monthly Novena Prayer: We are invited to pray the Novena to Saint Michael the Archangel for this month for the intention of our Diocese and for peace in the world. This shall begin on Tuesday, 20^{^th} to Wednesday, 28^{^th}, 2022. May I enjoin all Parish Priests, Superiors and Chaplains to kindly ensure that this novena prayer is said in all Parishes, Convents, Schools and Formation Houses across the Diocese.

Submission of 2022 Report: This is to inform all Heads of Department, Institutions and Presidents of various Organizations like CMO, CWO, CYON and HCA that you are required to submit a comprehensive report of activities done in the year 2022. This report is expected to be detailed containing the summary of what was done and pictures to back it up. It will be submitted both in printed copies and soft copies to the office of the Bishop through his Secretary on or before December 10, 2022. This is an obligatory annual report and all those concerned should take note.

Diocesan Prayer Crusade for Priests and Religious: This is a reminder of the appeal made at the beginning of the Year to families within our Diocese to adopt a Priest/Religious for prayer throughout the Year 2022. Families within our Diocese are encouraged to freely choose and adopt a Priest/Religious whom they would be praying for on daily basis throughout this year. Let us all remember to pray for our Priests and Religious daily. We continue to implore Parish Priests to be creative in encouraging and implementing this appeal.

Ave Maria Pilgrimage Centre Iwopin: We continue to solicit your generous support towards the renovation of the Ave Maria Pilgrimage Centre, Iwopin. we have begun serious work on the site and we need a lot of money to sustain and complete this project. We sincerely appreciate all those who have contributed generously towards this project as we continue to appeal to individuals, families, societies, parishes and stations who are yet, to support this project of rebuilding a Pilgrimage Centre for the Blessed Virgin Mary in our Diocese with your kind donations.

Remember, God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7). The account details are as follows:

Account Name: Ave Maria Pilgrimage Center. Catholic Diocese of Ijebu-Ode

Account Number: 1022812598

Bank: United Bank for Africa (UBA)

8. Construction of a Diocesan Chancery Building: The building of our Diocesan Chancery is ongoing and we have made great progress. We therefore, humbly appeal to Parishes, Institutions, families and benefactors, within and outside the Diocese, who are yet to make their contributions, to financially support this project. We recognize and acknowledge all the contributions and donations already received. May God continue to reward and replenish all our benefactors abundantly.

To support this project of building a befitting Chancery for the Catholic Diocese of

Ijebu-Ode, kindly make your donation(s) to the following Bank Account:

Account Name: Catholic Diocese of Ijebu-Ode

Account Number: 0131027016

Bank: FCMB

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Bishop will not be available in his office in the month of September. The Vicar General, Very Rev. Msgr. Victor Ajayi shall take up administrative responsibilities in the Diocese during this period. He will be available in the office on Mondays and Thursdays only to attend to important and urgent matters. Kindly give him your co-operation and collaboration.

Special Collections: Let us remember to collect these special collections for the month of September:
Bible Week (September 11): The Bible week is a week activity set out to celebrate the beauty of the word of God contained in the Bible. This collection is meant to support the activities of the Biblical Apostolate in the country and in the Diocese. Let us donate generously.
National Conference of Diocesan Priests Association (NCDPA) (September 25): This is an Association of all Diocesan Priests incardinated into a Diocese. This collection is to support the activities of the Association both at National and Diocesan levels.

Let us donate generously.

NB: Priests should kindly ensure that these collections are well publicized, collected and remitted to the Chancery for proper collation.

Catholic Women Organization of Nigeria CWON: The Annual Diocesan General Assembly of the CWONIO comes up on September 1-4, 2022, at CWO Maria Centre, Ijebu-Ode Let us support our mothers for the success of this assembly.

Monthly Recollection: The monthly recollection for Bishop and Priests for this month shall take place on Tuesday, September 13, 2022 at St. Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Isiwo at 10:00a.m. The theme for this month’s recollection is: “The Seven Mansions in the interior castle of St. Theresa of Avila: A guide for priestly spirituality.”

NB: All Priests engaged in pastoral work in the Diocese are expected to be punctual and prompt.

Holy Childhood Association: The Provincial Congress of Holy Childhood Association comes up on September 8-10, 2022, at Christ the King Catholic College, Odolewu. Parishes are encouraged to prepare their children for this congress.

Catholic Youth Organization of Nigeria: The General Meeting of the Diocesan CYON comes up on September 10, 2022, at Ogbere Deanery at 10:00a.m. All Diocesan and Parish Executives should be punctual for this meeting.

Association of Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary: There shall be a General meeting of all members of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart Mary Association on Sept. 11, 2022 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Kajola by 10:00a.m

Family and Human Life Apostolate: Level 1 Training of Marriage counsellors continues this month. It shall take place on September 17, 2022 at Most Pure Heart Catholic Church, Esure.
There shall be a departmental meeting for all members of the Family and Human Life Apostolate on September 23, 2022 at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Odo-Aye at 10:00a.m.

Education Department: All Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools shall be resuming for the 2022/2023 academic session on September 19, 2022. All staff, students and parents should take note of this date and prepare adequately for the session.

Department of Catechesis and Religious Education: The training programme for the Animators of Small Christian Community (SCC) in the Diocese will take place on September 10 & 24, 2022. The following are the dates and locations for the formation programme:
Sagamu/Iperu Deaneries: St. Francis Catholic Church, Likosi on Sept. 10 and St. Michael Catholic Church, Ilisan on Sept. 24.

Ijebu-Ode/Iloti/Ijebu-Igbo Deaneries: St. Timothy Catholic Church, Degun on Sept. 10 and St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Odo-Aye on Sept. 24.

Ogbere/Esure Deaneries: St. Mary Catholic Church, Ogbere on Sept. 10 and Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, J6 on Sept. 24

The time for this programme is by 11:00a.m for each day.

The monthly formation programme for the ministry of Catechist comes up on Sept. 17, 2022 at Catechetical Centre, Motubo, Ijebu-Ode, by 10a.m.

All concerned should endeavour to be punctual.

Diocesan Pastoral Council: This is to notify all members of the Diocesan Pastoral Council that the 2nd meeting for the year comes up on Saturday, 29^th October 2022 at St. Sebastian Catholic Cathedral, Ijebu-Ode. The meeting will start with the celebration of the Holy Mass at 10:00 a.m. All members of the council are expected to be in attendance.

Catholic Men Organization of Nigeria: The General Meeting of the Diocesan CMO comes up on September 25, 2022, at Ijebu-Igbo Deanery at 10:00a.m. All Diocesan and Parish Executives should endeavor to be punctual.

Transfers: We warmly welcome the following Religious assigned to work in the Diocese:
Fr. Simon Terseer Mbachilin (FI), assigned to Franciscan of the Immaculate Community, Ijebu-Igbo.
Fr. Ugo Nweke (Jesuit), resident in Jesuit Community, Ijebu-Ode.
Fr. Michael Ebor (SDB), assigned to Don Bosco Community, Ikoto.
Sr. Mary Felicia Lewis, (EHJ), assigned to EHJ Community, Ijebu-Ode.

We wish them a happy stay in the Diocese and success in their apostolates.

Priestly Ordination Anniversary: We congratulate, rejoice and request your prayers for Rev. Frs. Michael-Mary Chiaha (Sept. 5); Sabinus Orji (Sept. 5); Emmanuel Nwafor (Sept. 5); Daniel Ogunsanya (Sept. 8); Anthony Abdullahi (Sept. 8) and John Bankole, SDB (Sept. 9) whose Priestly Ordination Anniversaries occur this month. May God grant them fulfillment and grace of final perseverance. Ad Multos Annos!

Bereavement: With total submission to the will of God, we announce the demise of Sr. Rita Ifeomachukwu Okoye, TMML of the Trinitarian Missionary of Merciful Love Sisters. The burial arrangement is scheduled as follows:

Christian Wake: Thursday, 8^th September, 2022 at 5:00pm. Venue: St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Atan.

Funeral Mass: Friday, 9^th September, 2022 at 10:00am. Venue: St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Atan.

May God grant her eternal rest in his bosom. Amen

Thank you as I wish you a blessed and fruitful month of September.

Most Rev. Francis Obafemi ADESINA

Bishop of Ijebu-Ode.