Rev. Fr. David Okolie
My heart goes out to all the seminarians as they prepare to battle with a very demanding aspect of their formation towards the Catholic Priesthood; i.e, EXAMINATION.
Dearest brothers, I really know that it is not easy at all within this time but I encourage you to work round the clock.
Do not, in your mind, be comfortable with the so called ‘Pharaoh let my people go’ (i.e, Pass mark). Strive, in all diligence, for the highest. Why did you just laugh like Sarah? Do you think it is impossible to strive for the highest? Please, just forget what your marks used to be and put in more sincere effort this time. I assure you that you will surely see a difference.
Again, do not allow your inadequacy in any course to affect other courses. Allow whichever one that is written to go with its own anxiety. Simply commit that to God and work harder on the subsequent courses. Just imagine yourself feeling too bad because you did not write well in a course and allowing such feeling to affect your preparation for other courses. If you allow such, then you would simply be inviting MULTIPLE RE-SITS🙂
Also, remember not just to limit yourself to only what the Professors have given you in the classroom. Always apply what is called ‘Learner’s Autonomy’ in the philosophy of education. Learner’s Autonomy is the ability of the student to search out for knowledge outside what the Professors have offered. That disposition will bring you in contact with a lot of resourceful materials that at times when you write or speak, even your Formators and Professors would wonder where you got the knowledge from. I am telling you from experience. However, do no fail to always begin with what the Professors have taught you before adding up what you were able to lay your hands on from other sources. Therefore, developing a ‘READING HABIT’ will be one of your greatest treasures, not only during exams but all through your life as a seminarian and a priest in the nearest future.
Lastly, do not forget that powerful maxim, ‘Business Before Pleasure.’ It simply means that you adjust your programmes so as to give more time to your STUDIES and of course, your PRAYERS too. Yes, they are the two WINGS you need to get to your temporal and eternal destinations. Remember that “Our seeming efficiency is deficiency without God’s sufficiency.”
I heartily wish all of you, my dearest brothers, a maximum exam success🙏🏼
Remain blessed🙏🏼
