On this day, as the Universal Church celebrates the memorial of St. Francis of Assisi, the entire
Seminary Community of in-house Formators, the Superiors and Formators of Sister Religious
Houses of formation, the external Academic Staff, Administrative Staff, as well as the Non-
academic Staff of the Seminary and all Seminarians (both Diocesan and Religious), gathered in
the Seminary chapel for the Inaugural Mass, which officially signals the commencement of the
2023/2024 Academic/Formative Session. The liturgical celebration of the Holy Mass was
presided over by the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Osogbo, His Excellency, Most. Rev. John
Akinkunmi Oyejola. In his homily, Bishop Oyejola reminded the Seminarians of the goal of
Seminary formation, which is basically “the acquisition of skills and character necessary for a
fruitful priestly ministry.” More so, the Inaugural Mass allowed all the Formators present to
renew the oath of office and fidelity to the Catholic faith and teaching as they carry out their
formative and teaching missions in the Seminary.

The second segment of the Inaugural ceremony took place in the Seminary’s Auditorium, where
all gathered for a customary Inaugural Talk, which was delivered by Rev. Fr. Dr. Melchizedek
Okpala, the newly appointed Acting Head of the Department of Philosophy, on the theme: The
Allegory of the Cave: Configuring the Disciples to Christ. The talk was ably moderated by Prof.
Isaac Ukpokolo from the premier University of Ibadan, who also doubles as an Adjunct
Professor in the Department of Philosophy of the Seminary. While delivering the lecture, Fr.
Melchizedek reiterated that Seminary formation is a sacred life-long journey that leads people to
become good disciples of Christ. Christ himself always initiates this call to discipleship as
against the ancient Jewish tradition in which the disciples or pupils chose their own preferred
Rabbi (master or teacher). The Inaugural Ceremony ended with the unveiling of the Session’s
Academic and Formative focus for 2023/2024 session, aptly titled, Christ our Model:
Formation as a Journey of Discipleship and Configuration.