A SEMINAR ON marriage was on 27 February organised for the priests at St Gabriel’s, Mokola, Ibadan, which formed a part of the ongoing formation for both priests and religious in the  archdiocese of Ibadan.

Discussants at the seminar were Rev. Frs Clement Emerue, director of Religious Education, and Ezekiel Owoeye, parish priest of Seat of Wisdom, U.I.  Rev. Fr Paul Asawale, parish priest of St Andrew’s, Oke Bola, was the moderator.

On the “Importance of adequate prenuptial catechesis,” V. Rev. Msgr Theophilus Fadeyi, parish priest of St Cyprian’s, analysed the remote, proximate and immediate preparations for marriage.

Msgr Fadeyi suggested that the Local Church should designate places in the deaneries where those preparing for marriage could undergo a robust course at different times of the year.

He also recommended the use of the newly presented catechism books on Human Life, Family and Marriage by the Ibadan provincial bishops for marriage course, agreeing that more needs be done in helping couples on life after wedding.

 Rev. Fr Emerue, who discussed “Avoiding Abuses during liturgical celebration of the sacrament of matrimony,” took the priests through the structure of the ceremony for a catholic wedding within the Mass. Fr Emerue urged priests to always follow the prescribed liturgical guidelines for the celebration of the sacraments of the Church.

Rev. Fr Owoeye, in a paper titled: “Documentations in Catholic marriages: Processes and procedure,” said that the older priests should make effort to mentor the younger ones on the required documents for the valid celebration of the sacrament of matrimony. The documents as well as process, he said, should be harmonised for uniformity and that in the course of routine inspection, those who do not comply with the regulations of the archdiocese should be sanctioned.

In his vote of thanks, V. Rev. Fr Gregory Oyelami, Vicar General, appreciated Rev. Fr Paul Asawale, who moderated the papers presented as well as the presenters.

Fr Oyelami also acknowledged all who worked for the success of the event, without leaving out the 79 diocesan and religious priests working in parishes within the archdiocese particularly for actively participating in the question-and-answer session.

-Margaret Obogo