Catholics have been urged to make Mary, Mother of Perpetual Help known throughout the world as the mother who perpetually leads people to Jesus, as she encourages them to listen to him (Jesus), to believe in Jesus and to hold fast to Jesus. The charge was given by Rev. Fr Pius Babatunde CSsR, Parish Priest, Our Mother of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, OMPH, Amuwo-Odofin, recently when the parish marked the feast of Mary the Mother of Jesus as Our Mother of Perpetual Help. Speaking on the reason Redemptorists celebrate the feast more than other congregations in the Church, Fr. Babatunde disclosed that in 1866, Pope Pius IX gave the miraculous icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help to the Redemptorists and charged them with making her known throughout the world. According to the priest, “The Holy Father said ‘Make Her known throughout the world.’ Since then, her image has traveled far and near, wherever the Redemptorists serve. So, where you see Redemptorists, there you will find Our Mother of Perpetual Help,”.
On the celebration, he said, “It is the coming together of the entire parishioners of Our Mother of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, Amuwo Odofin to show the world that Our Mother of Perpetual Help is our mother who perpetually leads us to Jesus. She encourages us to listen to Jesus, to believe in Jesus and to hold fast to Jesus.” Also speaking on the occasion, Very Rev. Fr. John Okoro, Parish Priest, Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Ojota and former Parish Priest of OMPH said it is good to work in a place where people receive you. He said: “When God send you on a mission and you accomplish the mission, you always have that kind of reception from the people of God because they will always love those who have done things to the best of their ability. So it is always a great thing to come back and be received in a good manner. On persecution of Christians in the country, he said, “When Jesus Christ was on earth, he was persecuted. Jesus was crucified, he died. So the Church is not all about revenge. The Church is all about peace, justice, love; understanding and we get to greater height. The Church cannot tell people to start revolting and start killing each other because we are being oppressed. At a point, oppression will turn into peace and peace will turn into greatness.”
Lady Ebere Ugo, Activities Planning Committee Chairman (APCC) of the feast, while reviewing the feast, said the event is first of its kind in the Parish, with the theme: “And Mary said to the servants, do what he tells you.” According to her, “I feel satisfied because as the activities preceding the event progressed, I was praying for both good weather and turnout of Parishioners. I am really happy it turned out to be successful. Ugo said, “The programme was filled with lots of events and activities beginning with a nine-day Novena, followed by the one week retreat with Rosary procession that ended with the feast itself; a full event involving all the societies from the Mass to the reception with a lot to eat and drink. The children were also not left out because they were celebrated in a special way. The parish appreciated some of her priests and members with merit awards for their dedication to service.
