Sense of Mission is Essential to Every Institute On this joyous occasion of the Golden Jubilee of the arrival of the first Dominicans in Yaba, I am happy to greet the Provincial, Father Thomas McDermott, the Prior and community of St. Dominic's, Yaba, and all brothers and sisters of the Dominican Family in Nigeria and Ghana.
It was not always clearly understood that "a sense of mission is essential to every Institute", and that "consecrated persons are 'in mission' by virtue of their very consecration" (Vita Consecrata, 72). At a time when many Churchmen believed that the missionary apostolate was the preserve of missionary orders, such as the CSSp, or apostolic societies, such as the SMA, a group of Dominicans from America landed in Lagos to add their own specific witness to the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ in this country. They arrived, on the invitation of Archbishop Leo Taylor, SMA, just a year after the establishment of the Archdiocese of Lagos and were given the then remote suburb of Yaba as their field of evangelisation.
Fifty years later, the thriving Province of St. Joseph the Worker, of the Order of Preachers, OP, celebrates her humble origins and, has, fittingly, chosen St. Dominic's Parish, Yaba, as the venue for the Golden Jubilee celebration. It is clear that the first Dominican priests and brothers to come to Nigeria understood the missionary nature of their vocation. They were not long in Lagos when, in 1953, one of their number was appointed Prefect Apostolic of the new Prefecture of Sokoto. They also helped in staffing SS Peter & Paul Major Seminary, Ibadan for many years. Thus, in moving out from the capital city, the early Dominicans were true to their name, an Order of Preachers, and to the charism of their holy founder. Moreover, they set a precious example of missionary commitment for the future.
I am glad to hear that the history of the past fifty years, in both Nigeria and Ghana, has now been written. Here in St. Dominic's, you have in the person of Fr. Ambrose Windbacher, a link with the past and if I may say so, an inspiration for the future. I heartily congratulate the brothers of this Province on reaching this Golden Jubilee and pray that their witness to consecrated life may, in future years, be equally fruitful for there and for the Church.
Archbishop Osbaldo Padilla,
Apostolic Nuncio
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