Bishop Adesina encourages Ijebu Ode faithful on servant leadership qualities as the Diocese ends Pastoral Seminar

Bishop Adesina encourages Ijebu Ode faithful on servant leadership qualities as the Diocese ends Pastoral Seminar

By Padre mike Umoh, CSN

At the conclusion of the 2022 Ijebu Ode Diocesan Pastoral Seminar, the Chief Shepherd of the Diocese, Most Rev. Francis Obafemi Adesina urged Christ’s faithful in Ijebu-Ode Diocese to be faithful pilgrims and exhibit servant leadership qualities in their interactions.

The Seminar which commenced on Monday, November 28, 2022 was held at Louis Bautain Retreat Center, Ijebu-Itele and came to an end today, December 2, 2022.

During the Enthronement of the Bible presided over by the Bishop, he reminded the participants about the all-significant place of the Bible as the word of God in their lives, noting that it should be the foundation of everything they do.

While declaring the seminar open, the Prelate noted that “the Pastoral Diocesan Seminar is a synodal process of listening to one another and to the pastoral efforts made by the Priests.” He therefore encouraged all present to actively participate in the Seminar.

He further explained that the purpose of the Pastoral Seminar is to encourage participants to become more pastorally inclined and particularly, to be faithful pilgrims in servant-leadership, in line with the theme of the Seminar.

In a session anchored by Rev. Fr. Ugo Nweke on “Good Leadership and Administrative skills for Pastoral Fruitfulness,” he took the participants through different ways of enhancing and improving leadership skills. Fr. Nweke upheld that the best way of leading is by influencing the people of God positively in order to attain salvation.

In addition to the Holy Masses, the programme was made up of many sessions of Divine Office, talks, evaluations and proposals for the following pastoral year. Other sessions attended by only the Priests throughout the week focused on evaluation of all Parishes in the Diocese, curbing liturgical abuses among Priests and Laity, revitalizing the Education Department, supporting the Social Communications Commission on production of ‘The Partner Newspaper,’ support for the Promotion office and Finance Department.

The five-day programme, attended by Priests, Religious and two lay faithful from each Parish and institution of the Diocese, came to an end with the impartation of episcopal blessing on the faithful after the Holy Mass. It was indeed a fruitful period of praying, evaluation and planning.