Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass on the World Day of Prayer for Vocations and ordains ten new priests, inviting them to grow in communion with their parish communities and ensure that the Church remains welcoming to all people.

Vatican News

Pope Leo XIV ordained a group of ten priests at Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on Sunday, as the Church celebrated the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. 

At the Mass on 26 April, the Pope based his homily on the Gospel of John, recalling Jesus’ words: “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

He pointed to the generosity of the newly-ordained priests as a sign that this promise is still being lived today.

A ministry of communion

The Pope described priesthood as a “ministry of communion.” He stressed that a close relationship with Christ does not distance priests from others, but deepens their connection to all people.

“The deeper your bond with Christ, the more radical your belonging to humanity,” he said.

He also reflected on celibacy, comparing it to the love within marriage, which is something that requires care, renewal, and commitment over time.

This form of love, he added, should lead priests to become not only good ministers, but also responsible and constructive members of society.

Pope Leo incenses the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Mass   (@Vatican Media)

Facing reality without fear

Referring to the Gospel’s mention of thieves and robbers, the Pope acknowledged the presence of violence and instability in the world.

However, he stressed that Jesus does not withdraw in the face of danger, and neither should priests.

“Reality must not frighten us,” he said, calling this a key aspect of priestly life.

He warned that today’s search for security can lead to fear, division, and hostility. Instead, he encouraged the new priests to find their stability in Christ, rather than in their role or status.

Learning from the communities they serve

The Pope went on to highlight that the communities to which priests are sent are not empty or passive, but already marked by the presence of the Risen Christ.

“These communities will also help you to become saints,” he said.

He encouraged the ordinands to foster unity, helping people come together and creating spaces where individuals can experience the value of community life.

“I am the gate”

A central theme of the homily was Jesus’ image of Himself as the “gate.” The Pope recalled its historical reference in Jerusalem and linked it to Baptism and entry into the life of the Church.

He warned against placing obstacles in the way of those who seek to approach the faith.

“Do not block this gate,” he said, urging priests to ensure that the Church remains accessible.

Open Church, open mission

The Pope then insisted that priests should not act as gatekeepers who restrict access, but as “channels, not filters.”

In a context where many people feel distant from the Church, he encouraged them to keep doors open and to be ready both to welcome and to go out.

“You belong to everyone and are for everyone,” he said.

He also emphasized that the Church should not confine people, but help them engage more fully with life. Quoting the Gospel, he noted that those who are saved “enter, go out, and find pasture.”

Going out to meet people

Bringing his homily to a close, the Pope encouraged the new priests to engage with the wider world, including culture and everyday life.

He acknowledged that they may at times feel uncertain, but reminded them that the Good Shepherd guides the way.

Pope Leo concluded by pointing to the witness of trust in God, recalling the words of Psalm 23, and encouraging the new priests to carry that confidence into their ministry.

Nigerian preacher Jerry Eze drew millions of viewers worldwide on his LAST DAY OF THE MONTH PRAYERS tagged “GOD HAS SETTLED IT” a daily online prayer service, showcasing the growing global influence of his New Season Prophetic Prayers and Declarations (NSPPD) platform.

Broadcast live from Abuja at 7 a.m. on Monday and Tuesday the session ran under the theme “God Has Settled It — I Am in My New,” with participants joining from Nigeria, the United States, Britain, the Philippines and other countries.

Eze, founder of the Streams of Joy International church, has hosted the digital service every weekday since 2020, drawing a following through social media and YouTube. His slogan, “What God Cannot Do Does Not Exist,” has become a rallying cry for his supporters.

During the Monday and Tuesday’s last day of the month broadcast, users posted testimonies online of new jobs, family reconciliations, visa approvals and home purchases, reflecting the fervour that has helped turn the NSPPD into one of the most watched online prayer meetings in Africa.

Eze, 43, is part of a new wave of Nigerian pastors expanding their ministries beyond church walls by using technology to reach audiences across continents.

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More than 7,000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria since the start of the year, largely in attacks by Islamist militants and armed groups, according to a report published by the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety).

The rights group said 7,087 Christians were killed and 7,800 abducted between January 1 and August 10, an average of nearly 30 deaths per day. It cited Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and radicalized Fulani herdsmen as the main perpetrators of the violence, which has hit Nigeria’s northern and Middle Belt states hardest.

Communities have reported churches burned, homes destroyed, and farmland seized in what advocacy groups describe as an escalating campaign of persecution. Benue, Plateau, and Kaduna states were listed among the worst-affected regions.

Nigeria ranks sixth on the 2025 World Watch List of countries where Christians face the most severe persecution, according to Open Doors, an international advocacy group.

The government has intensified military operations in the north and Middle Belt, but critics say it has failed to protect vulnerable rural populations. Officials often argue that some of the violence is driven more by land disputes and banditry than by religion.

Christian advocacy groups have urged stronger international attention. “The scale of killings and abductions cannot be ignored,” Intersociety said in its report, warning that attacks are continuing “with devastating regularity.”

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The Catholic Men Organisation (CMO) of St. Agnes Catholic Church, Wuye District, Abuja, has concluded the 2025 edition of its Prize for Academic and Behavioural Excellence, an annual initiative aimed at rewarding hard work, discipline, integrity, and scholastic achievement among children of the parish.

Prizes and certificates of recognition were formally presented to winners during a brief ceremony held after Sunday Mass.

Now in its third year, the initiative was introduced in 2023 to extend the traditional role of fathers in guiding their children beyond individual homes and into the wider parish community. The prize also serves as encouragement for children whose fathers may not be present, ensuring they receive mentorship and recognition within the Church family.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Jude Nnadozie, President of the CMO of St. Agnes Parish, stressed the need for continued guidance in children’s lives.

“As fathers, we shape our children by guiding their academic, moral, and spiritual growth, while also leading by example. Beyond our individual homes, the CMO makes us one fatherhood, and the parish our family. We must therefore extend the same guidance and leadership to build a stronger faith community. This annual exercise helps us achieve that,” he said.

Highlights of the 2025 edition included:

– Recognition of over 50 children who participated in the summer academic excellence program.

– A brief talk on Dyslexia, emphasizing that less-than-excellent academic performance does not define a child’s potential or future success.

– Presentation of prizes and certificates of excellence to three winners each from the primary, secondary, and tertiary categories.

– A symbolic toast to the 2025/2026 academic year, encouraging students to sustain their efforts and contribute meaningfully to society.

The event enjoyed full support from Rev. Fr. Godwin Oje, the Parish Priest, as well as the Parish Council and the Catholic Women Organisation, reaffirming the Church’s commitment to education, moral upbringing, and nation-building.

About the CMO

The Catholic Men Organisation (CMO) is the umbrella body of all adult Catholic men in parishes across Nigeria, with structures at parish, diocesan, provincial, and national levels.

The CMO fosters spiritual growth, moral discipline, and active participation in the Church, while also extending mentorship and support to families and children.

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At a solemn Mass marking the 50th anniversary of the death and the 100th anniversary of the priestly ordination of St. Josemaría Escrivá, founder of Opus Dei, Most Rev. Ernest Obodo, Auxiliary Bishop of Enugu, delivered a homily on the theme “Duc in altum – Put out into the deep”, drawn from the Gospel of the day.

Bishop Obodo began by reflecting on how Jesus met people in their ordinary daily lives, not merely to perform miracles, but to preach the Word of God. Jesus found people hungry for the word but was looking for a platform to reach out to them before he found Peter’s boat. He noted how Christ used Peter’s fishing boat as a platform to reach the crowd, highlighting that evangelization begins with the ordinary—right where people live and work.

In that spirit, he praised St. Josemaría’s spirituality, which teaches that the world is not evil, for it was created good by God. “Running away from the world is a spirituality that is contrary to God’s will,” the bishop said, adding that Opus Dei promotes sanctification of the world from within, not escape from it.

Quoting St. Josemaría, he emphasized:

“You must realize now more than ever that God is calling you now to serve Him in and from the ordinary secular activities of human life. He waits for us every day in the laboratory, in the operating theatre, in the army barracks, in the university chair, in factories, in workshops, in the fields, in homes, and in the immense panorama of work. Understand this well, there is something holy, something divine, hidden in the ordinary situations, and it is up to each one of us to discover it.”

He also cited the Second Vatican Council, which affirms that all the faithful, regardless of state in life, are called to holiness.

Bishop Obodo commended the contributions of Opus Dei members in various fields such as banking, education, and agriculture, and urged them to extend their witness to areas in Nigeria that require urgent moral and ethical renewal—politics, the military, INEC, and the leadership of the police force. “We have a duty,” he stressed, “to sanctify our nation and proclaim the Gospel right from where we are.”

Reflecting further on the Gospel, he said “like Peter we are meant to obey the Lord who asked him to throw his net despite his failed efforts. Citing St. John Chrysostom, the bishop noted, “God does not need our efforts; He needs our obedience.” He lamented the growing lack of obedience in families, parishes, and institutions, urging a return to faithful trust in God.

He concluded with a reflection on generosity and divine reward, reminding the faithful that all we have belongs to God, who doesn’t need our permission to use it. “Jesus used Peter’s boat and later rewarded him with an abundant catch. As Scripture says, ‘Give, and it will be given to you… the measure you give is the measure you will receive’ (Luke 6:38).”

Bishop Obodo closed by affirming that the core message of St. Josemaría is the call to transform the world through holiness in the ordinary, beginning in the little corner where each person finds themselves.

**Report from The Choice Flame**

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