Catholics; clergy and lay faithful of the Archdiocese of Lagos converged Thursday, January 12, 2023 at the Funeral Mass held for late Very Rev. Fr. Raphael Abiola Adebayo, at Holy Cross Cathedral, Lagos to pay their final respects and bid farewell to the priest. The Mass was concelebrated by Most Rev. (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins; Catholic Archbishop of Lagos and Priests from Lagos Archdiocese and other dioceses across the country. Delivering the homily on the oc- casion, Rev Fr. Jerome Omoregie described Fr. Adebayo as a priest who made himself available for the people and a tender caregiver for the poor and the needy. Fr. Jerome further described Fr. Adebayo as a strong and fervent priest, who truly served God and the Church. According to him: “All of us should ask ourselves, when we die what will people say of us as Christians?”
Archbishop Martins condoled with the Adebayo family, especially Fr. Adebayo’s mother, who he said had sacrificed two of her sons to becoming priests and yet has had to mourn the loss of those two sons. The Archbishop noted that Fr. Adebayo lived and bore the fruits of the Holy Spirit, which is the reason people can say so many good things about him. He urged the people to ensure that they make efforts to bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit just as the deceased did. The funeral was also attended by Anthony Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie, Emeritus Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Francis Obafemi Adesina, Bishop of Ijebu-Ode Diocese, Rt. Rev. Msgr. John Aniagwu, Vicar General, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos and Very Rev. Msgr. Bernard Okodua. Episcopal Vicar, Lagos Region, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos.
