Dear Sisters and Brothers in the Lord:
TO ALL PRIESTS AND RELIGIOUS WORKING IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF LAGOS, AND THE LAY FAITHFUL;
1. THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER: We welcome you all to the month of September, the ninth month of the year which notably brings the third quarter of the year to an end. This month ushers us into the “ember” months which reminds us that the year is gradually coming to an end and of the need to examine the progress made thus far particularly in our Christian journey. In our Archdiocese, the month of September leads us into a period of harvest thanksgiving and bazaar. This period offers us the opportunity to thank God with the best fruits of our labour for his abiding love, faithfulness and blessings upon us. We pray that the Lord of the harvest will accept our gifts as he accepted the gift of his servant, Abel the just.
In this month, the Church in her wisdom presents to her faithful, feasts which assist us to understand and appreciate the paschal mystery of Our Lord Jesus Christ. These feasts include; the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary on September 8 and the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross on September 14. The Nativity of Mary marks the beginning of the unraveling of God’s plan of salvation for his people, while the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, which is the patron feast day of our Archdiocese, brings to completion the mission of God’s plan for his people on the Cross. By his death on the cross, Christ destroyed their enmity; by means of the cross he united both races into one body and brought them back to God. (Eph. 2:16).
2. THE MUSTARD SEED (New Catechism Book): This is a new catechism book approved in the Archdiocese for preparation of children for the Sacraments of Baptism/First Holy Communion. The book is now available and is sold for N800.00 per copy. All parishes should contact the Religious Education Department: 08108846869, 08066224284.
3. 50TH MEMORIAL ANNIVERSARY: The Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos celebrates the 50th memorial anniversary of the first African Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos, Most Rev. Dr. John Kwao Amuzu Aggey DD. The memorial anniversary Mass is scheduled to hold on 14th September, 2022. (Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross) by 10:00am prompt at the Holy Cross Cathedral.
4. 2022 SEASON OF CREATION: As you are probably aware, the Season of Creation is the annual Christian celebration by which we are called to listen and respond together to the cry of Creation. It is an occasion when in the spirit of ecumenism, Christians of various denominations all around the world unite together in prayer and renewal of their commitment to protecting the earth – our common home. The celebration of the 2022 Season of Creation begins on 1st September, the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, and ends on 4th October, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the Patron Saint of ecology. The theme for the celebration this year is: “Listen to the Voice of Creation.” and the adopted universal logo is “The Burning Bush” (Ex.3:1-12).
In prayer, let us bring to focus the cry of the Earth and the cry of the Poor. May this 2022 Season of Creation bring about the renewal of our bonds of love and peace in unity of life and action towards rescuing our planet earth from the perils caused by environmental degradation and abuse. We encourage, individuals, societies and communities to participate in the celebration through prayer, sustainability projects, and advocacy.
Let us all embrace and deepen the culture of Eco-friendly actions: deliberate effort to conserve energy, Tree planting and embrace the culture of Reduce, Re-use and Recycle as we journey towards more simple and sustainable living and lifestyles of integral ecology.
5. FEAST OF THE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS: This Feast comes up on Wednesday, 14th September, 2022. This is the Principal Feast Day of our Archdiocese.
6. 2022 CATECHETICAL WEEK: The annual Catechetical Week program in the Archdiocese begins from Sunday, 2nd October to Sunday, 9th October, 2022.The theme for this year is: “Lord do you not care that we are perishing?” It is recommended that Parishioners participate actively as it is a parish-based program. The pamphlet for this program will be available at the Religious Education Department @ N250 per copy. For further enquiries contact: 08108846869, 08066224284.
7. Worldwide Marriage Encounter Nigeria: The Worldwide Marriage Encounter Team will be holding a program titled “An Original Weekend”. This program is aimed at unlocking the powers of marriage with a view to enhancing a healthy Christian marriage in the growth and development of holiness of life. Date: 24th-25th September, 2022. Venue: Lagos Resource Center, 9, Anifowose Street, off Adeola Odekun Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. Arrival: 7am, 24th September, 2022. Participation Fee: N50,000 (Accommodation & 2 days meal). Kindly make payments to: Worldwide Marriage Encounter Nigeria, FCMB: 3426431011. For Further Enquiries, please contact Rev. Fr. Dominic Onuoha (07030857067), Fr. Miguel Gomez (08098644835), Adiele & Ngozi (08033238822) or Timothy & Martina (08182800166).
8. ROSARY PROCESSION/REPARATION PRAYER FOR PEACE IN NIGERIA: Due to the magnitude of the security and economic challenges facing the country at the moment, parishioners are encouraged to join in this year’s Rosary procession for Peace in Nigeria which commence from National Stadium Surulere and terminates at St. Agnes Catholic Church Maryland. Date: Saturday October 1st 2022. Time: 7 am.