Tributes from Other Religious Superiors

DIOCESE OF ILORIN,
Bishop's House,
P. O. Box 686,
Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.

FELICITATIONS! FELICITATIONS! FELICITATIONS!

To God be the glory as we celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the Order of Friar preachers, the Dominicans in Nigeria and Ghana. I congratulate the Prior provincial Very Rev. Thomas McDermott O.P. and the entire members of the province of St. Joseph the Worker for this epoch making celebration. The Lord has done marvels through our prophetic ministry in various ways of the evangelical mission of the Church. Celebrating this Golden Jubilee in the year 2001, at the beginning of a new century, is a call to the renewal of our fraternity in the spirit of charity and unity. We should go back to the basics of Dominican spirituality and with the strength of the Holy Spirit face the challenges of the new century with Dominic's thirst for the salvation of souls and inflame the world anew with the light of Jesus in the New Millennium. The world is waiting for the Dominicans to set all people ablaze with the light of the Gospel.

BRAVO FOR WORK WELL DONE, BUT WORK WELL DONE MEANS THAT THERE IS STILL GREATER WORK TO BE BETTER DONE! Our task is first and foremost personal holiness, and apostolic mission of salvation of souls. We are duty bound to contemplate and to give to others the fruit of our contemplation in the proclamation of the Word in season and out of season. At this epoch of our life, let us not forget our Blessed Father's will for us. Before St. Dominic died he said: "Embrace true charity, preserve humility, treasure your poverty, this is my will to you." We sing the Magnificat with our Blessed Mother through whose intercession we still remain relevant to the Church and the world. TO GOD BE THE GLORY FOREVER AND EVER!

Brother Ayo-Maria ATOYEBI O.P ,
Bishop of Ilorin Diocese.



Catholic Diocese of Abeokuta,
Ibara, Abeokuta,Ogun State, Nigeria.

The Dominican Provincial Superior
Province of St. Joseph the Worker
Nigeria and Ghana.

Very Rev. & Dear Fr. McDermott,

Re: Dominican's Fifty Years in Nigeria

Sterling greetings from Abeokuta in the name of the Lord Jesus.

On behalf of the Clergy, Religious and Laity of the Diocese of Abeokuta, I heartily congratulate you and your Order on your 50th Anniversary in Nigeria. We thank God with you for the immense contribution that your confreres have made to the spread of the Good News and the growth of faith in our country. As we congratulate you for past achievements of your Order we can only ask you not to rest on your oars since the challenges of the present times are even more demanding than those of the past.

We pray that as your Order grows in number and the areas of your apostolate widen, you would continue to make quality contributions to the spiritual life of the people of God. It is my fervent prayer that your congregation will continue to enjoy the assistance of the Holy Spirit and also flourish anew in leaps and bounds.

Ad. Multos Annos.Yours in His service

+ Alfred Adewale Martins
Bishop,
Diocese of Abeokuta
October 10, 2000.



CATHOLIC SECRETARIAT OF NIGERIA
12th November 2000

CSN CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE ON THE OCCASION OF THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF THE DOMINICANS IN NIGERIA 1951-2001

The Management and Staff of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), wishes to congratulate the Dominicans in the province of St. Joseph the Worker, Nigeria and Ghana on the 50th anniversary of their presence and fruiful work in Nigeria. We thank God for the lucid witness, which the Order of preachers has borne to the Gospel of Christ among the peoples of our country, Nigeria. We pray that this celebration may inspire you to do even greater things for God and the establishment of His Kingdom. Ad Multos Annos.

Fr. Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo
For: Secretary General, CSN.


THE REDEMPTORISTS
Region of Nigeria

OFFICE OF THE REGIONAL SUPERIOR
14, University Crescent,
Bodija, Ibadan, Oyo State - Nigeria.

28 September, 2000

Dominicans of the Province of St. Joseph the Worker
Very Rev. Thomas McDermott,O.P.
Provincial
Yaba, Lagos, NIGERIA.

My Dear brothers in Christ,

Fifty years have passed since the first Dominicans came to Nigeria. Those early pioneers had great dreams for the future. Those dreams have been fulfilled, but in ways those early men never did foresee. God is wonderful. When you look around Nigeria today, there is hardly an area that the Dominicans have not touched in some way, and made some influence upon. You have every right to be very proud of your fifty years of history in this great land of God.

The Redemptorists arrived in Nigeria just thirteen years ago. I can say that we would not be where we are in our development, had it not been for the wonderful assistance of our brother Dominicans. We owe you a debt of gratitude.

From your extraordinary ministry at St. Dominic's in Yaba, to the Dominican Institute in Ibadan -- the Dominicans are definitely a guiding light in the Catholic Church of Nigeria. Your work in the Northern part of the country is well known, and certainly was the laying of the foundation of not only the Catholic Church, but of Christianity itself.

In the name of all your Redemptorist brothers here in Nigeria, I congratulate you on your fiftieth anniversary and pray that the Lord will continue to look down on you and guide you in all that you put your hands to.

Yours in the Redeemer,

William Cleary, C.Ss.R.
Regional Superior.



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