Amidst the present reality of the suffering and challenges posed to the world by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Catholic Church did not hesitate to commemorate the Mission Sunday for the Year 2020. This year’s celebration, which took place on the 18^th October, 2020, had the theme: Here am I, send me (Is 6:8). The Holy Father, Pope Francis admonished all Christ’s faithful and reiterated the truth that the missionary journey of the whole Church continues in light of the words found in the account of the calling of the prophet Isaiah: “Here am I, send me” (6:8). He emphasized that it is an invitation to step out of ourselves and communicate God’s love to our neighbour.

The Seminary of Ss. Peter and Paul did not dissociate herself from this celebration, as she also organized a Mission Outreach on this day. The celebration began with the Holy Mass at 7:00am, presided over by Rev. Fr. Daniel Koumah. In his homily, he emphasized the importance of mission and the obligation to exercise the missionary mandate of Christ even amidst the current pandemic. Following the celebration of the Holy Mass was the Mission Sunday Outreach, which took place in the Seminary Auditorium. Constrained by the current pandemic, the seminary community observed this year’s Mission Sunday Outreach with a different approach. It was basically a strictly internal event reserved to just the seminarians and formators of the seminary. In his welcome address, the Rector, Rev. Fr. Anthony Ovayero Ewherido, called everyone’s attention to the reality of an existential degradation and impending ecological doom, with the need for us to take part in God’s sustaining mission as co-creator and co-sustainers. He therefore emphasized the need for an Eco-Mission and Eco-Hospitality. Hence, our missionary initiative should move us to sustainable ways of caring for the human environment, as well as explore the different ways in which the truths of the gospel adequately respond to the present day ecological questions. Such missionary endeavor will also not undermine the pains of humanity, with special reference to the situation of Nigerians, well wrapped in the current End SARS protest.  

During the course of the celebration, the lecture titled Faith and the Bible: A Fundament for Christian Mission was also delivered by Rev. Fr. Francis Adelabu. He emphasized that in keeping to the Pope’s call to step out of ourselves for love of God and neighbours, there is the necessity of such an action to be motivated by faith and oriented towards bringing others to the faith. The event was definitely worthwhile, even with the peculiarity of this year’s celebration.