As the Universal Church celebrated the Solemnity of All Saints on Friday, 1st of November, the Parish Priest of St. Anne Catholic Church, Ogbere, Ibadan, Oyo State, Rev. Fr. Stephen Balogun has reminded Christians that the road to Sainthood is not just prayer and fasting but Christians’ relationship with others around them.

The Priest emphasized that no Christian can do without people, hence the Yoruba adage “Eniyan l’aso mi” meaning ‘Man is my clothe’. “If you’re the type that does things alone, nobody will assist you the day you will need assistance” Fr. Balogun stated.

Using an example of a Medical Doctor, who treated patient even when the patient could not pay for the services, the priest said such a Doctor is already on his way to sainthood. He therefore urged Christians to do ordinary things in an extra-ordinary way, as they needed not bigger things to merit sainthood.

In the case of persecution while doing the little things they could do, the Priest admonished Christians never to give up, for Christ has said it that persecution would come their ways, “In good time, in bad time, do the best you can.” The priest said.

Buttressing on the response to the Psalm for the feast, “These are the people who seek your face, O Lord” the Cleric advised that Christians must seek Christ by making efforts. “God makes man worthy, not by our efforts. It is a child that makes effort to be carried that the mother will carry” he stated.

The Parish Priest also urged the parishioners to watch how people around them relate with them, for such will show the kind of Christians that those around them take them to be. “If you’re a woman returning from the market with loads left and right and no child in the surrounding is ready to assist you, then, you can say who you are from such and vice versa; for the voice of man is the voice of God.”

The parishioners were later prayed for and blessed by the Chief Celebrant of the day’s Mass, Rev. Fr. Peter Ayangbola, who also sprinkled all with the Holy water as they commenced the journey of another month of the year.

Meanwhile, the parish had her first phase of Regional Harvest Thanksgiving on Sunday, 3rd of November 2024 with parishioners putting on their different cultural attires as they danced forward in thanksgiving.