Bishop Felix Femi Ajakaye of the Catholic Diocese of Ekiti, on Thursday 12th September, 2024 raised Five Deacons to the Order of Priesthood. The Bishop equally encouraged the lay faithful to desist from lobbying for deacons and priests.

The Priestly Ordination, held at St. Patrick Catholic Cathedral, Ado-Ekiti was attended by the Bishop, Priests, Deacons, Religious and other Consecrated persons from within and outside Ekiti Diocese, Royal Fathers, Leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria and other Dignitories.

The newly Ordained Priests are Rev. Frs: Luke Aaron Ochebo, Benedict Olamilekan Fabusuyi, Joseph Adeniyi Farinnako, Isaac Oluwadamilola Kolawole and Peter Adeleke Ogunrinu.

In his Homily, Rev. Fr. Lawrence Adetola congratulated the Bishop, Priests, Religious and the Lay Faithful of the Catholic Diocese of Ekiti. He specifically congratulated the Ordinands for making it to the Roman Catholic Priesthood. 

Fr. Adetola who centered his Homily on “Becoming a Priest is a thing of joy”, described the Catholic Priesthood as a journey that is full of long and short, ups and downs, successes and failures, commendations and condemnation, fulfilment and disappointment.

He encouraged them to be prayerful, committed to their callings and be faithful to the promises they have made. He prayed God to bless and uphold them in His Vineyard.

Addressing the congregation, Bishop Felix Ajakaye congratulated the Ordinands, their Parents and other family members. He presented the two out of the Five newly Ordained Priests, Rev. Fr. Isaac Kolawole and Rev. Fr. Benedict Fabusuyi as the first set of Priests from Ekiti Diocese that graduated from St. Albert the Great Major Seminary Idowu Ofanran, Ogun State.

Going further, the Chief Shepherd of the Diocese encouraged the Parents, Families and friends to desist from lobbying for whoever that may be aspiring to become a Deacon or Priest, saying that the Lay Faithful may possibly not know what the Church sees in those Aspirants or Candidates.

The Bishop also encouraged the Parishioners to stop requesting for the Priests to be transferred to or from their Parishes, saying the Church does not encourage such acts. “All Priests are Ordained with the same rites, the Bishop has the obligation to post Priests to any Parish without the interference of the Parishioners” the Bishop added.