By Fr. Michael Nsikak Umoh
As the plenary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) entered Day-6, the Holy Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows was celebrated by Most Rev. Donatus Ogun, OSA, the Bishop of Uromi Diocese and the Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Benin City.
In his homily to the assembly of prelates, clergy, religious, and lay faithful gathered in the Chapel of Our Lady & St. Kizito Pastoral Centre in Ede, the Bishop offered a profound reflection on human suffering, pastoral betrayal, and the boundless reach of God’s compassion.
Drawing deeply from the theology of the Cross and the mystery of Our Lady of Sorrows, Bishop Ogun challenged the faithful to re-examine how human limits and ecclesiastical titles frame our understanding of God’s salvific plan. While Christological titles such as Saviour, Anointed One, Son of David, and Redeemer capture the reality of Jesus’ divine identity, the Bishop noted that Marian titles evolved precisely as reflections of her total union with her Son’s passion.
Addressing the deep grief of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Bishop Ogun observed that her experience highlights the intrinsic limits of human understanding. When Christ was rejected, tortured, and executed, Mary faced a sorrow that challenged all standard expectations of triumph and glory. Yet, in that place of heartbreak, her faith called her to surrender to God’s bigger picture; a trust that ultimately paved the way for the Resurrection.
Turning to the contemporary realities of the Church, the prelate drew a poignant parallel between Mary’s maternal grief and the heavy burdens borne by shepherds in pastoral ministry. He noted that today’s priestly and episcopal ministry is increasingly complex, shrouded in uncertainty, and tested by blurred, painful situations. Among the deepest wounds experienced in ministry, Bishop Ogun emphasised, is the sorrow of betrayal; especially when it originates from close allies, trusted clerics, and key collaborators. Such acts strike at the very heart of pastoral brotherhood, making the burden of leadership extraordinarily heavy.
Yet, rather than responding with bitterness or condemnation, the Bishop issued a passionate exhortation for divine mercy and solidarity. He urged the Church to resist the temptation of hasty judgment and instead extend a healing hand to all priests, including those who are laicized, facing hardship, or struggling under severe trials. True Christian charity, he declared, demands that we show mercy even to those whose actions bring pain, mirroring God’s unconditional willingness to save all.
Concluding his homily with an inspiring message of hope, Bishop Ogun reminded his Prelates and the congregation that no child, no matter how far they stray, is forever the mother’s child. In the same way, the motherly heart of the Church must remain open to every suffering soul, and for Prelates, clerics under censure. By this action, in spite of our pains, we remain the Church, the loving Mother. He urged all believers to entrust their grief, betrayals, and ministry trials to Our Lady of Sorrows, trusting that through her intercession, divine mercy will transform every trial into everlasting joy.
