DEPARTMENT OF PASTORAL AGENTS
DEPARTMENT OF PASTORAL AGENTS
The Pastoral Agents Department is a miniature Church that facilitates, oversees, animates, and coordinates the activities and formation of all the Agents of Evangelization; the Clergy, members of the Consecrated life as well as Societies of Apostolic Life (both male and female), Laity, Youth and Seminarians. The department is made up of five units, viz: Clergy, Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, Seminary, Laity and Youth Units. Each has a Bishop Chairman, a Secretary and its Auxiliary Committee constituted by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) made up of men and women appointed from various areas of profession to add value and support to the various units with ideas on how the Church in Nigeria will be truly credible and on the path of renewal and holiness.
The Pastoral Agents Department exclusively has a Bishop who serves as the Chairman. He supervises, collaborates with the Director of the Department who manages the daily programs and activities of the Department. The department has a departmental secretary.
- THE DIFFERENT UNITS OF PASTORAL AGENTS DEPARTMENT AND THEIR ACTIVITIES
The department works closely with all these groups, equipping them with knowledge, skills and support to help them fulfill their vocations as part of the people of God. The groups that fall under the coordination of the Pastoral Agents Department are as follows:
A. CLERGY UNIT
Clergy Unit is in-charge of the formation of all the clergy in Nigeria and directs the affairs that concern the clergy and the Nigerian Diocesan Priests Association. This unit also facilitates cooperation with the Pontifical Commissions in relation with local challenges and opportunities as they affect the Clergy.
The Chairman of this unit is Most Rev. Michael Apochi, who is also the Chairman of the department and the Secretary is Rev. Fr. Isaac Dugu who is also the Director of the department.
B. INSTITUTES OF CONSECRATED LIFE AND SOCIETIES OF APOSTOLIC LIFE
The unit is charged with the responsibility to be familiar with workings of the Conference of Major Superiors, their formation houses, staff and formation programs. It also ensures the mutual relation of the members of the Consecrated life working in dioceses with the local ordinaries as they work in their institutions.
The Secretary coordinates the activities of the Conference of Major Superiors in Nigeria and has a working relationship with the Executives of that Conference of Major Superiors.
The Chairman of this unit is Most Rev. Hilary Dachelem, CMF. The Secretary of the Unit is Rev. Fr. Isaac Dugu.
al Association of Catholic Corp (NACC).
The Chairman of this Unit is Most Rev John Oyejola while Rev. Fr. Mark Obayi is the Animator.
C. SEMINARY UNIT
The Seminary Unit deals with seminary formation and the welfare of seminaries, seminarians and staff of seminaries. This unit also coordinates the affairs of the National Seminary Commission, which is the meeting of all the Seminary Rectors (Minor and Pre-major, Major) in Nigeria.
The Bishop Chairman of this Unit is Most Rev. Valerian Okeke, while Rev. Fr. Isaac Dugu is the Secretary.
(NFCS) and Nation
D. LAITY UNIT
The Laity Unit deals with the formation of the Laity. It facilitates and coordinates the activities of the National Laity Council and the different Pious Societies or Associations and Lay Apostolate groups at the National, Provincial, Diocesan and Parish level to the basic Christian Communities.
The Chairman of this Unit is Most Rev. John Niyiring, OSA while Mr. Joseph Falase is the Secretary.
E. YOUTH UNIT
The Youth Unit is the office for animation and formation. It coordinates and animates youth ministry and activities in the Country at the National, Provincial, Diocesan and Parish level. The Animator facilitates the programs of the four bodies under the unit; the Catholic Youth Organization of Nigeria (CYON) the Young Catholic Students (YCS), National Federation of Catholic Students
2. PUBLICATIONS
As means of the formation of the various agents of evangelization, the department publishes certain guidelines and publications as it soothes each bodies or organizations in the Church, viz:
| S/N | Name of the Publications |
| 1 | Ratio Fundamentalis Institutionis Sacerdotalis |
| 2 | I Chose You |
| 3 | Called to Love |
| 4 | Formation and Collaboration in Communion on mutual Relations Between Religious Institutes and Dioceses in Nigeria |
|
5
|
Manual of the Laity “Salt of the Earth and Light of the World” |
|
6
|
Priestly on-going Formation |
| 7 | Guideline on processing cases of sexual Abuse of minors and vulnerable Adults |
| 8 | Pentecostalism |
| 9 | Guideline on Priestly Life and Ministry |
| 10 | Guideline on founding Religious Institutes |
| 11 | The triumph of the Cross |
Clergy
Seminaries
Religious Committee
Laity Committee
Youth Committee
