TO ALL PRIESTS AND RELIGIOUS WORKING IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF LAGOS, AND THE LAY FAITHFUL;
- THE MONTH OF JULY 2024: I warmly welcome you all to the month of July 2024. This month falls within the liturgical season of the Ordinary Time of the Year. The season is chiefly marked by the hope it offers, hence, the colour: green, used at this time in the Church, signifies growth and life. Ordinary Time is a season which follows the Solemnity of the Pentecost; a season where as Christians, we put into fruitful and profitable use, the gifts of the Holy Spirit received at Pentecost. Hence, having been filled with His gifts, we are expected to in this Ordinary season bear good fruits as we grow in the life of the Spirit. This month also presents us with these important feast days: St. Thomas the Apostle (3rd July), St. Maria Goretti (6th July), St. Benedict (11th July), St. Bonaventure (15th July), St. Mary Magdalene (22nd July), St. James (25th July), Ss. Joachim & Anne (26th July), Ss. Martha, Mary & Lazarus (29th July), St. Ignatius of Loyola (31st July).
- POPE’S INTENTION FOR JULY 2024: For the Pastoral Care of the Sick: We pray that the Anointing of the Sick confer to those who receive it and their loved ones the power of the Lord and become ever more a visible sign of compassion and hope for all.
- ARCHBISHOP’S INTENTION FOR JULY 2024: For the Elderly: We pray for those who are aged and elderly that they may not feel abandoned but realize that they are loved by God and those around them. May they be blessed with vitality and derive joy and happiness in their children and grandchildren.
- LITURGICAL CELEBRATION GUIDELINES: Recall our Archdiocesan Special Circular, no. 048.01 released on 14th September, 2016, where we set out a few guidelines for liturgical celebrations in the Archdiocese in order to arrest liturgical aberrations that sometimes find their ways into programs in some parishes especially at so-called retreat and Open-Air events.
We wish to state unequivocally that the liturgy is an act of public worship celebrated in praise of God and not for enhancing the image or popularity of any minister. It is not the individual – priest or layman – or any particular group that celebrates the liturgy. The liturgy has its own history, rich tradition, unique rubrics and norms, which we cannot add to or subtract from without a due process.
We, hereby re-state that the following practices are not allowed, as a reminder:
- Issuing of account numbers apart from the hosting parish account to which moneys shall be paid for any purpose is prohibited.
- Selling of items such as candles, oil, salt, mustard seed, handkerchief, etc.
- Indiscriminate use of Sacramentals/oils during such programmes.
- Distribution of personal envelopes/forms for prayer requests with any amount of cash to be enclosed.
- Using of formulas and books that are not approved by the Church for blessing of various Sacramentals.
- Asking people to perform or carry out any profane exercise and/or rituals that are fetish in appearance.
- Blessing of items that are not religious articles such as crude oil, “back to sender oil”, “coconut oil”, etc.
- Disrespect for the Blessed Sacrament in the form of dancing to traditional drum beats in full vestments, walking along the aisles with the monstrance or carrying it with one hand with the other holding a microphone, etc.
- Requesting the people of God to throw money onto the sanctuary.
- Inviting people unto the sanctuary during fund-raising and launching.
- Unnecessarily keeping people very late in the Church.
- Soliciting for money for oneself, for private project or requesting for gifts, cars and other accessories. People should give voluntarily.
- Celebrating Mass or exposing the Blessed Sacrament in private homes.
- Celebrating Baptism and other sacraments in private homes.
- Organizing so-called harvest and bazaar in private homes, Event Centers or Hotels, etc.
- Invited priests bringing along the so-called ‘intercessors or ministers’ i.e. Lay persons meant to perform functions and brought along on the entourage of such priests. If there is any need, members of Prayer Groups in such parishes should be engaged.
In adherence to the principle that donors’ intentions must be respected, we instruct that stipends may be given to invited priests but it shall not be based on such an agreement as giving a percentage of funds generated for a given purpose to the priests so-invited.
The above regulations are made in order to preserve the integrity of the most precious gift of God to His Church and the distinctive patrimony of the Catholic Church. No one has a right to give an arbitrary interpretation to these guidelines different from what is expressed therein. We shall take serious exception to any such attempt and it shall not be taken lightly.
- FROM THE DIRECTORATE OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION:
i. Registration for Catechism: The registration age for Catechism is now six (6) years old as against seven (7) years old mentioned in the May circular. The registration at Age 6 will be into the Prayer class which will last for one (1) year while at age seven (7), the catechumen will begin preparations for First Holy Communion. The child/children must be duly registered in the company of their parents for the prayer class and then they must be properly prepared for all the sacraments as scheduled.
ii. Catechism Classes will henceforth hold ONCE A WEEK (Saturday or Sunday); a day each for those preparing for First Holy Communion and Confirmation. Parents are required to teach their children on the alternate days in the family catechetical session as laid out in the approved syllabus. Everyone should please note that the period of catechetical instruction in preparation for the sacraments shall not be less than TWO (2) YEARS.
iii. There should be a COMPULSORY meeting of parents, catechists, and parish priests to review progress and help out where necessary to clarify some challenging questions or topics while teaching the children.
- LATE MONSIGNOR PETER OKE MEMORIAL MASS: This is to bring to our notice that the One Year Memorial Mass for Msgr. Peter Oke comes up on Wednesday, 17th July, 2024 at St. Stephen Catholic Church, Iwaya by 10:00am. Let’s us all come together to offer Mass and prayers for the continuous repose of his soul and the souls of the faithful departed.
- FAMILY WEEK 2024: The annual family week begins in the Archdiocese of Lagos from 28th July to 4th August 2024. The theme is “Strong Catholic Families: Stronger Intimate Community of Life and Love”. The schedule for the week is as follows:
Day 1- Sunday, July 28th: The Marks of Strong Catholic Families (Celebration of the Elderly and Grandparents)
Day 2- Monday, July 29th: Destructive Lifestyles Affecting Marital Love and Family
Day 3- Tuesday, July 30th: Fostering Vocations in a Catholic Family: The Role of Parents and Guardians
Day 4- Wednesday, July 31st: Special Care for the Poor and Vulnerable Members of our Families
Day 5- Thursday August 1st: Peaceful Parents, Happy Siblings
Day 6- Friday, August 2nd: Widowhood: The widows and the Widowers in our Parishes and Chaplaincies
Day 7- Saturday, August 3rd: Catholic Couples Forum
Day 8- Sunday, August 4th: Closing mass in Parishes, Collection for the work of Family and Human Life Unit, Gifting Sunday, Renewal of Vows, and Special Family Blessings.
Everyone is invited to the thought-provoking Family and Human Life Unit (FHLU) conference that inaugurated the Annual Family Week. Conference Theme: Overcoming Today’s Challenges in the Family. Date: Saturday, July 27th 2024. Time: 10:00am prompt. Venue: St. Anthony Catholic Church Gbaja, Surulere.
- APPLICATION FOR ANTHONY CARDINAL OKOGIE FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP: We wish to inform all interested applicants that the Application Form for the Anthony Cardinal Okogie Foundation Scholarship can be obtained from the Archdiocesan Website. Applicants are requested to click on the following link: http://www.lagosarchdiocese.org/down/g14.pdf to download the forms, fill and submit them to the Chancery.