Jacob BABALOLA (Staff Writer)

As Catholic faithful began the second week of Lenten season on Sunday 1st March, which incidentally happened to be the beginning of another month, Rev. Fr Arnaud Aniou, CSJ has called on the faithful to continue to trust and persevere in order to journey with Christ to the mountain.

         The priest who themed his reflection: “The road to the mountain during a Mass he presided over at St. Anne Catholic Church, Ogbere, Ibadan said that as Christians followed Christ to the desert, where He was tempted the previous Sunday, they are expected to also join Him to the mountain. “We need to trust and persevere to go with Him. A times, we are tempted to go in front of Jesus, thinking we know the way but we do not.” He stated.

      Fr. Aniou listed four movements for a Christian to live faithfully thus: vehicle of our journey which is our faith, a free gift from God; fuel that is needed for any vehicle to move which is our knowledge of God through His word, the Bible; idea about the road, which is our struggle on the road to the mountain that can be smooth or rough and getting to our destination which requires preparation. The priest added that it is the material a Christian sends to heaven that the angels will use to build a house for him/her in heaven.

At the day’s Mass, the Parish Laity Council of St. Anne parish presented an anniversary gift to Rev. Sr. Emmanuella Judith Ibeawuchi; who celebrated the 30th anniversary of her profession of faith under the Congregation of Sisters of Jesus the Saviour on Tuesday 24th February, 2026.

The celebrant also had a special thanksgiving and at the same time gave some words of advice and encouragement to the youth on the need to aspire in the religious way of life. She added that she never regretted being a religious.

The Chief Celebrant of the Mass also prayed for the parish’s representatives that represented Oke – Ado Deanery at the Laity Quiz Competition, held at St. Gabriel, Mokola the previous day and presented them with their certificates of participation.