The Catholic Diocese of
Oshogbo and indeed the
Ibadan province are still in
mourning following the death of
six youths and a priest in a fatal
motor accident.
They were returning from the
annual Marian Pilgrimage held at
Otan Ayegbaju to Ile Ife on Sunday
morning when the bus transport-
ing them got involved in an acci-
dent that claimed their lives.
They were interred recently
together with the priest among
them, Rev Fr Matthew Arimoro,
a 31 year old priest who was or-
dained for Osogbo Diocese on
January 3, 2020.
In his homily at the Funeral mass
held at St Benedict Cathedral,
Osogbo, Most Rev Francis Femi
Adesina, the Catholic Bishop of
Ijeb-Ode, while condoling the
families of the deceased and the
entire Ibadan province, reminded
them that all are on a journey, a
journey that lead back to God, our
resting place.
“Your age, your colour, your
time, your profession, your wealth,
your Status is not the end; the only
end is ‘to rest in God.”
He noted that many people are easi-
ly distracted with the challenges of the
world and other vanities, warning that
what matters at the end of it all is one’s
closeness to God.
“Your Status is not the end; the only end
is ‘to rest in God’. That is why, your time
(be it morning, afternoon or evening)
or your age are not the most important
things. What is more important for us as
Christians is that we are on the right path
to our rest.”
Shedding light into the life of the late
priest, he had this to say, “Matthew
struggled with his Vocation. He spent
about 13 years instead of the statutory 9
years for Seminary Formation. At a point
in his journey, he had doubts about his
priestly vocation. He left the seminary
to obtain a Master’s Degree. Through
the assistance of many priests, his family
and friends, Oluwatosin re-discover his
vocation and returned to the Seminary,
funny still, he was placed on a year pro-
bation for doubting his vocation. Yet, he
took it calmly. He served and returned to
the Seminary.
“As his Rector then, I always wondered
why Matthew was persevering in all the
troubles we gave him. He kept return-
ing back to Seminary for Formation to
the Priesthood. Now, I know better that
Matthew was coming back to the sem-
inary to become a Catholic Priest, he is
destined to be; and by so doing, enter
gloriously into heaven in 40 days.”
He reminded the congregation that
in such a time, they must learn to trust
God.
At his communion remark, the Osog-
bo Diocese Prelate, Bishop John Akin
Oyejola charged the faithful of the dio-
cese not to be discouraged of their faith
in the Lord, especially in going to the an-
nual pilgrimage to Oke Maria (Marian
Pilgrimage) in Otan Ayebaju, saying “we
cannot stop going for the prayers at Oke
Maria, nothing will stop us.
