Fr Ogundipe Sdv

 GOD’S PLAN FOR YOUR FAMILY God’s plan for mankind is well spelt out in the book of Jeremiah 29:11 when he said: “for I know what plan I have for you. Plan for peace and not for disaster, plans to give you hope and a future.” According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church Mankind was made for the glory of God to love and to serve God in this world, and to be with him in the world to come. St. Bonaventure explains that God created all things "not to increase his glory, but to show it forth and to communicate it", for God has no other reason for creating than his love and goodness: "Mankind came into existence when the key of love opened his hand."  The First Vatican Council explains: This one, true God, of his own goodness and "almighty power", not for increasing his own beatitude, nor for attaining his perfection, but in order to manifest this perfection through the benefits which he bestows on creatures, with absolute freedom of counsel "and from ...

  One of the traditional acts of Christmas is to abstain from meat on Christmas Eve, 24th December.  I could still remember the temptation from the aroma of the fried chicken from my Mama Lucy's kitchen when I was 7 years old. I asked her for a bite and she shouted “Agbedo" meaning never!!! “Why grandma?” I asked, she took me by hands to the Church manger and showed me the animals in the crib: “Yes, Olu, we cannot eat meat on Christmas Eve because the animals were the ones who kept Jesus company at his birth, so we must respect them today''. “Waoo!” I exclaimed, “So that's why I cannot eat meat today...” I held unto this tradition until I entered Seminary only for us to eat plenty meat on the Christmas Eve. Then I asked: “Why are we not respecting the animals today?” And my brothers laughed at my ignorance.  Why then should grandma stop me from eating meat? According to Wikipedia, the Catholic Church historically observes the disciplines of fasting and abstinence a...

  No other element in the bible was used for such a wide variety of purposes as was oil. Listed below are only some of them.  Oil was used in cooking and baking.  In particular, the loaves offered in sacrifice were to be made with oil (Ex. 29:2).  Oil was often mixed with perfumes and used to make oneself more beautiful and attractive (Ruth 3:3; Jdt.16:2).   As such it was also used to honor guests.  Anointing them with perfumed oil was a sign of great honor and respect, as well as a way of offering refreshment after a journey ( Lk. 7:37-38, 46; Ps 23:5).  Perhaps for this same reason it was often referred to as an “oil of gladness,” bringing joy to the heart (Ps. 45:8; Is. 61:3; Heb 1:9).   Oil too was a source of light, being used in lamps both in homes and in the temple (Ex. 27:20; Mt. 25:3).  The flame thus kindled likewise became a symbol of the Holy Spirit, whose fire purifies and enflames us with love and zeal (Acts 2:3)....

    Despite trauma being associated with past painful experiences and early childhood dysfunctional events; one can be traumatised momentarily. It’s any disturbing experience that produces an overwhelming and unmanageable emotional response. Relatedly, the traumatic experiences of Christians are not limited to the Nero's persecutions, the beheading of John the Baptist, the killings of Holy Innocents, the mingling of the blood of believers by Pilate or the biblical narratives of how holy people suffer rejection but also includes institutionalised trauma by religious leaders. There is an increasing but disheartening way that some churches weaponize the scriptural injunctions and spiritual obligations to do intense damage on the psyche of their members,”. As a result, there is a breakdown of multiple systems in the idea of a compassionate God that forgives as prophetic utterances, visions and messages spew doom.  Amongst the handlers of the words of God, there are rotten egg...

  A Reflection on THE BATTLE BETWEEN THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE DEVIL by Rev Fr Joyzy Pious Egunjobi A man was caught up in a trance, and there it was revealed to him the Battle between the Righteous man and the Devil. In the course of the battle, there were many rounds of defeats and victories on the part of both parties. Towards the end of the battle, the Righteous man dropped dead. A great voice then echoed from above saying in a loud voice: “You are dead, man; however, you still won the battle” The man in trance then asked in confusion: “How can the defeated man still win the Battle?”  But the voice said to him: “You see! The battle between this man and the Devil delineates the struggle of a Righteous man against his Sinful Nature (Rom 7:15-23). The many times the Righteous man won the rounds depicted the many times he resisted temptations (James 1:12; 1Cor 10:13); and the many times he was defeated depicted the many times he fell into sin (1Tim 6:9). You cannot kill the devil,...

  Have you ever experienced a sudden total darkness? What was your experience? If you can recall, the very moment of sudden darkness shocked you. You may feel a little frightful. Then gradually, you begin to see until you can manage your movement in the very darkness. Such is the life of sinners; from just little sin they graduate into being at home with the total sin. FOR DARKNESS IS NOT NECESSARILY THE ABSENCE OF LIGHT; DARKNESS IS WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO HIDE. And DARKNESS IS NOT DARK FOR THOSE WHO LIVE IN DARKNESS.  All the lovers of iniquities seek darkness in one way or the other. For example, "The eye of the adulterer waits for the nightfall, Saying, 'No eye will see me.' And he disguises his face. In the dark they break into the houses, they shut themselves up by day; they do not know the light (Job 24:15-16). The dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence (Ps 74:20). "For the morning is their darkest hour, because that is when they hav...

  The Holy Father Pope Francis has always had a special relationship with young people in the Church. He had always wanted to hear from them and help them. Thus, he called a synod of bishops on Young people, the Faith and Vocational Discernment. The purpose of meeting of the Church Fathers and leaders with the young people was to help the Church examine how she can lead young people to recognize and accept the call to the fullness of life and love, and to ask young people to help her in identifying the most effective ways to announce the good news today.  Thus on March 25th 2019, he signed this very rich and recent Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation and addressed it to young people but also “to the entire People of God, pastors and faithful alike, since all of us are challenged and urged to reflect both on the young and for the young.” (CV, 3) Let us take some time now to quickly but carefully examine this 299 paragraphs in 9 chapters document and its relevance to the young pe...

WHAT IS A CHASUBLE?  A Chasuble is a sleeveless outer garment worn by a priest at Mass. It is worn over all other vestments and is made of silk, velvet, or other rich material usually decorated with symbols.  ORIGIN OF THE CHASUBLE  Since ancient times, whenever a priest celebrated the sacrifice of the Mass he would put on a large poncho-like garment called a casula (chasuble) that covered his ordinary clothing. This vestment developed from the ordinary Roman attire of a farmer, who wore the large poncho to protect him from the elements. It eventually became associated with Christians in the 3rd century. As the fashion trends shifted the chasuble ceased to be an ordinary garment but was still used by priests. By the 8th century the chasuble was reserved for clergy members and began to be ornamented in a way that reflected its sacred function. At first the chasuble was large and bulky, and required the help of other attendants at the liturgy to gather the many folds to bet...

  ( This is a major feast of the Catholic Church which replaces even the usual Sunday in Ordinary Time.   It has its own Vigil celebration, one of only six feasts in the Church which include a distinct Vigil liturgy.    ( There is no account of Mary’s death in the New Testament. The New Testament writers were convinced that all believers would share in the Resurrection of Christ.  Catholics, however, believe that the Bible is in part a record of traditions, (first among the Hebrews and then among the Christians) as well as the written word in Scripture.  They hold fast to God’s guiding revelation through ‘Tradition’ as well as through the written word in ‘Scripture’.  ( The Assumption of Mary into heaven is one of the oldest celebrations of Mary. The belief in the Assumption had its origin in the popular faith of the people.  Some legends had also grown up describing the miraculous events surrounding her death, including how the remaining apo...

INTRODUCTION Perhaps you have seen the film: “The gods must be crazy!” a movie shot in South Africa in 1980 the story line began with a family of natives that stumbled at an empty coke bottle. The villagers began to fight over the strange object. Hence a decision must be taken quickly, the once enjoyed peace is gone over a misplaced priority of accepting the bottle, the fascination about, and the quest to unravel the “mystery” behind this strange material plunged Nixau the hero and his children into a search to the end of the world. He crossed roads with Marius Weyers a bumbling scientist and a band of guerrillas who takes a school teacher Sandra Prinsioo and her class hostage.  Along the line the event turned out to be a scattered family that was searching for its member, the result was adventurous encounters and a happy end!  For some of us our misplaced priority may not end very well. Whatever you make your priority today can either make you or mare you. In this article the...