Michael OKEOLA

 

The Catholic Diocese of Oyo on Sunday celebrated the 10th anniversary of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, Mabolaje, Oyo, with a solemn anniversary Mass and the blessing of the Church’s Tabernacle.

The celebration was presided over by the Bishop of the Diocese, Most Rev. Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo, who also delivered the homily. Priests, religious, parishioners, benefactors, families and friends joined the Catholic community for the thanksgiving celebration. Among those present were Monsignor Anthony Akinola Olawumi, Rev. Fr. Raphael Akinyemi, Priest-in-Charge of the church, representatives of religious congregations and other priests and faithful.

In his homily, Bishop Badejo described the anniversary as significant, particularly because of the blessing of the Tabernacle, which he said completed an important aspect of the Church’s identity as a Catholic place of Eucharistic worship.

Reflecting on the development of the Church, the Bishop noted that its growth had taken place gradually and was a testimony to God’s providence. He recalled his earlier visit to the Church and observed that, despite the progress recorded, the absence of a Tabernacle meant that something essential was still missing.

Bishop Badejo emphasized the centrality of the Holy Eucharist in Catholic faith and urged the faithful to recognize the Tabernacle as a sign of Christ’s Eucharistic presence. He called on parents and adults to teach children reverence for sacred places and encouraged the faithful to show proper respect before the Blessed Sacrament. He also urged the congregation not to be overcome by fear or become weary in doing good, encouraging them to remain committed to prayer, service and the will of God.

The Bishop expressed appreciation to St. John Mary Vianney Catholic Church, describing it as a “good mother” to the Mabolaje community because of its continued support for the Church’s development.

The Priest-in-Charge, Rev. Fr. Raphael Akinyemi, described the journey as “an amazing 10 years,” saying the anniversary was fundamentally a thanksgiving for God’s faithfulness. Quoting Psalm 126:3, he recalled that the Lord had done great things for the community.

According to him, the journey had been one of “faith, hope, service, and mission,” with what began as a Mass Centre gradually developing into a growing Catholic community.

Fr. Akinyemi acknowledged the contributions of Bishop Badejo and the late Bishop Emeritus, Julius Babatunde Adelakun to the establishment and development of the Church. He also appreciated parishioners and benefactors whose contributions of time, talent and treasure had supported both the spiritual and physical growth of the community.

The anniversary ceremony proceeded as Bishop Badejo blessed and incensed the altar, after which the Tabernacle was blessed and incensed, marking a major milestone in the Church’s Eucharistic life.

The Chairman of the Planning Committee, Mr. Atanda A. Joseph, delivered the Vote of Thanks, appreciating Bishop Badejo, the clergy, religious, parishioners, guests, benefactors and St. John Mary Vianney Catholic Church for their contributions to the celebration and growth of the community.

In his concluding remarks, Bishop Badejo also called on Christians to take greater responsibility for the care of creation. He urged the faithful to maintain cleanliness in their homes, Churches and communities, stressing that caring for the environment is a shared responsibility.

The celebration ended with the Final Blessing, marking ten years of God’s faithfulness and the beginning of a new chapter in the spiritual journey of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, Mabolaje.