Amb. Edith ISIDAHOMEN

 

The Archdiocese of Ibadan Catholic Women Organization (CWO), Oluyole Deanery, on Saturday, February 28, 2026, held its Deanery Prayer Meeting at St. Kizito Catholic Church, Oluyole, drawing mothers from across the deanery for a spiritually enriching gathering.

The programme, organized under the auspices of the Archdiocesan Catholic Women Organization (AICWO), commenced with arrival and registration at 8:00 a.m., followed by a vibrant praise and worship session led by the Oluyole Deanery Choir.

 

The Rosary was solemnly recited from 9:40 a.m., with different parishes leading the decades. The devotion set a reflective tone for the intercessory prayer session that followed.

 

A testimony session preceded the celebration of the Holy Mass, which formed the spiritual climax of the gathering.

 

In his homily, Rev. Fr. Johnson Iweala challenged the women to examine the sincerity of their love for Jesus Christ. Reflecting on the Lord’s command to love one’s enemies and pray for persecutors, he acknowledged the human difficulty of such a call but stressed that it remains the pathway to Christian perfection.

“If you must be applauded by the Lord, if you must be accounted as sons and daughters of the Most High God, then you must walk with the Lord,” he said. He warned that while Christ’s teachings may appear demanding, choosing otherwise could be spiritually dangerous.

 

The homilist further questioned the value of loving only those who love us, noting that even sinners do the same. He admonished the mothers to avoid physical confrontation, particularly in public, and clarified that praying for enemies does not imply fostering unhealthy intimacy. Rather, it means sincerely desiring the transformation and salvation of their souls.

 

“The only thing you can do to the evil one that can be harmful is to bless the evil one,” he remarked, encouraging the women to deploy spiritual weapons such as blessings, goodness and prayers, trusting that whatever one gives ultimately returns to the giver.

 

The Mass concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Rev. Fr. Johnson Iweala on behalf of the Deanery CWO Chaplain, Very Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Adeyinka Ajewole.

He expressed appreciation to all participants for their cooperation and active involvement in both the prayer sessions and the Eucharistic celebration.

 

In her Address the Oluyole Deanery Coordinator Mrs. Jovita Madueke appreciated the Retreat Master Rev. Fr. Johnson, the Chaplain in absentia Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Ajewole, the Dean of Oluyole Deanery who double as the Parish Priest of St. Kizito Oluyole and Amb. Edith Isidahomen the AICWO Vice President for the support and spiritual guidance all through the Planning, he prayed for journey mercy to all who attended.

 

The programme ended with fellowship and refreshments, as participants departed strengthened in faith and renewed in their commitment to Christian motherhood and service within the Church.