Jacob BABALOLA (Staff Writer)

The Rector of Saints Peter and Paul Major Seminary, Bodija, Ibadan, Very Rev. Fr. Anthony Igbekele has urged members of Religious Congregations in Ibadan Archdiocese to ensure the charism of their respective Congregations is brought to bear in their missionary journey as the Universal Church celebrated the World Mission Sunday.

The Rector made this appeal in his welcome address at the 12th Edition of Mission Outfit with the theme: “Missionaries of Hope Among All People” held on Sunday, 19th October, 2025 in the Seminary.

Fr Igbekele, who encouraged different Religious Congregations (numerous to mention) and Seminarians to show by their lives that nothing can separate them from Christ also admonished the youth not to observe from the balcony but stay boldly to share the joy of the gospel among their peers at home and in their communities; for they are the life-blood of the mission.

The event which featured Holy Mass, lecture, interactive session, lunch break, recreational activities and lots more was well attended by Formators in the Seminary, Seminarians, representatives of Religious Congregations (male and female), students of the Minor Seminary, Catholic Schools, homes for children with special abilities, CMO, CWO, CYON, NACC and the Laity representatives.

The Chief Celebrant of the Holy Mass, Rev. Fr. Michael Chiaha in his homily reminded the participants of Pope Francis’ appeal to all to act as builders and bearers of hope by becoming hopeful missionaries to all communities.

During the second part of the celebration in the Seminary’s Auditorium, the parish priest of St. Mary Catholic Church, Temidire, Egbeda Rev. Fr. Daniel Izebuno delivered a lecture on “Rediscovering our identity as Missionaries and Weavers of Hope. (A Young Person's Guide with St. Thomas)”

The Guest Lecturer, who started by highlighting the different excuses or objections that the youth often give as preventing them from embracing the mission of proclaiming the gospel such as: "I'm Too Young or Ordinary!" "Missionaries are special grown-ups who travel far away. I'm just a kid/teen. I go to school, hang with friends, play games. How can ‘I’ be a missionary?; “Mission Work Sounds Hard & Boring!” "Does being a missionary mean I have to stand on street corners preaching? Or give up everything fun? That seems scary and maybe not very exciting. Isn't hope just wishful thinking?" and "The World is Too Messy for Hope!" "Look around! There's so much sadness, anger, and division. People seem hopeless. Trying to 'weave hope' feels like trying to build a sandcastle as the tide comes in. Isn't it naive?”

The priest quickly added: “But Wait! Here's What We Know (Sed Contra): We hear in the Bible that Jesus tells ‘all’ his followers: "Go and make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19). St. Paul also tells us, "Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer" (Romans 12:12). And Jesus himself is called our "hope" (1 Timothy 1:1). Our very identity, given in Baptism, is to be children of God, sent into the world like Jesus was sent (John 20:21). “

 

Fr. Daniel then stressed that two things are needed, namely: Missionary Identity and Weaver of Hope Identity. He further explained these thus: “Here's the Truth (Respondeo):

Rediscovering our identity as Missionaries and Weavers of Hope means waking up to the amazing adventure God has planned for each of us, right here and right now! It's not about being perfect, super-famous, or only doing huge things. It's about understanding two key things:

As Missionary Identity: You are SENT. Just like a text message has a sender and a receiver, you have a Sender (God!) and are sent into your family, your school, your team, your online world. Your mission field is wherever God has placed you today. Your job isn't necessarily to give long sermons (unless you feel called!), but to carry Jesus' light and love into those places.

Think of it like being a walking, talking lightbulb powered by God!

As Weaver of Hope Identity: You are a HOPE-BUILDER. Hope isn't just wishing for good stuff. Real Christian hope is like a super-strong rope anchored in Jesus' Resurrection – the biggest victory over darkness ever! Because Jesus conquered death, we know love wins in the end. Being a weaver means taking the "threads" God gives you – your smile, your kindness, your courage to stand up for what's right, your help for someone struggling, your prayers, your joy – and connecting them with God's big plan. Every good action, every act of love, is like adding another bright thread to God's tapestry of hope, making the picture clearer for everyone.”

The priest continued “Think of it like this: Imagine a huge, beautiful tapestry showing a scene of peace and joy. But it's only partly done, and some bits look messy or dark right now. God is the Master Weaver. He invites you to pick up a thread (your unique gifts, your day, your actions) and start weaving it into the picture, right where you are. You might not see the whole finished picture yet, but you trust the Master Weaver. Every stitch of kindness, forgiveness, or courage adds to the beauty and reveals more hope.”

 

Concluding, Fr. Daniel said “Rediscovering our identity is waking up to the awesome truth: You are a beloved child of God, SENT on a mission RIGHT NOW to be a light and to WEAVE HOPE into the fabric of your world, using the unique threads He gave you. Don't wait. Don't underestimate your part. Pick up your thread – your kindness, your courage, your joy, your faith – and start weaving! Together, anchored in Jesus, we can reveal the beautiful picture of God's hope to the world. Let's go, Missionaries! Let's weave, Weavers of Hope!”

 Other highlights of the celebration included welcome song by St. Gregory Choir; passing on of Bible and Crucifix by all to show participation in the mission of evangelization; drama by students of Minor Seminary, Oke-Are; presentation by the Seminarians of SS peter and Paul Major Seminary, Bodija; as well as presentations of different Religious Congregations to showcase what each congregation stands for.

Closing remarks was done by the Deputy Rector, Rev. Fr. Hubert Opara, while the vote of thanks was done by Rev. Fr. Peter Oguns, who appreciated the Archbishop, Most Rev. Dr. Gabriel ‘Leke Abegunrin for his continuous support to the Seminary, as well as all the participants.

There was refreshment, snapping of pictures, interactive session as well as outdoor games to the delight of all.