Jacob BABALOLA (Staff Writer)

As the Universal Church celebrated the feast of Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph on the last Sunday of the year 2025; the Parish Priest of St. Anne Catholic Church, Ogbere, Ibadan, Rev. Fr. Stephen Balogun has reminded the parishioners that what unites family is love, for the love of family reaches everywhere.

In a unique way too, the priest at the Mass also joined together Mr Anthony Aderemi Ademola and Mrs Deborah Yewande Ademola in a Holy Matrimony with Mr Richard Adewuyi and Mrs Marcelina Adewuyi as the Sponsors.

While delivering his homily, titled: “Family, a place of faith, obedient and love” the priest said a family that has faith in God above all things; does things together in obedience and loves genuinely will maintain a happy and united family.

Commending the children that took readings and Psalm during the celebration; being the last Sunday of the month, the priest said the children took the readings because it was their day and also because they are parts of the family. He then admonished the parents to give their children good home training because how the children are trained reflects how they live their lives.

According to Fr. Balogun, children should be corrected when necessary and encouraged when it is deemed fit. “We blame the country’s leaders, forgetting those ruling are human beings from families also”; he asserted and therefore charged the parents to make their children do necessary house work and not parents only doing everything because a time is coming when the strength will not be there for the parents to do such work again.

Similarly, the priest cautioned some wives who have entrusted their husbands to the services of the housemaid in order not to regret later. Wives, he stated are to respect their husbands, no matter their status in life while husbands are to love their wives.

The families are also warned against accumulating property that will lose their values, instead of training their children. According to Rhoda Lachar, "Husband, wife, and children form the world's greatest team. Whether that team wins or loses depends largely upon whether husband and wife practice human love." Then, he asked: Is your family an abode of love? Don't just build houses/properties, build homes of love, peace and joy. Remember, "Properties lose value when love is absent!”

The priest added that the feast of Holy Family shows us what every family should be, that when our homes mirror true love, they become sanctuary of peace. “The Feast of The Holy Family shows us what every Christian home is called to be. In the Gospel of today (Matthew 2:13–23), faith leads Joseph to trust God’s warning, obedience moves him to act without delay, and love protects the life entrusted to them. Indeed, their home was not free from hardship, but it was rooted in God. When faith guides our decisions, obedience shapes our actions, and love binds us together, our families become sacred places where God dwells and grace abounds.” Fr. Balogun said.

The most exciting moment was when the priest called out all couples to also join the newly joined couple to sing together love song, facing each other, as a way of renewing their oneness and love for each other.

Marriage rites were later performed and the new family of Mr and Mrs Ademola presented to the congregation thereafter. The new couples also had a special thanksgiving. Other thanksgiving during the Mass included that of Mr and Mrs Olaleke family; who presented their son, Samuel Olaleke; Mr Benjamin Njoku’s family; Mama Friday’s family and a general family thanksgiving by all, being Holy Family Sunday.

The new couple in appreciation presented some refreshments to the parishioners and also took group photographs with the officiating priest and others.