Jacob BABALOLA (Staff Writer)

The need to emulate the love and unity that exist among God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit in our various families and in the society has been stressed. Rev. Fr. Vitalis Ikechukwu, CSJ emphasized this while delivering homily at St. Anne Catholic Church, Ogbere, Ibadan as the parish joined the Universal Church to celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity on Sunday 31st May 2026.

The Mass which was presided over by Rev. Fr. Esau Enger, CSJ also had Rev. Frs: Stephen Balogun, the Parish Priest; Vitalis Ikechukwu, CSJ and Arnaud Aniou, CSJ as co-celebrants.

Fr. Ikechukwu described the Most Holy Trinity as the central mystery of the Catholic faith, a mystery which many theologians had tried to uncover to enable people understand but could not. This mystery, he added, has now become a dogma in the Church, the mystery of God Himself; God Himself is in operation through the Son and the Spirit.

Asking if anyone could know God, the cleric said this is impossible because God is a supreme being; He is a God who is abstract within His visibility among man.

Fr. Vitalis went further to describe man’s vocations as a unitary vocation; be it priest, religious or married. That in the trinity and the trinity in unity becomes the Catholic faith. That though distinct, they share equal visibility, co-exist, co-substance and one in what they do and say. It is therefore not within man’s possibility to understand God.

Referencing the unity of love that exists in the Trinity, the homilist pointed to Matthew 28:10 where Christ commissioned His disciples to preach and baptize in the name of Trinity and this brought Trinitarian to human level where different parts unite to make man a person and any defect to any part may bring collapse to others.

Fr. Vitalis linked his reflection to family level, where husband, wife and children, though different entities need to work in unity just like God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit work together for the salvation of mankind. The priest enjoined families to also work in unity. He called on families to examine how they are within their own personal self, within the family, religious or priestly life. He stated that any division within oneself projects one as a false person. The priest therefore admonished all to embrace sacrificial and security dimensions of love, which is needed in homes and not about what one can give. That there is need to consult, deliberate and encourage one another as a family, ensures no idea supersedes another idea but see things in different manners, then sit together and deliberate.

The priest concluded with St. Paul’s admonition in the day’s second reading that urges all to amend their ways.

During the day’s Mass, there was a renewal of vows by Rev. Srs: Emmanuella Onyinyechi Ibeawuchi and Johaness Ukamaka Nwodo, both of Sisters of Jesus the Saviour Congregation; as coordinated by the Chief Celebrant, Rev. Fr. Esau Enger, CSJ.

The day’s celebration was concluded with Prayer of Rosary for peace in the world as directed by Pope Leo XIV. This started from the Church and concluded at the Grotto of Our Lady of Grace.

It also marked the end of Marian May Devotion, being the last day in the month of May and the annual Children’s Day celebration, with the HCA performing functionaries duties during the Eucharistic celebration.