- Calls Catholic women pillars of family, Church, and society
Rev. Sr. Agnes Adepoju, OLA, Sister Adviser of the Catholic Women Organisation Nigeria (CWONLA), Lagos Archdiocese, has urged Catholic women to remain steadfast in faith and service as pillars of their families, the Church, and society. She gave this charge while delivering a paper entitled “A Woman Works and Walks by Faith” at the 2025 General Assembly and Achievers’ Awards Presentation Ceremony of the Catholic Women Organisation Nigeria, Lagos Ecclesiastical Province (CWONLEP), held recently at Holy Child College, Ikoyi, Lagos. Sr. Adepoju initiated her paper by acknowledging the tireless contributions of Catholic women, describing them as “mothers, wives, grandmothers, sisters, and pillars of our parishes and our society.” She stressed that much of their work often goes unrecognised, yet it forms the foundation upon which both homes and the Church thrive. The CWONLA Sister Adviser said: “As members of the Catholic Women Organisation, you are not just women; you are mothers, wives, grandmothers, sisters, and pillars of our families, our parishes, the Church, and our society. Your work, which sometimes goes unseen or unacknowledged, is the very foundation upon which our homes and our Church stand. Thank you for all that you do. Your service in the CWO is a demonstration of your deep love for God and His people.”
Faith as active trust, not passive emotion
She emphasised that faith in the Christian life is not passive but active. Citing the Letter of James, she reminded the women: “I, by my works will show you my faith” (James 2:18). Faith, Sr. Adepoju explained, is not mere emotion or abstract belief, but a lived reality expressed daily through choices, sacrifices, and actions that reveal trust in God. “When we talk about walking by faith, we mean trusting in God’s promises even when the path ahead is unclear. And when we talk about working by faith, we mean putting that trust into action — using our gifts and our strength to build up our families and the Kingdom of God. The two are inseparable,” she affirmed. The reverend sister drew from 2 Corinthians 5:7 — “For we walk by faith, not by sight” — as the guiding scripture for her reflection, noting that it summarises the mission of Christ’s faithful: to rely on God’s promises and not just on human perception.
Lessons from women of faith in Scripture
To illustrate her point, Sr. Adepoju reflected on biblical women whose lives embodied walking by faith. Sarah, the wife of Abraham, believed in God’s promise despite her barrenness and advanced age, eventually becoming mother to Isaac. The Blessed Virgin Mary, she noted, remains the supreme example of faith, surrendering completely to God’s plan at the Annunciation with her fiat, “Be it done to me according to your word.” The woman with the hemorrhage in Mark’s Gospel also stood out as a model. For twelve years, she suffered, yet her faith moved her to press through the crowd and touch the hem of Jesus’ garment. “Her faith was not just in her heart; it drove her feet,” Sr. Adepoju explained, underscoring that faith often requires courageous action.
Walking by faith in today’s Nigeria
Bringing the reflection home, she challenged Catholic mothers in Nigeria to live by faith daily in practical ways. Parenting, she said, demands trust in God, especially when children stray, citing St. Monica’s patient prayers for her son, St. Augustine. Financial hardships, which many families face, should also be met with faith rather than despair. In marriages, she urged women to seek God’s will and remain prayerful partners, even in moments of conflict. “Walking by faith means surrendering control and believing that God has a plan — for our children, our marriages, and even our finances,” she stressed.
Working by Faith: The call to action
Shifting to the second part of her theme, Sr. Adepoju reminded the women that faith must bear fruit through works. Quoting James 2:17, “Faith without works is dead,” she warned against a faith that remains idle. She held up the Proverbs 31 woman as a model of diligence, resourcefulness, and wisdom, whose family and community were blessed by her labours. Likewise, she cited the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25, urging women to use their God-given gifts rather than bury them out of fear. Sr. Adepoju also drew from Church teaching, quoting Pope St. John Paul II’s Mulieris Dignitatem and Pope Francis’ Amoris Laetitia, both of which affirm the dignity of women’s work in the family and society. “The nurturing, teaching, and forming of the family is a sacred and noble task. It is a work of love that echoes God’s own creative love,” she noted.
Living the mission at home and in the Church
The Sister Adviser reminded participants that working by faith is most visible in three areas: Raising children in the faith as the primary evangelists in the home, serving in the Church through community outreach and support, and managing the home as a “domestic church” where prayer, love, and hospitality flourish. “Your work is not separate from your faith; it is the visible, tangible fruit of it,” she said. “Your prayers (your walk) give you the strength for your work, and your work is a living expression of your faith.”
A seamless blend of walking and working
In conclusion, Sr. Adepoju reminded women that walking and working by faith are inseparable, like two legs that allow progress in the spiritual journey. The Blessed Virgin Mary, she said, is the perfect model, as her fiat led to both trust in God and tireless service as Mother of the Saviour. She left the women with two questions to ponder: Where is God asking me to walk by faith today? And what work can I do to put my faith into action? Her paper, delivered with passion and conviction, drew loud applause from participants, many of whom said they were inspired to deepen their trust in God and to put their faith into greater service within their homes, parishes, and communities.
