Jacob BABALOLA (Staff Writer)

The incoming Bursar for the Ogbere Community of Josephite of Murialdo, Vice Province of Africa, Ibadan Community, Rev. Fr. Esau Enger, CSJ has revealed to Catholic faithful of the need to let go of something in order to achieve their target in life. The priest who concelebrated during 23rd Sunday of the year with Rev. Fr. Justine Adeka, CSJ; the former Superior of the Community, who has now been transferred to Sierra Leone as the Novice Master at St Anne Catholic Church, Ogbere noted that in life, human beings set goals and target and fight to accomplish them and when they succeed, they are happy but if not they see God as someone that is selective.

On the contrary, however, the priest said that Christ also set target for His disciples that they must deny themselves of certain things if they truly want to be His disciples; hence, Christians too, must be ready to let go of something to achieve their targets.

The homilist listed some of the things Christians need to let go off as occupation, business, children, job, position, handset, computer, ipad, car etc as those things that could make one not to be true disciple of Jesus. Fr. Enger charged those in positions of authority to lay good example for their followers.

As for the cross that Christ said His disciples must carry in order to follow Him, the priest enumerated them to include health situation, wives, children, husbands etc and that they must be carried always as one’s cross. In all this, he enjoined the parishioners to be encouraged by the Catholic Hymn “What a friend we have in Jesus” and thus be ready to carry their crosses to God in prayer rather than to anybody. “Some leave their crosses and started carrying other people’s problems. Some are not carrying cross but ‘iroko’ tree. Some are here just to pick what is not necessary to be distributed.” The priest explained. He therefore urged all to check their crosses and if heavy, they should not push them to anybody but to Christ in prayer.

At the Mass, the Chief Celebrant, Rev. Fr. Justine Adeka, CSJ had a special thanksgiving to thank God for his stay in Ibadan as he gets set to resume in Sierra Leone for another assignment.

Fr. Adeka, in his emotional remarks appreciated the Parish Priest, Fr. Balogun and the entire parishioners for their warm reception of the Community on arrival, two years ago which has made the Community to fall in love with the parish, even though the parish has not been assigned to the Community, pastorally. He equally introduced Fr. Enger to the parish and sought for continuous prayer of the parishioners for him as he takes his leave from Nigeria.

The Parish Priest, Fr. Stephen Balogun was grateful to Fr. Adeka on behalf of the parish for all his assistance which he often rendered voluntarily at the parish and outstations since the Community arrived in Ogbere.

The parish also presented a gift to Fr. Adeka through the President of Parish Laity Council, Mr Felix Oretu. Group photographs were taken with the priest after the Mass.