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By Vivian Onyebukwa
The Catholic Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos, Most Reverend Alfred Adewale Martins, has advised the newly ordained Priests to embrace technology.
Archbishop Martins stated this at the ordination of 11 Priests as part of the activities marking his 40th Ordination and 25th Episcopal anniversary, which took place at the Holy Mass Holy Cross Cathedral, Lagos. The Archbishop said that the 11 ordained priests, which 10 of them came from Lagos Archdiocese and one from the Claris Missionary, were born when the cyber space is alive and active. “I believed that the God is telling them to preach the word using the media that the Lord has made available at this time. I hope that we shall be seeing your hand and action that the Lord has provided using the media in this day like St Mathew on whose day you are being ordained. The ordination is coming on the Feast of Mathew, one of the Apostles, a great evangelist. One by his life, word, writing is also giving you an agenda that you must follow as priests. Preach the word by your word of mouth, life and writing”, the Archbishop admonished the newly ordained Priests.
He further charged them to avoid situations that can lead them away from their purpose in life, and should not forget all that they have learned. “My sons, you are now to be advanced to the order of Presbyterate. You must apply your energy to the duty of teaching in the name of Christ, the chief teacher. Share with all mankind the word of God you have received with joy. Mediate on the law of God, believe what you read, teach what you believe and put into practice what you teach. Let the doctrine you teach be the nourishment for the people of God. Let the example of your life attract the followers of Christ, so that by word and action you may build up the house which is God’s Church”.
He described them as elders not because of their age but by grace. He asked them to find sometime to read 1st Peter: Chapter 5: Verse 1. “That will tell you how you have become elders and how elders behave”, the Archbishop said.
Speaking about insecurity, the Archbishop described the kidnap of priests in the country as a demonstration of the challenge of insecurity in the country and asked the security agencies to rejig their approaches. “We have new people who have just been appointed. We expect new ways of dealing with the situation. They should use not just the regular ways of fighting crime, but also using modern ways of fighting crimes and criminalities. So we expect that new incentives will come up”.
He expressed the need for the government to find ways of engaging the non-state actors that are really part of the problem, especially the Eastern part of our nation, in such a way that whatever their grievances may be, solutions can be found to them and therefore, security of the nation can be better.
He decried cultism among the youths especially in the entertainment industry, referring to it as an expression of the fact that people are simply not ready to follow the narrow stake part to that which is right and good. “We can only encourage people to know that handwork, integrity, honesty and going through the normal means or roads is followed by all”, he said.
The newly ordained Priests were Rev Augustine Dodo, Rev Anthony Eze, Rev Benedict Emeka-Anike, and Rev Raphael Onah. Others included Rev Benjamin Oddi, Rev Peter Dennis-Ulasi, Rev Callistus Onyele, Rev Martin Igbadumhe, Rev Kizito Emenalo, Rev Emmanuel Eze, and Rev Christopher Ngbede.
