Augustine John SHAIBU

The Legion of Mary of St. Peter Catholic Church, Apata, Ibadan, celebrated the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Sunday, September 13, 2026, at the foot of the Grotto on the Church field.

The celebration, organized by the Legion of Mary in the parish, was held in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose birthday is traditionally commemorated on September 8. The event brought together members of the Legion, parishioners and other members of the Catholic community in an atmosphere of prayer, joy, fellowship and thanksgiving.

The Legion of Mary at St. Peter Catholic Church, Apata, comprises four Praesidia: Our Lady Queen of All Saints, Our Lady Cause of Our Joy, Our Lady Gate of Heaven, and Our Lady Seat of Wisdom. The parish is also the seat of Our Lady Mother of Mercy Curia.

In a bid to strengthen unity and fellowship among the four Praesidia, members hold a combined meeting once every month. The four Praesidia also operate under a General Executive.

The programme commenced with an opening prayer, followed by a welcome address delivered by Bro. Shaibu Augustine John. In his address, he welcomed members of the Legion of Mary, parishioners and guests to the celebration. He expressed appreciation to members for their commitment and cooperation and emphasized the importance of unity among the four Praesidia and the need to continue working together as one Legion family.

The welcome address was followed by a musical interlude and give-away session, as well as a quiz which engaged participants and added excitement to the celebration.

A major highlight of the celebration was a brief talk delivered by the Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Francis Adedigba, on the topic “Mary as a Model of Christians.”

In his reflection, Rev. Fr. Adedigba explained that Christians are followers of Christ and are called to continue the mission of Christ through the preaching and living out of the Gospel.

He recalled that Jesus began His public ministry after His baptism and called His first disciples, including Peter and Andrew, and James and John, to be His companions. According to him, the disciples were called to learn from Jesus and eventually continue the work of proclaiming the Gospel.

The Parish Priest noted that following the death of Jesus Christ, His disciples continued the work of evangelization, converting others to the faith, who in turn brought more people to Christ. He explained that this chain of evangelization had continued from generation to generation down to the present day.

He therefore encouraged Christians to see evangelization as their responsibility as followers of Christ, stressing that the work could only be effectively carried out when Christians remained true disciples of Jesus.

Rev. Fr. Adedigba then presented the Blessed Virgin Mary as a true and perfect model of Christian discipleship. He explained that although Mary did not follow Jesus physically during His public ministry in the same way as the Apostles did, her heart had already received the Gospel and was united with the heart of Jesus.

He recalled that even before Jesus came into the world, God sent the Angel Gabriel to Mary with the Good News that she would conceive and bear a Son by the power of the Holy Spirit. Mary accepted God's plan with faith and obedience and kept His word in her heart. Through her acceptance of God's will, she became a model of discipleship.

The Parish Priest also cautioned Christians against allowing themselves to be distracted during Mass, particularly when the Gospel is being proclaimed. He encouraged the faithful to listen attentively, receive the Word of God and allow it to transform their lives.

He identified obedience, humility and generosity as important virtues demonstrated by the Blessed Virgin Mary which Christians should emulate. He noted that Mary was obedient to God because she willingly said “yes” to God's plan for her life.

He further described Mary as a humble woman who consistently demonstrated humility in her actions. He also highlighted her generosity, recalling how she went to assist her cousin, Elizabeth, after learning that Elizabeth was six months pregnant. Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months to offer her assistance and support.

Drawing from this act of service, the Parish Priest humorously described Mary as the first woman to undertake what is popularly known in Nigerian culture as “omugwo,” highlighting her willingness to serve and care for another person.

Rev. Fr. Adedigba concluded by encouraging the Legionaries and all parishioners present to emulate Mary's virtues of faith, obedience, humility and generosity, and to remain committed to the work of evangelization as true followers of Christ.

The celebration continued with the cutting of the birthday cake, followed by a group photograph of members and guests. Refreshments and give-aways were also provided, creating an opportunity for fellowship among the participants.

The celebration ended on a joyful and memorable note, with members of the Legion of Mary and parishioners expressing gratitude to God for the successful event and for the opportunity to honour the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of Christ and a model of Christian discipleship.