…Says confirmation candidates whose godparents are absent is at risk of been stepped down
By Adeyinka Adeniran
Thr Bishop of Ibadan North (Anglican) Diocese, Dr Williams Aladekugbe had warned Priests in the Diocese to desist from practices that negates the cherished culture of worship of the Church.
This is as he also warn any prospective Confirmation candidate whose parents, godparents or spouses are not at such services is at a risk of been stepped down until when they will be present for such service.
He said the call and warnings became imperative in view of the actions of some Priests who are engaging in rising trends of worship and practices that are against the instituted traditions of service of the Anglican Church.
Particularly, he condemn the situation where Parishes hold services during the Holy Week of Lent and situations where Priests fails to hold service as expected on special days, especially the Holy Week.
He said weddings and major or elaborate celebrations are to be deferred until after lent
He urged Priests to desist from holding revivals and any of such programmes during the Holy Week of the Lenten period, warning that any Priest who is found culpable after the warning will be shown the exit door.
Bishop Aladekugbe said, “The Lenten season, which traditionally begins on Ash Wednesday is usually a quiet sober and penitential season in the Church, at which time we encourage people to focus on repentance and spiritual discipline.
“It is accompanied with a forty-day fasting which terminates on Easter eve. Only Sundays are excluded from fasting. This is an age-long tradition of the Church and I wish to plead with our Clergy and members not to do anything to diminish the importance of this season.
“Kindly note that weddings and major or elaborate celebrations are to be deferred until after lent.
“The Holy Week is specifically for a purpose. The days of the week remind us of the activities of the last week of Jesus Christ. The services on such days should not be substituted with revival services.
“There are majorly two services on Good Friday-9:00am-10:00am and then 12:00 noon to 3:00pm. Our Clergy are to adhere to the tradition and liturgy of the Church. Please do not remove the ancient land mark (Prov. 22:28).”
Speaking on the Confirmation Service, the Bishop said it is becoming a trend for parents, godparents to abandoned their godchildren at such occasions, noting that the trend must calls for immediate reversal.
He said, “Confirmation is a special Church service in which a person confirms the promises that were made when they were baptized. If you were baptized at a christening when you were a child, your parents and godparents made these promises on your behalf.
“Confirmation developed out of the experience of the Church as a means to equip or arm the baptized for the challenges of Christian life.
“It has been the practice of our Church that at the occasions of confirmation, the parents and godparents of the candidates are present at such services to be witnesses and to publicly see the candidates accepting the responsibilities they stood as sureties when they were baptized.
“Today, many of the parents, godparents and spouses abandon these candidates. This is not part of our cherished tradition.
“Henceforth, any candidate whose parents (where applicable), godparents or spouses are not at such services(s) will have the rite stepped down until when they will be present for such service”, the Bishop warned.
