Letter to priests from Bishop Francis Adesina

FRATERNAL ADMONITION TO PRIESTS IN IJEBU-ODE DIOCESE

Pastoral Letter to Priests on the occasion of the Celebration of 2023 Chrism Mass

Theme: Fraternal communion among priests“All the believers were united in heart and soul” Acts 4:32

My dear brother Priests,

Introduction

Greetings of peace and love of Christ, the eternal Shepherd, who never leaves his flock unattended.

I write to you with joy and happiness on this special day, the Church celebrates the gift of the Sacred Priesthood. This is a rich tradition that has been handed on from generation to generation and on to us. Posterity beckons on us to nurture, preserve and hand it on to the next generation without alteration. It is on this note that I wish to congratulate you all, on the occasion of the celebration of the anniversary of the institution of the priesthood by Christ, the Eternal High Priest. On Holy Thursdays or other suitable days within the Holy Week in the universal Church, Bishops, Priests, and Deacons gather at their local Cathedrals to celebrate this sublime and priceless gift of God to his Church and Humanity. Today, as we celebrate “the gift of the priesthood,” I invite us to reflect on “fraternal communion among priests,” a bedrock towards pastoral fruitfulness and productivity. the mysterious Gift of the priesthoodPope St. John Paul II described the priesthood as a “Gift and Mystery.” The Priesthood is a gift because God freely gives it to us and “no one takes this honour upon himself” (Hebrews 5:4). It is a mystery because nobody knows how God makes this choice and call. (Gift and Mystery: on the fiftieth anniversary of my Priestly Ordination by Pope John Paul II, 1999)Pope Benedict XVI, proclaimed that, “the priest is a gift from the heart of Christ, a gift for the Church and for the World. From the heart of the Son of God, overflowing with love, all the goods of the Church spring forth.” (Benedict XVI, Angelus, June 14, 2010). We must recognize that the priesthood is a gift given by God to his Church and for the Church. The purpose is for the growth of the Church and the salvation of mankind. Little wonder, Pope Francis noted that, “being a priest is not a job or fulfilling an employment contract, but is a gift from God that should be contemplated and treasured” (Pope Francis’ homily at Domus Sanctae Marthae on September 19, 2019). Those who receive this gift must appreciate and safeguard it. The mystery of the priesthood is such that, nobody outside the priesthood understands why a priest in the midst of needs and deprivation is happy. When a priest is transferred and assigned to remote and difficult places, he willingly and graciously takes up this challenge to live within a new community, because he belongs to all and to nobody. Like Jesus Christ, who possessed nothing, but owned all, a priest does not possess the community of believers – parish, even when he is put in charge over it. The gift of the priesthood is indeed mysterious. Fostering fraternal communionSince the office of the bishop is the center of unity in any particular Church, it is my desire and dream that all priests in the presbyterium of Ijebu-Ode Diocese is united in mind and heart like the early Christian community, sharing common interest and goal in the mission of Church. Priests are called in a special way to “fraternal communion” in order to support one another in living the Gospel values and to become signs of Christ’s presence in the world. The Priest therefore, must seek to live peacefully with his brother in the presbyteral family he belongs. The spirit of communion and fraternity must be the hinge on which he relates with others in the priestly family without friction or tension. Fraternal communion invites us to live for one another; to be our brother’s keeper, such that, when we are asked, “where is your brother? (Gen. 4:9) we do not answer like Cain, “I don’t know” or “Am I my brother’s keeper?”A priest, who maintains a healthy communion with God through Christ in the Holy Spirit, including relationship with our forebears in the faith, who have departed this world, will never find it difficult to live in communion with those who share the same sacraments, apostolic teaching and hierarchical order with him – his brother priests. As we continue to collaborate with one another for the mission of primary evangelization and pastoral expansion and deepening of the catholic faith in our diocese, may we recognize the goodness and beauty that we have sown in one another and thus, forge bonds of unity, common interest and shared dreams and vision of our Diocese.

As I have always expressed in my writings to you, I look forward to another year of profound relationship with Christ, the High Priest, among priests, religious and laity. I look forward to an active fraternal communion with you, my brother priests, consecrated persons and the lay faithful of our Diocese. I earnestly look forward to a healthy collaboration between us, which will result into pastoral effectiveness and fruitfulness. Unum presbyterium of Christ is what we share and are called to preserve. I pray that we all may be one, as Jesus and the Father are one (John 17:22). Conclusion Dear brother priests, our diocese may not have the best of means and resources, we may not have all that we need and desire. However, be assured that God who is sending you on a mission will provide for you. Therefore, “whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord, and not for men. Remember that the Lord will reward you; you will receive what he has kept for his people. For Christ is the real Master you serve.” (Col 3:23-24).I appreciate all priests and religious, who continue to give their best to the mission of evangelization in our Diocese and all those who remain faithful and committed to their priestly vows and religious obligations. On this special day, we acknowledge and remember the labours of our heroes past — Bishops, priests, religious, and lay missionaries, who through their sacrifices, the Lord sowed the seed of faith in Ijebu and Remo lands that we are now cultivating and expanding. We remember and pray for the soul of Rt. Rev. Msgr. Gabriel Kole Ayankoya, who celebrated this feast with us last year and has gone before us, marked with the sign of faith. May his soul and the souls of our departed forebears through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen

Finally, in the words of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, in his letter to Priests on August 4, 2019; “I want to say a word to each of you who, often without fanfare and at personal cost, amid weariness, infirmity and sorrow, carry out your mission of service to God and to your people. Despite the hardships of the journey, you are writing the finest pages of the priestly life.” May God from the profound communion of his divine life pour out upon us abundance of his fraternal love and mercy. Amen

Mary, Mother of Clergy. Pray for us.

Most Rev. Francis Obafemi ADESINA

Bishop of Ijebu-Ode