Theme: “Pilgrims of Hope: Exploring the Richness of Our Catholic Faith and Tradition”

Venue: Ekiti Diocesan Pilgrimage Centre, Holy Family Catholic Church, Basiri, Ado-Ekiti

Date: Saturday 6th September, 2025

We, the lay faithful of the Catholic Diocese of Ekiti, gathered for our Annual Laity Retreat with the theme “Pilgrims of Hope: Exploring the Richness of Our Catholic Faith and Tradition,” after prayer, reflection, and fraternal sharing, resolve as follows:

1. To deepen our love for Sacred Scripture by cultivating the habit of daily Bible reading and meditation.

2. To strengthen family life by praying with Scripture together at home.

3. To allow the Word of God proclaimed at Mass to transform our lives and decisions.

4. To encourage young people to discover joy and direction in the Word of God through creative and engaging methods.

5. To rediscover the beauty and centrality of the sacraments as channels of God’s grace.

6. To affirm the Eucharist as the source and summit of our Christian life and the center of our pilgrimage of hope.

7. To embrace the Sacrament of Reconciliation as a gift of peace, healing, and renewal.

8. To overcome challenges that hinder active participation in the sacraments through catechesis and personal commitment.

9. To value more deeply Baptism, Confirmation, Matrimony, and other sacraments as foundations of Christian life and mission.

10. To look to the saints as models of hope-filled and faithful Christian living.

11. To deepen our devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary as Mother of Hope and Star of Evangelization.

12. To practice devotions such as the Rosary, Novena, and Eucharistic Adoration as spiritual aids for daily living.

13. To cherish postures and gestures—kneeling, the sign of the cross, genuflection—as outward expressions of our Catholic tradition.

14. To restore and make regular use of holy water at Church entrances as a reminder of our baptismal dignity and as a source of spiritual renewal.

15. To transmit these devotions and traditions to children and youths as a living heritage of the Church.

16. To commit ourselves to promoting justice, peace, and the common good in our families, communities, and society.

17. To challenge and reject injustice, corruption, and oppression in every form.

18. To bear witness to Christian hope by living with integrity, honesty, and solidarity in public life.

19. To engage youth actively in Catholic Social Teaching by presenting its values in ways that are practical, relevant, and life-giving.

Conclusion

As lay faithful, we resolve to walk together as Pilgrims of Hope, drawing life from the Word of God, the Sacraments, the witness of the Saints, and the riches of our Catholic Social Tradition. Strengthened by grace, we pledge to live and share our faith with courage and joy, so that our Diocese, our Communities, and our Nation may encounter Christ, the true source of hope.

So help us God.

Prof. Francis O. Ibimiluyi

President, Ekiti Diocesan Laity Council

Sir Ademola Ajayi

Secretary, Ekiti Diocesan Laity Council

Rev. Fr. Anthony Idowu Bankole

Chaplain, Ekiti Diocesan Laity Council