As Priests reassigned to the different parishes across the Lagos Archdiocese settle down to carry out their mission of evangelization some have pledged to rededicate themselves to the work of God to justify the new postings. Only recently the Catholic Archbishop and Metropolitan See of Lagos, Most Rev. (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins said the redefinition of the jurisdictions of Deaneries in the Archdiocese necessitated the changes. Five new Deaneries were created bringing the number to twenty. Among those transferred are Deans and priests while new appointments were also made across the Archdiocese.
Investigations revealed that most of the affected priests were either seen off or welcomed to their new places of assignment by the Church Councils led by the Vice Chairmen of the Parish Pastoral Councils, PPCs. In St. Cyprian’s Catholic Church, New Oko-Oba, Agege, Lagos, the Councils led by the PPC Vice Chairman, Dr. Uche Okereke warmly received the new Parish priest, Very Rev. Fr. Richard Fasuyi from Our Lady Mother & Queen Catholic Church, Badore, after seeing off Very Rev. Fr. Augustine Nnaemeka. Until his recent posting, Fr. Nnaemeka was the Dean of Agege Deanery a position he relinquished to Very Rev. Fr. Sebastian Ngene, Parish priest of St. Kizito’s Catholic Church, Iju, but still retains his post as Dean, now of Apapa Deanery and Parish Priest, St. Charles Catholic Church, Olodi Apapa.
Both were presented with bouquets of flowers by the CWO at the departure and arrival of the two priests. On Sunday, the new Parish priest concelebrated Mass with the Associate priest, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Anyanwu and Rev. Fr. Peter Aondoyila (OJ). It was also the Sunday of the enthronement of the Bible in the Church and at homes as directed by the Catholic Pontiff, Pope Francis. The homilist, Rev. Fr. Peter Aondoyila said the word of God is active, alive and dwells amongst us, and that when we read the Bible it inspires and prepares us to face the challenges of the time. He noted that no Catholic faithful with the right attitude to the word of God would attend Mass and go empty.
Fr. Aondoyila emphasized that Mass encourages and gives us the right value, quoting from the books of John and Timothy. He enjoined families to make the Bible their daily companion at home and in the Church, noting that the word of God nourishes the individual. In his remarks, the new Parish priest, Fr. Richard Fasuyi asked for the cooperation of the parishioners to enable him, in his words, ‘take the Parish to the next level,’ though he acknowledged the spiritual and physical developmental stride recorded by his predecessor. He urged the faithful to mask up and comply with the COVID-19 protocol if they must attend Mass. Shortly after the Mass, Fr. Fasuyi met with members of the CMO during their monthly meeting, saluted them for the many laurels won and emerging the best CMO two consecutive times in the Archdiocese. He asked for their support. The CMO chairman, Chidi Ekenedo (KSM), assured him that the organization is favourably disposed to give him the necessary backing for him to succeed.
