In a powerful sermon delivered at the Holy Family Catholic Church, Life Camp, Abuja, on Saturday, July 20, 2024, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Michael Nsikak Umoh urged members of the Society of African Missions (SMA) to document the stories of outstanding SMA missionaries who have made significant contributions to the Church and society in Africa, and particularly in Nigeria.

Preaching on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the priestly ordination of Very Rev. Fr. Patrick Kwis, SMA, Fr. Umoh challenged the celebrant, as well as his contemporaries in the Society, not to rest on their oars even after 25 years of meritorious service in the Lord’s vineyard.

Rather, they should work on preserving the legacies of SMA missionaries who have served in Nigeria with dedication and selflessness over the years.

“My dear brother priest and friend, while your tireless efforts are commendable, much more is still required from you and, if I may say, fellow SMA confreres of your generation, our generation, who now hold leadership positions in your missionary institute.

Much more is expected from all of us in this age category. Considering the huge changes in our society and Church today, we are the transitional generation, bridging the gap between the analogue and the digital generations.

“Please permit me therefore to state that you and the first generation of African SMAs in Nigeria and West Africa have a unique responsibility of producing stories of the life and works of some of the many outstanding SMA missionaries who have worked among us.

This generation needs authentic testimonies of faith. It is also time to intensify efforts to re-evaluate the SMA mission and strategies in order to properly respond to the evolving complexity of the Church and the world,” he added

Fr. Umoh, who testified to being a proud product of SMA formation, noted that the stories of these outstanding missionaries serve as a source of inspiration and encouragement to younger generations of SMA priests and the faithful in general.

He urged the SMA community to intensify efforts to document and share these stories, highlighting the enormous work the SMA priests and their collaborators, the Our Lady of Apostles (OLA) have done in Nigeria, touching the lives of people in Africa.

“SMAs have undoubtedly contributed enormously to the Church and society in Africa. We recall many schools and hospitals founded by SMA missionaries and their female collaborators, the Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles (OLA), all over Nigeria.

I am a proud product of SMA formation, and I have personally encountered a good number of outstanding and selfless SMA missionaries.

“As we remember SMA missionaries like Msgr. Jeremiah Coakley, Fr. Fintan Daly of blessed memory, and Fr. Eddie Hartnett, we in this generation need to ask: What does God expect of us today? In the spirit of our founding Father, Bishop Melchior de Marion Brésillac, we need to ask: ‘What type of SMA does this generation need?’”

The sermon, which centered on the theme “Responding to God’s love and grace with a life of service and devotion in the present age,” also reflected on the importance of priests emulating the selflessness and compassion of saints like Fr. Maximilian Kolbe who volunteered to be executed in place of a married man with children; and Fr. Damien of Molokai who agreed to live with lepers and eventually contracted the disease.

“These two priests exemplify the selflessness, compassion, and devotion that are hallmarks of the priesthood. Their stories should inspire us to ask a personal question: What does it mean to respond to God’s love and grace in my own life?  St. Ignatius of Loyola said, “Few souls understand what God would accomplish in them if they were to abandon themselves unreservedly to Him.”  

No doubts, courage, resilience, and compassion are essential virtues for responding to God’s love in a world filled with challenges.” 

Alluding to the hymn ‘Take my life and let it be’ written by Frances Havergal in 1874, Fr. Umoh observed that each line of the song began with the word ‘take’ “because the life of a true Christian is a life of giving, moreso the life of a priest is a life of GIVING.

The life of every priest must be characterized by giving. To repay the Lord entails giving. Mother Teresa said, ‘This is the meaning of true love, to give until it hurts.’ A priest who fails to give of himself is a contradiction in terms, a paradox that undermines the very essence of his vocation.

For a priest is called to embody selfless love, to give without counting the cost, and to pour out his life for the sake of others. Anything less would be a betrayal of the sacred trust placed in him.”

Fr. Umoh described the celebrant, Fr. Patrick, as a humble and dedicated priest who embodies a unique blend of simplicity, gentleness, and firmness. He is a lifelong learner, persistent in the face of challenges, and driven by a passion for excellence, patience, and endurance, excelling in various pursuits, including athletics.

His Grace, Most Rev. Ignatius Ayau Kaigama, the Archbishop of Abuja and the Deputy Provincial of the SMA, Fr. Claude (SMA), the Parish Priest of Holy Family Catholic Church, Rev. Fr. Anthony Olaniyan (SMA) and a host of Knights of St. Mulumba and their ladies were among the dignitaries present at the occasion.