Don’t use hard drugs, Bishop Odetoyinbo warns youths, administers sacrament of confirmation on 332 candidates in Ogun
CHIGOZIE AMADI
The Bishop Catholic Diocese of Abeokuta, Most Rev. Dr. Peter Odetoyinbo on Sunday administered the sacrament of confirmation on 332 Catholics at St. Brendan Catholic Church Ijoko in the Ado Odo/Ota local government area of Ogun State with a charge on the youths in the country to shun evil acts and the use of hard drugs.
He particularly tasked the faithful, who newly received the sacrament to imbibe the fear of God in all circumstances and not to take such hard drugs as cocaine, heroine, ice, cloud, colorado, India hemp and trammadol amongst others in order not to “destroy yourselves, your future, the property of your parents and their investment in your education”, as well as constituting nuisance to the larger society.
The Bishop, who asked the candidates to name the hard drugs, possibly to clear all doubts regarding their innocence of the harmful substances, also urged parents not to lead their children astray by indulging in evil activities or substance abuse, admonishing that “don’t smell what you don’t eat”, insisting that good parental care makes it mandatory for them to guide their wards with commitment and responsibility and do what is right always.
According to him, the candidates by their confirmation which makes them complete Christians, complete Catholics and soldiers of Jesus Christ, have received the seven gifts of the the Third Person of Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit, namely “wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord” even as he emphasized on the spiritual benefits of the “fear of God which is the beginning of wisdom”.
Bishop Odetoyinbo argued that it was not happen chance that both the First Reading taken from the book of Numbers 12: 25-29 and Gospel Reading according to Mark 9: 38-48 of the Bible dwelt on persons prophesying in God’s name to the amazement of witnesses during the era of Moses in the Old Testament in Israel and and exorcizing in Jesus name which the disciples of Christ kicked against in the New Testament.
He said by their admission into the blessed sacrament, they have declared total war against all evil and vices including immorality, fornication, adultery, corruption, lack of faith in God, financial crimes like advance fee fraud, yahoo that will derail them from the path of attaining eternal salvation in heaven which is the goal of every Christian.
The Bishop, before laying his hands on the heads of the catechumens which signified their formal solemn admission to the sacrament in his homily, also reflected on the Second Reading taken from the Letter of Saint James (James 5:1-6), to address the current social and economic challenges in the country and asked the candidates and the entire Parishioners: Are we oppressed? Are we hungry? Is there corruption? Are the rich getting richer and poor getting poorer? To which all present responded with an emphatic yes.
According to him, “There is consolation for us in the Second Reading because God is aware and that is why the condemnation” for the oppressors. “So if God is aware of our situation, God is going to fight for us, people are not getting what they deserve and not paid their wages after working for their employers because you belong to All Progressives Congress, APC; Peoples Democratic Party, PDP; APGA and Labour Party. But those of us under the shackles of pain and oppression, God is telling us that God is going to take vengeance”
He further admonished the catechumens to be mindful of the significance of the confirmation which should not be treated lightly after going through the catechism classes adding that they were prepared for the all important sacrament.
“You want the fullness of grace and all the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. It’s not just about passing your catechesis; what about your hearts? Do you have the fear of God? Are you prepared to stand for God, proclaim His name for the rest of your life? Because you can’t give what you don’t have”, the Bishop declared.
According to him, God has endowed every confirmed Catholic with the seven gifts which means that they are never alone in their journey of faith but they must have the fear of God in their utterances and conduct as a precondition for the other gifts.
Earlier, the Parish Priest, the Very Rev Stephen Sobiye had told the Bishop that the catechumens have been assessed and found worthy to receive the sacrament after undergoing the mandatory catechesis.
The Bishop also blessed the new Chapel of Adoration with of the Church.
Also yesterday, Bishop Odetoyinbo laid the foundation stone for a new Church building at St Paul Catholic Church Oyero, an outstation of St Brendan Catholic Church Ijoko.
