Fr Ogundipe Sdv

Here is a story that most priest will agree with me that is real let read it with a wrap attention. As I drove back from Lagos to my small village in Isolo-Opin, I was praying and hoping someone will just send me a token to cater for some basic needs and fulfil some of the commitments of charity I made. The whole of last Sunday collection, I used half to purchase fuel, I used half to pay someone's hospital bills. Meaning, I am broke already broken like the bread I break daily. While I was driving and hoping, someone called me and begged me to help her, she needs 20k for her daughter's school fees and it's urgent. I promised next week though I am sure my whole collection won't be up to that- a collection that I am not even at liberty to dispense as I will. After a while, a boy who just requested me to be his spiritual director, sent a message telling me he is so broke and he needs help. I answered with a deep sigh. I got home still hoping for alert, one of my

ON THE COINCIDENCE OF ASH WEDNESDAY AND VALENTINE’S DAY PREAMBLE One of the unique features of this year’s Lent is that it’s first day, Ash Wednesday, coincides with Valentine’s Day. And this has aroused some mixed feelings in many quarters, perhaps, rightly so. The last time such occurred was in 1945 – towards the end of the Second World War. If the words of Psalm 90:9 that “Seventy years is our age and eighty for those who are strong”, are anything to go by, then, it is already a life-time from 1945 to 2018; meaning that most of those reading this post (including the author) have not experienced such a coincidence before. It thus accords us some special opportunity to give our thoughts and drop some special post on social media for the occasion, as we shall soon identify with the reality in less than a week’s time. WHO IS SAINT VALENTINE? Though the details when it comes to St Valentine are sketchy, we know that he was a saintly Catholic priest of the third century who died in 26