2021  SEMINARIANS' ANNUAL REUNION

THE CONGREGATION OF SONS OF THE TWO HEARTS OF LOVE OF JESUS AND MARY

Venue:  St. Scholastica Benedictine Abbey (Monastery), Umuoji, Anambra State, South-East, Nigeria

Date:  Tues. 7th September - Sat. 10th September 2021

PRELUDE

Annual reunion of Catholic Seminarians is a medium seminarians interact with their Bishops/ Superiors, Vocations' Directors and equally access the formation proceeds of a particular session or academic/formative year.

This gives the Bishops/ Superiors and Vocations' Directors  the opportunity to be close to their seminarians which enhances father - son relationship.

More so, annual reunion provides the seminarians the decorum to share among themselves their formation/pastoral experiences and challenges which usually spur  them to perceiver.

These formed the reasons of this year's reunion of our seminarians as it had been in the previous years.

EVENTS OF THE REUNION

ARRIVAL DAY

The reunion commensed with address of welcome by the Councilor in charge of formation and the Acting Vocations' Director, Rev.  Fr Johnbosco Azuaka SHL at 4pm. His address was short and heart rejuvenating as seminarians listened with rapt attention.  He admonished them to always lead the life worthy of their vocation as that is the only way they can cooperate with the Congregation and the Holy Spirit to descern their call. This short section ended with a Holy Mass at 6pm.

DAY ONE

FIRST CONFERENCE WITH THE VOCATIONS' DIRECTOR

THEME: DO NOT BE AFRAID

During the conference, Act. Vocations' Direvtor (AVD) used biblical periscope of 1st Samuel 3:1-18 to elucidate that God is the one that chooses and calls one to ministerial priesthood. Hence, no one should be afraid of not making it to priesthood since God chooses those he wants. He counseled that the  most indispensable attitude of a seminarian is docility  and humility as   evident in the life of Samuel.

At the expiration of the conference, the  AVD had one-on-one interaction with the seminarians where the seminarians had the opportunity to freely  talk out their fears to the AVD who skillfully counseled each one as a father.

DAY TWO  

CONFERENCE FACILITATED BY REV. FR JOEMARTINS EDEBEATU SHL

THEME: RELIGIOUS LIFE: A NOBLE VOCATION

Fr. Edebeatu, a seasoned religious counselor devoted much time explaining and reminding the seminarians our collective call to religious life. He emphersised that  the Evangelical Council  which are: Chastity, Poverty and Obedience are the three pillars of religious life which should always guide us and equally curb our excesses.

He enjoined everyone to be faithful to our religious vows as such will merit us  God's kingdom.

More so, in the evening  of this day,  the seminarians had the opportunity to renew their friendship with God through the sacrament of reconciliation.

DAY THREE

AUDIENCE WITH THE SUPERIOR GENERAL

The Superior General of the Congregation, Very Revd Fr Affusim  Matthew-Mary Chizoba SHL, had an audience with his seminarians. His speech conveyed an unalloyed gratitude to God for granting the congregation many successes which the concluded 2020/2021 academic/formative year was one of them. He equally thanked the seminarians for their steadfastness and their resilient spirit in supporting the Congregation to grow higher through their outstanding qualities seen in their reports.

Fr Superior General had a group discussions with different seminary communities our seminarians are studying. This chat enabled the communities to tell  the superior their peculiar challanges and possible achievements made.

Fr Superior General also had one  on one discussion with all the  seminarians.  This gesture equally boosted the confidence of the brothers (seminarians) as they talk  to a father who is ready to listen to them.

DAY FOUR

MASS OF CLOSURE AND RENEWAL OF VOWS

The mass of closure was presided by the Superior General, Very Rev. Fr  Affusim Matthew - Mary Chizoba SHL and  was concelebrated by the Councilor in charge of formation ( and the acting VD) Rev. Fr Johnbosco Azuaka SHL and the Local Superior of Makurdi community, Rev. Fr Moses Udechukwu SHL.  Fr Superior in the homily enjoined all the seminarians to live good and always act justly for we are called to be Christlike.

Moreover, the Seminarians approved to continue their formation renewed their religious vows  during the Holy Mass.

Towards the end of the Holy Mass, Act. Vocations' Director Fr Azuaka thanked the Superior General for his dedication and commitment towards the affairs  of the congregation and for spending much time listening to our seminarians as they interacted with him. He equally applauded the  Seminarians for their  comportment during the reunion as they were told to be good too in their various homes.

Benediction was given by the Superior General and that marked the end of the 2021 Reunion (SONS SHL).