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 JUNE: I heartily welcome you to the month of June, 2022. This month leads us from the joys of Easter to an anticipation of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, a renewal of the Spirit of God which we all received at Baptism and Confirmation. This month equally marks the end of the first half of the calendar year, as the Church goes into the second half of the season of Ordinary Time; a period of growth. It is a period in which we are called to bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit as we shall receive them at Pentecost. Aligning ourselves to the challenge of St. Paul to Timothy, we are reminded once again to fan into a flame the gifts of God which we received through the anointing with the Sacred Oil of Chrism at Baptism and Confirmation. At the threshold of the end of the first half of the year in this month, we should try to evaluate ourselves on the resolutions we made at the beginning of the year and ask ourselves if we have truly hearkened to the promptings of the Holy Spirit through the proper use of the gifts he has given us.
Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity (12/06/2022), Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ (19/06/2022), Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John The Baptist (23/06/2022), Solemnity of the Scared Heart of Jesus (24/06/2022) and the Solemnity of Saints Peter & Paul (29/06/2022).
2. AUGUSTINE UNIVERSITY, ILARA (AUI) OFFERS NEW COURSES: Our Augustine University has got NUC approval to enroll students for the following new courses: B.Sc Mass Communication; B.Sc Political Science; B.Sc Biochemistry; B.Sc Cyber Security; B.Sc Fisheries and Aquaculture; B.Sc Information Technology; B.Sc Software Engineering.
3. LEADING FOR MISSION SEMINAR: The Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos began the Leading for Mission Seminar for all priests in 2019 since when over 80% of the clergy completed the leadership enhancement programme. There is an annual opportunity for new priests and others who have not completed it to do so. The Leading for Mission Seminar for lay leaders began in July 2021 and is ongoing. It has become necessary to clarify that going forward:
a. It is mandatory that anyone who assumes a leadership position at the parish, deanery and archdiocesan levels, by election or appointment or any other legitimate means, completes the training within six months or steps down for those that have completed the programme.
b. All current leaders, whose tenures will not expire this year, have until the end of 2022 to complete the training, or step down for those that have completed the programme.
The Archdiocese is putting in a lot of resources into the training of lay leaders and it has become necessary that we all pull together to maximize our limited resources. There are approximately 15,000 lay leaders that need to be trained. Some Deans and Parish Priests have been supporting our efforts by providing training halls, electricity, equipment, refreshments and other materials while the Leading for Mission volunteers continue to sacrifice their time, talents, and material resources, to achieve our goal of having leaders empowered for their roles by adequate training. We are very grateful to them.
In order to make training easier, from now on we have decided that rather than going to a parish centre in each deanery for the training:
i. All parishes with a minimum of 50 lay leaders are to organize and mobilize all their leaders to be trained by the LFM Team in the premises of their parishes. We expect the Deans to work with the LFM Team and parish priests in order to come up with a schedule that completes the training of all parishes in one year. Parish priests and the Parish Laity Council executives in each parish will provide the required logistics.
ii. The Deans and Deanery Laity Councils and the Archdiocesan Laity Council and the Director of the Lay Apostolate Centre are to coordinate the trainings in the deanery level and Archdiocesan levels respectively. We expect the training of the leaders at each level to be completed within one year.
iii. We expect everyone concerned to support the timely and smooth completion of the programme by suspending or at least minimizing other programmes targeted at the same group or running at the same time as LFM Seminars so that we can conclude this intensive stage successfully.
We are grateful to Deans and parish priests and ask them to continue to play their assigned roles so we can achieve our goals of growing more engaged parishes and spiritually-committed Catholics in the Archdiocese. May God bless you as you contribute to developing more spiritually-committed servant leaders for our common task of evangelization.
4. 36th Archdiocesan Youth Day (AYDIPAJA2022): The celebration of the 36th Archdiocesan Youth Day will hold on Sunday the 17th of July, 2022 at Ipaja Deanery. The Holy Mass starts at 10am at Command Day Secondary School, Ipaja.
5. St. Augustine College of Education, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos (Project T. I. M. E) Affiliated to University of Ibadan: we call on Parish Priests and Priests-in-Charge to inform their Parishioners that Admission is in progress for the 2022/2023 Session. With a minimum JAMB score of 200 and above for Full-Time and below 200 for Part-Time Degree programmes; 100 and above for NCE programmes, the College is the place for you. Our programmes include:
DEGREE PROGRAMMES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN:
Arts and Social Science (B.Sc(Ed) Economics; B.Sc(Ed) Political Science; B.A (Ed) English Language; B.Ed Social Studies; B.A (Ed) CRS/IRS); B.Ed Educational Management; B.Ed Guidance and Counselling; Science and Technology Department (B.Sc (Ed) Physics; B.Sc (Ed) Chemistry; B.Sc (Ed) Mathematics; B.Sc (Ed) Biology; B.Sc (Ed) Computer Science. Note: All Degree Certificates are awarded by the University Of Ibadan.
NIGERIA CERTIFICATE IN EDUCATION (NCE) PROGRAMMES:
i. Computer science, Economics, CRS/IRS, Political Science, English Language, Social Studies, Business Education (Accounting & Secretarial studies), Primary Education Studies (PES), Early Childhood Care & Education (ECCE), Adult and Non-formal Education, and Mathematics.
ii. Science and Technology: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics and Integrated Science. Note: All NCE Certificates are awarded by the College
DURATION: Full Time-3years, Part Time-4 Years
Requirement for Degree and NCE Programmes (Full-Time And Part Time): 5 or 6 Credits in One or Two sittings
PDE(Professional Diploma In Education)-First Degree or H. N. D. from any recognized Tertiary Institution; Catechesis- Practicing and intending Catechists or O’ Level Certificate.
METHOD OF APPLICATION TO ALL COLLEGE PROGRAMMES:
Obtain your Application form at ST. AUGUSTINE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, 2, Moronfolu Street, by Pako Bus stop, Close to FCE(Technical) and UNILAG, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos State. OR LOG-ON TO www.staugustinecollege.edu.ng and follow the guidelines.
FOR FURTHER ENQUIRIES, PLEASE CALL: 08065954493, 08024582945 OR 08033574050(Catechesis), 08023891300.
6. 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: 18th- 19th June, 2022. Venue: EHJ Guest House (Domus Fidei), 7, Amore Street, by St. Leo Catholic Church, Ikeja, Lagos. Arrival: 7am 18th June, 2022. Participation Fee: N50,000 (Accomodation & 2 days meal). Kindly make payments to: Worldwide Marriage Encounter Nigeria, FCMB: 3426431011. For Further Enquiries, please contact Rev. Fr. Onuoha Dominic (07030857067), Adiele & Ngozi (08033238822) OR Timothy & Martina (08182800166, 08130285777).
7. Priestly Ordination: By the grace of God, the Priestly Ordination for the year 2022 will take place on Thursday 4th August, 2022, at the Holy Cross Cathedral, Lagos at 10:00am. Let us continue to pray that the Lord would send faithful servants to work in his vineyard.
