With the completion of the second semester examinations for the 2019/2020 session on Friday, 20^th of November, 2020, the Seminary began in earnest, another session. Thus, the 2020/2021 academic/formation session was officially inaugurated by the Metropolitan Archbishop of Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province, Most Rev. Gabriel Leke Abegunrin (the chairman of the Seminary Commission) on Monday, 23^rd of November 2020.

The event began with the celebration of the Votive Mass of the Holy Spirit in the Seminary Chapel with Most Rev. Gabriel Leke Abegunrin, as the chief celebrant together with all formators and priests from other religious houses of formation. The event which started at 8:00am was graced by seminarians from religious houses of formation, diocesan seminarians, academic and domestic staff of the Seminary. During the homily, the Chief Celebrant encouraged the seminarians to keep the faith amidst present day societal irregularities, particularly the effect of the Corona Virus Pandemic. Emphasizing the uniqueness of vocation, he urged that every seminarian must take his vocation personal, for no two vocations are the same. The homily was immediately followed by the renewal of commitment to the task of formation by the formators who professed their faith and promise of obedience to the Church, before the Archbishop.

The second phase of the event was held in the Auditorium, featuring an Inaugural Talk delivered by Rev. Fr. Francis Adedara, the Dean of Studies and ably moderator by Sr. Florence Oso, EHJ. During the course of the event, there was an introduction of the new formator, Rev. Fr. Stephen Ogbeiye, from the Catholic Diocese of Uromi, who resumed the Seminary on January 2020.

At the lecture titled: “Continuity in the Rules of Interpretation and Theological Formation”, the discussant, having examined the task of the theologian and the expectations for the successful handling of his task, emphasized the need for theological formation to be rooted in a “hermeneutic of continuity”, and that the theologian should see his task as that of service to the integral truth of Scripture, Sacred Tradition and the Magisterium. He also noted that the study of the Fathers of the Church must be an integral part of this theological formation. It was indeed an enriching session, which was also flavored by the input of the audience in form of questions and contributions. What a great way to begin a new session!