Dear highly Esteemed Leaders and Fellow Councilors, our very beloved Laity Patrons & Patroness, and Chairmen & Board Members of the Know Your Faith Program, Season of Gratitude and Renewed Commitment 2025.
As the year 2024 draws to a close, I write on behalf of this noble Deanery Laity Council and Executives to express our profound gratitude and heartfelt appreciation for your unwavering support and trust throughout the year as we move our Deanery Laity to a greater height. Your purposeful and intentional leadership, selfless contributions, tireless efforts, and unrelenting passion have been the driving force behind our collective success and the positive impact we have created in our dear Deanery.
Socrates, one of the greatest philosophers, says that “an unexamined life is not worth living”. This season and as the year ends today, we have taken a moment to take stocks, examine, and reflect on our journey so far, and all that we have accomplished together, particularly, this year 2024. We started by rolling out our integrated Year Plan 2024, presented it to the Chaplain and the Dean, and it was approved. Apart from the Archdiocesan Laity Council and Lay Apostolate Centre programs, we had proposed three major programs for the Deanery Laity, and two have been successfully executed thus.
1. First ever One-Day Deanery Laity Retreat for All Laity Council Officers, Societies/Lay Apostolate Organizations Officers at Parishes & Deanery, held on the 30th of March 2024 at Regina Pacis Catholic Church, Sangotedo.
2. We have presented our 2025 Integrated Year Plan of Activities to the Chaplain, and have been published for your use, while developing your Group’s program for 2025.
3. In the spirit of consistency, we held the 2nd Annual Deanery Laity/1st Ever Cultural Day Celebration/Investiture – to display our remarkable talents, cultural backgrounds, and heritage which depict our uniqueness and strength in diversity and promote the spirit of charity, bond of love, and unity in our Deanery.
The event was also held to cement the vision of our able Dean in the areas of development, as the Laity are the motivating force in the realization of our common goals.
We also use the event to recognize our lovely brothers and sisters who have done well through their sterling contributions, quality & voluntary service to the Church in our Deanery.
4. The third program is the 1st Annual General Meeting which would now be held on the 1st March 2025 – it would be an expanded family meeting, giving everyone the opportunity to make valuable contributions to the continuous growth of the Deanery as the Dean of the Deanery would be seated in the Meeting.
5. Through our carefully thought-out programs, more awareness of the Laity Council and her activities has been created across the Deanery.
We started by rolling out our integrated Year Plan 2024, presented it to the Chaplain and the Dean, and it was approved.
Apart from the Archdiocesan Laity Council and Lay Apostolate Centre programs, we had proposed three major programs for the Deanery Laity, and two have been successfully executed thus.
Other items worthy of mentioned are;
1. Achieved 75% debt recovery from Parishes/PLCs in the Deanery due to the DLC’s/Chaplain’s/Dean’s magnanimity in approving the 40% debt reduction
2. Continued to maintain a Clean Bill (Zero Debt) with the Archdiocesan Laity Council and Lay Apostolate Centre; we have even paid up our 2025 Annual Dues to the Archdiocese.
3. We have participated and fully represented the Deanery with good number of Leaders in all the Archdiocesan programs such as;
Areas of Improvement/Challenges
1. Know Your Faith Program: This program was instituted to encourage the youths as well as offer them the opportunity to continue to learn more about the Church teachings, Sacred Scriptures, Magisterium, Sacred Traditions, etc, so that they can keep that close ties with the Mother Church and her faith; This program could not hold this year 2024. We are hoping that the Board that govern and drive this program would do all in their power and mandate to revive this program this year 2025.
2. Debts: We would keep encouraging Parishes, PLCs and OSAs on the need to meet their financial obligations and stay commitment to the ideals of the Council; Notably, by the end of today 31st December 2024, the Debt owed by Regina Caeli Catholic Church, Bogije would be reversed to 100% NGN 323,475 (being the initial amount owed before the debt reduction campaign), and that of Queen of Apostles Catholic Church, Lakowe, would also be reversed to NGN165,870 having paid NGN80,000 in December 2024.
3. 5th Sunday Laity Collections Remittance: We are grateful to those PLCs who have been very faithful in consistently remitting the 5th Sunday Collections, however, we are not really doing well in this aspect. It is either PLCs remit what they have decided to give which may not be based on the approved statutory percentage (20%) sharing or they don’t remit it at all, even as it is a mandate from the Archbishop himself.
4. Dues: We thank the PLCs, Societies and Lay Apostolate Organizations for being so faithful and committed to payment of their dues. We are also not doing well in the payment of dues, as some Groups do not care at all; the reason we find it not so pleasing to respond to them when they call on us for support. Because you cannot harvest from where you did not sow. We all have to be financially committed so that when you need support the Council can also respond with joy. We are therefore pleading and appealing to those PLCs and OSAs to do all they can to clear their dues and stay financially free with the Council.
5. Reports/Meetings: We have educated ourselves on the need to attend meetings as well as send in your report and timely too. It is an obligation and one of the very reasons you were elected. We need to improve in this aspect this coming year 2025.
The Lookahead Activities
On the lookahead, we are seriously planning to execute these programs before the election and our handover to the New Leadership between April/May 2025;
1. 1st Epe Deanery Annual General Meeting on 1st March 2025: In this Annual General Meeting it is compulsory that all PLCs, Societies and Lay Apostolate Organizations submit/present their comprehensive report (including detailed account statements), a banded copy. We appeal to all to begin putting this together from today, 31st December 2024. We shall also welcome passed leaders since the creation of Epe Deanery in that Meeting.
2. Election Year: Election seminar and awareness would be organized in February 2025 together with the Lekki Region to keep incoming leaders abreast of their duties and purpose of Leadership.
3. Epe Deanery Laity Website/Social Media Handles: We are developing a Robust Website for the Epe Deanery Laity – To be launched in the Annual General Meeting in March 2024.
4. Leading for Mission Training: As we approach the Election year (yr.2025), an online registration for the all-inclusive leadership training is being circulated for registration. We appeal once again to all PLC Chairmen/Secretaries and Deanery Coordinators/Secretaries to do the needful by publishing the online registration form on all Churches platforms as well as reach out to Group’s head personally for all Lay faithful including potential leaders to register for this training. Completion of this training is a preliquisite to standing in for election next year 2025. All PLC Chairmen and Secretaries and Deanery Coordinators who have not done this training MUST register for it and complete this training. We need those who are knowledgeable and committed to the life of service to take over from us. May God help us all in Jesus Name. Amen.
5. Other Activities are Pastoral Leadership Training and Epe Deanery Get-Together/Gala Night; these would likely be executed by the incoming leadership as they pleased.
We use this medium to pray for the repose of all the Laity Leaders and lay faithful at various levels who have left us to be with the Lord. May their souls and the souls of the faithful departed through the merch of God rest in peace. Amen.
In all of these, my dear leaders, Councilors, Patrons and Patroness, we celebrate your sacrifices, commitment, love, unity, focus for growth, resilience, relentless effort, hardwork, and collective wins, and look forward to the future.
In looking Ahead to year 2025, we would circulate our calendar (Integrated Year Plan 2025) once again, so that you can key into it and mark your calendars if you have not done so.
As we step into year the year 2025, our resolve is to deepen and drive continuous Growth and foster Unity stronger like never before.
We are committed to building on the successes of the year 2024 by seeking more opportunities for our collective good and spiritual growth as noble Council members, as well as encouraging the Parish Laity Councils and Deanery Societies and Lay Apostolate Organizations to do same, irrespective of the trying times.
We thank our Dean, Rt. Rev Monsignor Gabriel Amolegbe, our indefatigable Chaplain, Very Rev. Fr. Michael Kendra Etegene, our high esteemed Patrons and Patroness, our able PLC Chairmen, Deanery Coordinators, and Secretaries (PLC & OSAs), and Board Members of the Know Your Faith Program, for all their sacrifices and commitment to the growth of the Laity and the Church.
Your support has been instrumental in making the year 2024 a Resounding success, and we are sincerely grateful.
Thank you for standing with us this year and helping to drive the positive change we desire.
We pray that our Mother Mary the Star of Christianity and great intercessors would continuously intercede for us even as we enter the Year 2025 through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Wishing you and your beautiful families an impactful and prosperous new year.
Warm Regards
Patrick Ekpat Chairman,
Deanery Laity Council
For DLC Executives.