‎Vincent OBANIYI.

Twelve young ladies from the Catholic Diocese of Oyo who went on Friday on a weekend pilgrimage to the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in Lekki, Lagos returned on Sunday afternoon with smiles, songs of thanksgiving, and hearts full of joy after a spiritually enriching weekend. The pilgrimage, fully sponsored by Most Rev. Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo, Bishop of Oyo Diocese, was part of his ongoing effort to deepen the spiritual and vocational awareness of the youths in the Diocese and open them to new-spiritual horizons.

In a scene reminiscent of the twelve disciples whom Jesus sent out and welcomed in the gospels, the Bishop personally received the youths and Sr. Elizabeth Agwu, the Diocesan Youth Animator, who accompanied them in his house on Sunday afternoon.

 

‎Testimonies of Spiritual Enrichment

 

One of the ladies, Benedicta Ayanwale from St. Francis Catholic Church, Adesakin Layout, Awe sharing her thoughts said:

‎“I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at the Monastery, and I'm grateful to My Lord Bishop for arranging this opportunity. The experience was enlightening, and I appreciate the warm hospitality of the Nuns. The Monastery Chapel and its surroundings were truly wonderful. I was particularly fascinated by the Altar of Adoration. Learning about monastic life and the community's dedication to prayer and service was inspiring. One valuable takeaway for me is the importance of embracing silence to listen to God's voice.”

‎Another pilgrim, Roseline Olayiwola from St. Mary Catholic Church, Ife Odan, added, “We were shown relics of great saints—like Blessed Cyprian Iwene Tansi, Pope St. John Paul II, and St. Theresa of Avila and even the first chair used by Pope John Paul II during his visit to Nigeria. It was all inspiring.”

‎During a phone interview, Rev. Sr. Maria Assumpta of the Holy Spirit, Vocation Directress of her Congregation at Mater Ecclesiae Monastery, described the visit as a historic moment for the Monastery.

‎“It was a privilege hosting these young ladies. This was the first time we received such a large group. Their enthusiasm to understand our way of life—especially the sacred silence—was remarkable,” she said. She also delivered a powerful message to all young ladies discerning a religious vocation.

The young pilgrims expressed deep gratitude to Bishop Badejo for his generosity and foresight in making the journey possible. His dedication to nurturing faith and vocations continues to make a lasting impact. As they returned to their parishes, the seeds planted over the weekend now carry the hope of future vocations and renewed spiritual fire within the Diocese. Sr Agwu, expressing gratitude in her cryptic message, said that the pilgrimage was simply “a wonderful experience”.

“Many of us make excuses—‘I am too young,’ ‘I am not good enough,’ or ‘I am too busy.’ But God doesn't call the perfect. He calls the willing. Think of Mary, who said ‘Yes’ with courage. God can use even the broken to reveal His glory. All He needs is your ‘Yes.’”

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‎Vision and Mission Accomplished

 

Bishop Badejo, on his part, encouraged the ladies to share their experience with others as pilgrims of hope and continue to contribute their quota in their own way in the Church. He thanked the parents who enthusiastically permitted their daughters to go on the pilgrimage; the priests, especially Fr. Michael Oyedare and the Sister who helped him coordinate the pilgrimage and especially the Nuns in the Monastery who received the ladies so well. Particular thanks to Mother Benedicta of Jesus, the Mother Abess of the Monastery who initially expressed the desire to “welcome one or two girls from Oyo to the Monastery” and supported the Bishop’s plans. “My only desire” said the Bishop, “is to expose our youths to the wealth of the Church’s spiritual tradition at every level and leave the rest to the Holy Spirit to direct them. I also know that such group experiences help our youths to build lasting friendship with and learn from one another. Who knows what they could be doing for God and for humanity in the future?”