So, as a local church in the Archdiocese of Lagos, we are challenged to constantly review the way of evangelisation. All parishes are supposed to have an evangelisation community that has the task of thinking of new ways of carrying out the mission of bringing the good news to those who have not yet received it. Our organised effort at mission and evangelisation is part of a universal effort that is complete when we do it well, carry out our own efforts. It is like a jig-saw puzzle; it is never complete until all the parts are put together and fit together.
Today, we are all reminded that each of us is called to mission individually and personally. On the day of our baptism we were made priests, prophets and kings. As prophets, we are called to bring the marriage of God to all people; each of us is called to take responsibility of bringing others to the gospel of Christ and His church. Among the resolutions that I make at the beginning of each year is to help in bringing at least one person to know God as a member of the Church i.e. make conscious effort to be instrument by which at least one person will be converted to Christ in the Catholic Church. By witnessing to Christ in our individual ways, we can help in bringing others to the knowledge of Christ in the Church.
Those brothers and sisters Catechists from all over the Archdiocese, made a decision to be instruments for witnessing to Christ by taking up the responsibility for teaching the faith to others as ‘’Fathers of the faith’’. We thank God for them that they made the decision to become teachers of the faith; they submitted themselves to the discipline of undergoing formation for their roles in the past year. Note that they were called by God to the vocation of the catechist; by the grace of God they answered the call.
Today, they are now sent out, commissioned by the Church in our Archdiocese to work as catechists. They are now sent by God and His Church. We pray for them that they will be faithful to God and His Church. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
• Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins is the Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos.
