BACK TO PASTORAL WORK ON WORLD MISSION SUNDAY
BACK TO PASTORAL WORK ON WORLD MISSION SUNDAY
The World Mission Sunday Mass was today spiritedly celebrated in Our Lady of Nigeria Pro-Cathedral, Abuja. On this Mission Sunday, the Holy Father Pope Leo X1V encourages us to be “Missionaries of Hope among all Peoples,” to convey the love of the compassionate heart of the Lord; to discover how to become “artisans” and restorers of hope to an often distracted, fragmented and unhappy family. The Pope calls us to participate actively in the common evangelizing mission of the Church by our witness of life and prayer, our sacrifices and generosity. Pope Leo XIV, quoting Pope Francis’ Evangelii Gaudium, 127-128 said we need “to do so with God’s ‘style’: with closeness, compassion and tenderness, cultivating a personal relationship with our brothers and sisters in their specific situation.”
I now share with you news of my two-week break which was a mission in itself and today marks the end of that short break.
Invited to Portland Archdiocese, Oregon, USA, to participate in the centenary celebration of the Star of the Sea Parish, located in Brookings, South Coast of Oregon, by the Parish priest, Fr. Justus Alaeto, I joined the Archbishop of Portland, Most Rev. Alexander Sample for the heart-warming celebration, making my input on the topic, “Proclaiming Joy in Suffering.” The drive by Archbishop Sample and I for five and a half hours from Breechings to Portland after the ceremony was a remarkable moment of heart-to-heart episcopal conversation.
From Portland, I went to New York, where I was warmly received by my long-time friend (since his days as the Archbishop of Milwaukee), His Eminence, Timothy Cardinal Dolan, the Archbishop of New York. He invited me to a meeting of parish priests (pastors) of New York Archdiocese, where I made an input. We attended together the “Forum on Faith,” an interreligious gathering of about 600 prominent religious leaders from different faiths. The Cardinal was kind enough to invite the priests from Nigeria serving in New York Archdiocese to a meeting where the Cardinal, Bishop Edmund J. Whalen (one of the Auxiliary Bishops and the Vicar for Clergy) and I, met with the Nigerian priests at St. Joseph’s Major Seminary, Dunwoodie, at which meeting I addressed the priests, followed by an interactive session.
From New York, I left for Minnesota where I was invited by the Nigerian Catholic Community in Minnesota, coordinated by Fr. Bruno to celebrate Mass for the community as well as for the “home school” children and their mums. The Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Most Rev. Bernard Hebda, offered me great hospitality. Lodged in St. Paul’s Major Seminary, I had the chance to meet the rector, some staff members, and had Holy Hour with the Seminarians.
On the whole, it was a good but busy holiday cum mission. The time zones in the US in three different States and the cold were a little bit of a challenge to me (but Msgr. Martin Schlag and the Seminary rector, Fr. Joseph Taphorn, got me a room heater in Minnesota). To God be glory and praise, all the travels and programmes went well.
I thank all those who offered me hospitality and generosity in the US and those who prayed for my safe journey and welfare. I pray that we shall hear Jesus say, “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Mt 28.20).
May our blessed Mother Mary, Mediatrix of all grace continue to intercede for us always and may God bless and provide for us in great abundance.
