By Fr. Anthony Adetayo

The Catholic Diocese of Ijebu-Ode celebrates the opening Mass of the pastoral year 2025 at St. Sebastian Catholic Cathedral, Ijebu-Ode on Saturday 11^th January 2025. Priests, Religious and Laity came together to begin the year with the Bishop; Most Rev. Francis Obafemi Adesina and prayed for divine guidance as the universal Church celebrates the Jubilee Year of Hope while the Diocese focuses on the pastoral care of marriage and family life.

In his homily, the Bishop emphasizes that God chooses and empowers people to work for him. He said “In the Gospel of John 3:22-30, we encounter the faith and humility of John the Baptist expressed in two statements. The first: “No one can receive anything except what is given him from heaven” (Jn 3:27); the second: “Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Both statements of John the Baptist set the right tone for what should be our Christian attitude in 2025. As Priests and Consecrated Persons; as Catechists, Lay Leaders and Evangelisers; as Deans, Sub-deans and Episcopal Vicars; as Directors of units of pastoral department and Heads of Schools; as Parishioners and People of God, our sole desire in life must be the fulfilment of the will of God in all things. In other words, we must be like John the Baptist who allowed his own pride, his popularity, his self-will, his ambition and his expectations to dissolve before the Master-Jesus, even when those around his ministry think otherwise. With his submissive and humble attitude, John the Baptist is teaching a lesson in PRACTICAL CHRISTIANITY and AUTHENTIC PASTORAL APPROACH TO MISSION namely: That each one of us must completely surrender in humility, our egos / our pride to Jesus, so that HE may shine in and through us.”

Addressing the diocesan focus for this 2025 the Bishop said, “The Diocesan Pastoral Focus in 2025 is: “Pastoral Care of Marriage and Family” but we shall do this in the light of the JUBILEE OF HOPE announced by the Holy Father, Pope Francis. It simply means that our Mission for the Year 2025 is to restore Hope in our parishioners that GOOD CHRISTIAN MARRIAGES AND HOLY FAMILY LIFE are still very much possible today if we have faith and hope in God.”

In his final words, he said “Our strength must be in our unity. This year 2025 is when all of us must contribute our talents to the Church. We must put aside our division and self interest. We must muster a culture of mutual respect and understanding. This year must be marked by collaboration where we must strive to be faithful in prayer and devotion.”

Following the Mass, a seminar discussion was held in the Cathedral hall, where the pastoral activities for the Year of Hope were outlined. The event concluded on a high note, with participants expressing enthusiasm and commitment to working together to achieve the diocese’s pastoral goals.