NIGERIA CATHOLIC NETWORK BLOG News Nigeria National Seminaries Committee Holds Annual Convention In Ibadan
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National Seminaries Committee Holds Annual Convention In Ibadan

CSN Pastoral Agents Department Report

The Rectors of Nigerian seminaries – major, propaedeutic and minor – held their annual convention at the Saints Peter and Paul Major Seminary, Bodija, Ibadan from 20th-24th January, 2025. Officially known as the National Seminaries Committee, the body is overseen by the Pastoral Agents Department of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria.  

This annual event serves as a crucial platform for reflection, dialogue, and strategizing on the challenges and opportunities facing priestly formation in Nigerian. The relevance of the convention is in its ability to meet the changing needs of society and the Church while guaranteeing that seminarians receive a comprehensive education that equips them for the challenges of contemporary priestly ministry.

At the Opening Mass, the Chairman of the Seminaries Committee, of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Most Rev. Godfrey Onah, commended the Rectors on their task of forming future priests for the Church in Nigeria. He also appealed to them to always appreciate the critical nature of the task the Church entrusted to them. His Lordship emphasized the importance of seminary Rectors modelling their lives after Christ’s and convincing the seminarians to make the fundamental decision to accept their formation after the mind of Christ and His Church.

Bishop Onah provided answers to the questions and concerns raised by the seminary Rectors during his interaction with them and encouraged them to work very closely with their Bishops – provincial and diocesan – to get the best results. He assured them of the disposition of the bishops to listen to them and to provide the support needed to achieve the best results in the formation of our seminarians.

In his address, Rev. Fr. Augustine Okochi, the Director, Pastoral Agents Department of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, told the Rectors, “As members of a critical segment of the Church in Nigeria, this annual gathering is a sacred space, a time for reflection, dialogue, and collaborative planning, as we navigate the complex landscape of the seminary formation.” He went on to let them know that their convention was an opportunity to strengthen the bonds of fellowship that united them and encouraged them to take advantage of the breaks and social events to network with their colleagues, share experiences, and build lasting relationships.

Fr. Okochi promised to provide all the support the Rectors would need from the Pastoral Agents Department of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria in order to make their tasks easier.

The Rectors’ convention witnessed the presentation of a paper titled SEMINARY FORMATION AS A RESPONSE TO CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES by Monsignor John Aniagwu, a former Rector of Ss Peter and Paul Seminary, Bodija Ibadan and currently the Parish Priest of St. Leo’s Catholic Church, Ikeja, Lagos.

Monsignor Aniagwu stated that God does not ask priests to be successful, but rather to be faithful to their calling (vocation) to be alter Christus, acting in persona Christi. He advocated that seminarians be thoroughly educated on Artificial Intelligence (AI). He expressed discomfort with the number of Catholic priests being drawn to Pentecostalism both in theology and in liturgy, ostensibly to attain “success” and “prosperity.” Seminarians, according to him, should be soaked in Catholic teachings – Ecclesiology, Moral Theology, Catechesis etc. – such that after ordination, they will be able to hold their own when they come face to face with erroneous doctrines. Monsignor Aniagwu strongly advocated exemplary leadership on the part of the formators. According to him, they must be clearly seen to practice what they preach.

The Secretary of the National Seminaries Committee, Rev. Fr. Cyril Udebunu, thanked Bishop Onah and Monsignor Aniagwu for their guidance. He appreciated their inputs and encouragements to the Rectors and promised that the Rectors of seminaries in Nigeria would always listen to the voices of their leaders and the elders.

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