Fr. Adebusuyi celebrates 25th ordination

St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Idanre, Ondo Diocese, the venue of the celebration, was filled to the brim as the bishop of the diocese, Most Rev. Jude Arogundade, reverend fathers, religious, friends, relatives, admirers far and near, gathered to celebrate with the celebrant.Fr. Adebusuyi born to the family of late Mr and Mrs Stephen Adebusuyi was […]

St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Idanre, Ondo Diocese, the venue of the celebration, was filled to the brim as the bishop of the diocese, Most Rev. Jude Arogundade, reverend fathers, religious, friends, relatives, admirers far and near, gathered to celebrate with the celebrant.
Fr. Adebusuyi born to the family of late Mr and Mrs Stephen Adebusuyi was ordained a Catholic priest on December 16 1989 by Bishop Emeritus of the diocese, Most Rev Francis Folorunso Alonge at the Sacred Heart Cathedral Akure.
Members of the Catholic Women Organisation, Catholic Youth Organisation of Nigeria (CYON) added glamour to the celebration as they staged different local dances to thrill those that graced the ceremony.
The attendees came from different stations and parishes where the celebrant had served since he was ordained.
Students of St. Gregory College, Ikare-Akoko and the church’s choir sang melodious songs to the admiration of the people who danced and praised God for sparing the life of Fr. Adebusuyi, who is being popularly addressed as Fr. Tony.
In his homily, Rev Fr. Jude Asanbe thanked God for the life of Fr. Adebusuyi, whom he referred to as “a true man of God, a dedicated and committed priest.”
He added: “Fr Tony is a priest who is very anxious to be spent and spend for God. We celebrate a priest who never bothers about where he is posted; he is ever ready to serve God wherever he is posted to willingly.”
Fr. Asanbe, who lectures at CIWA, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, however gave a note of warning to Fr. Adebusuyi, who many regard as ‘workaholic.’
Fr. Asanbe said: “I encourage you to slow down, learn to take your rest. You have to rest and pay particular attention to your health.”
The homilist, who quoted from Canon Law 528, part 1and the Holy Bible admonished his brother priests to always imitate our Lord Jesus Christ, who as a Good Shepherd “cares for His sheep.”
He urged priests to always identify with their parishioners adding that “the Church mandates the pastors to know those in their care, and to care for them.”
Fr Asanbe also expressed worry over some Catholic priests who are tilting towards pentecostal way of worship.
He warned that Catholic priests should guide against “neo pentecostalism and tendency of excessive industriousness” as directed by Pope Francis.
“I encourage us, let us rejuvenate Christian value of our calling and identify with the pastoral concern of the Church.”
To Catholics, Fr Asanbe urged them to always pray for and support their priests in the work of evangelisation adding that all baptised Catholics had been given the power to preach the gospel.
Bishop Arogundade, in his brief remarks at the colourful ceremony said the celebrant deserved celebrating “because he has given so much to the service of God.”
He added: “Fr. Tony has been very faithful to the mission entrusted to him 25 years ago. I thank him for two reasons. One, his ability to give to the grass roots and bring people to participate in his own programmes. Secondly, just recently I was here to commission 42 catechists and administered the sacrament of confirmation on over 100 candidates, to me he is doing his work with all his energy and strength. Let’s put our talents together and use it in the service of God,” the bishop said.
He lauded Fr. Adebusuyi for the achievements the diocese has recorded in areas where he had worked.
The joyous Fr Adebusuyi, in his appreciation, expressed gratitude to all his well-wishers for the love they expressed to him.
He added: “Thanks be to God, through thin and thick I have no regret being a priest. My only shortcoming is that I have not done enough of all I conceived to do. My wish was to be a missionary to the people of the Catholic Diocese of Ondo. If the S.M.A fathers could come and evangelise us and brought with them such great institutions as schools, hospitals and social services how much more we the people of the soil. We should continue from where the missionaries stopped. This is the passion that drove Fr. Tony to do what he does everywhere he has worked and lived. Since being a priest, I am filled with joy to have been allowed to join the workforce of the diocese helping in my little way, to make being Catholic a lot desirable, fulfilling and eternally rewarding.”