Fr Ogundipe Sdv

INTRODUCTION It is pertinent to teach our historical development as members of the Holy Roman Catholic church especially in this period of influx of pentecostalism such that what was transmitted to us will not be marred.  Hence I have decided to share with you the past so that we can appreciate the present to pray for the future.  THE HISTORY The persecution of over two centuries was over,starting from the account of the "Acts of the Apostles" and the torture chambers of Rome and Antioch were closed down. The very grounds that witnessed the courage of bloody martyrs in their thousands turned to places of worship. Men,like Nero,Diocletian, Trajan and Caligula,who were once feared and worshiped were all dead and gone forever. Christianity became the official religion of the Romans in 313 A.D. by the edict of Milan. Emperor Constantine who promulgated the edict was not yet a Christian when this was done. The Romans abandoned idol worship. Constantine was still a catechumen...

On February 14, 1938, Fr. Justin wrote in his “Book of the Soul” saying, “It is as if the Blessed Trinity dictated to me in a particular way that the Blessed Virgin Mother is my immediate spiritual directress. Opere, Vol.11, p. 115. Fr. Justin convinces us to examine our obligation to reserve a part of our day for an intimacy with Jesus and deepen our devotion to Mary, mediatrix of all graces, queen of all saints and mother of divine love, patroness of our congregation, this three-fold title we use to address Mary at the beginning and at the end of our prayers. She is the channel through which all graces flow. All graces come to us from the heart of Mary and through the hands of Mary. Fr. Justin was strongly convinced that it is very important to find and to keep ourselves, as much as possible, close to her hands and in her immaculate heart. Fr. Justin knew how to appreciate, promulgate and practice all the liturgical, ordinary and extra-ordinary Marian devotions such as recitati...

How necessary is confirmation for salvation? Acts of the Apostles 8:5-8,14-17 They sent them Peter and John, who went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for it had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. After having been baptized by St. Philip (the deacon, not the apostle), the Christians of Samaria still had need of the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit which is given through the sacrament of confirmation. To this end, it was fitting that the apostles in Jerusalem sent Sts. Peter and John (apostles) to bestow the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands. In this event, we see both that confirmation is a sacrament distinct from baptism and that it is most necessary in the life of the Church and of the individual believer. It will be fitting for us to reflect upon this sacrament, since this liturgical season is the time most commonly set aside for the administration of confirmation in dioceses th...

BISHOP PETER ODETOYINBO'S HOMILY OF CHRISM MASS 2019 AT SS PETER AND PAUL CATHEDRAL, ITESI, ABEOKUTA, 18TH APRIL, 2019 John 15:16: You did not choose me, I chose you; and I commissioned you to go bear fruit, fruit that will last”. This can only be achieved if received, accepted and done in gratitude and thanksgiving by Priests. Therefore Priests be grateful . The Priestly life lived like that of Christ must be lived in humility, simplicity, obedience, poverty, charity, total dedication to ministry, self sacrifice, pastoral care of the people of God and accountability all in gratitude and thanksgiving to God. The Priesthood is a gift, hence all ordained ministers are considered precious and they in turn consider themselves unworthy in the sight of God and men, for no one takes this honour upon himself. “To shame what is strong, God has chosen what the world counts weakness. He has chosen things low and contemptible, mere nothing, to overthrow the existing order. And so there...