By PJ Usanga
Giving the homily at the funeral Mass of Msgr. Joseph Oladejo Faniran, at St. Benedict Catholic Cathedral, Osogbo, the National Director of Social Communications of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), Very Rev. Fr Michael Umoh admonished that for Christians, the essence of life lies in expending it for the sake of the kingdom of God.
Drawing imports from words of King Solomon Ecclesiastes 12. 13-14 and King David in Psalm 17.15 who described life as futile when it is lived only for this world and for the self, emphasized on the teaching of the Church’s catechism which teaches that: ‘God made me to know him, love him, serve him so as to be happy with him in this world, and forever in the next’.
The homilist who is also a Priest of the Archdiocese of Lagos, in giving a brief account of the life of Msgr. Faniran; his pastoral Life, academic engagements and how he employed his communication talent to bear on his duty as a priest by adopting the example of Jesus, the perfect communicator, expressed confidence that Msgr. Faniran’s life has a lot to teach Christians, especially priests, on how best to use God’s gifts for God’s work, because the Late Monsignor was undoubtedly one who was very conscious of his Christian calling and highly appreciative of the gift of the priesthood.
“He effectively preached the Word of God, telling stories, singing, dramatising, employing poetry, proverbs, idioms and wise sayings to deliver inspiring, educative and never boring homilies.
“I believe I represent the sentiments of the CIWA community, the CESACC family and members of the various media bodies in Nigeria, in further stating that Msgr. Faniran used his talent as an erudite scholar, totally and selflessly for the development of the pastoral communications apostolate in Nigeria. He was a very passionate, committed and effective teacher; a teacher of teachers. He was a gentleman, always punctual to lectures and fully available to his students. As a grammarian of distinction, his students refer to him as a man with a fish eye (360 degrees).
Fr Umoh also noted that in spite of the academic height Msgr. Faniran attained, he remained an obedient priest and loyal son of the Church who respected authority even when it was not easy or pleasing and would never argue with anyone in authority, no matter how young both in age or priesthood the person is.
“Msgr. Faniran lived and died as an obedient and loving priest who, like his patron Saint Joseph, the guardian of the holy family and mentor of the Son of God, loved and protected the Church and those placed under his care.
“On loving the Church, Pope Francis in his public audience on 16 February last year decried the growing habit among people today, unfortunately even within the lay faithful and the clergy, who do not seem to love the Church. In our Church today, the Holy Father observed that it is not uncommon to find people seeking faults and criticising the Church on every grounds. He noted that rather than love and work with our bishops, rather than work to contribute to the growth of the people we shepherd, rather than love our priests, some of us busy complaining or criticizing our bishops, our priests, our leaders and our Church. What a disastrous sight it is, where the sheep celebrate and rejoice when the shepherd is attacked and wounded by wolves of the world. It is never for the good of the Church”.
While praying for the peaceful repose of the soul of Msgr. Faniran, the CSN Communication’s Director reminded all that burying and praying for the dead is part of our Catholic heritage, responsibility and a corporal work of mercy, because according to him, “in keeping with this wholesome spiritual culture, we gather this morning to offer the eucharistic sacrifice for the repose of the soul of our priest and brother, our colleague and friend, our lecturer and a media icon, Rt. Rev. Msgr. Prof. Joseph Oladejo Amiola Faniran, because that is what our faith encourages us to do in a moment like this” he admonished.
