As it is customary, the First Tuesday of every month is reserved for the Rector’s Conference. A gathering through which he meets formally with the entire student body to deliberate and set attune the ongoing formation process and the discernment of vocations.

The Rector, Rev. Fr. Francis Adesina expressed deep sentiment of appreciation and acknowledgement of the efforts put in to ensuring a successful hosting of the Episcopal Seminaries’ Commission Meeting and the solemn blessing and commissioning of the Maurice Maguire Administrative Block.

He chose to reflect on the call to holiness vis-à-vis this year’s formation theme (i.e. Integrity, docility and interior life in priestly formation). The call to priesthood is an implicit call to holiness, not a superficial appearance, but that which shows itself in good works, moral uprightness and self control. He accentuated the necessity of integrity expressed in truthfulness in all facets of human life, but more for a priest, a minister of the mysteries of God.

On another note and with great enthusiasm, the Rector announced the outstanding achievement attained by one of the seminarians of Saints Peter and Paul Major Seminary, Bodija, Ibadan, now Rev. Bennett Umeh of Abuja Archdiocese who won the first prize of the Catholic Major Seminaries Essay Competition, the first of its kind, conducted by the Interfaith Centre for Sustainable Development (ICSD) and the Salesian Pontificial University, Jerusalem. Rev. Benneth’s essay, “The Potential of Renewable Energy for Sustainable Development: A Reflection on the Basis of Church’s Energy Ethics” was judged to be the best of all essays submitted because it was a “strong combination of personal narrative and insights into Catholic Teachings.” A review of his essay shows that Rev. Benneth, a Bodija trained Seminarian, beautifully weaves experience and theology with a highly compelling simplicity of diction and clarity of expression to show his integration and internalization of Church Doctrines and Life, a dearth hard to find anywhere today.

Furthermore, in anticipation of the official visit of Most Rev. Augustine Obiora Akubeze, the Metropolitan of Benin and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) to his Alma Mater, the Rector implored all seminarians and formators to get ready for this pastoral visit and by making the event worthwhile and memorable for the seminary community.