By Olivia Obijiaku
The Diamond Jubilee of St Joseph Minor Seminary, Bassawa Road, Palladan, Zaria was celebrated in the school compound from Friday, 4th to Saturday, 5th October, 2024. The Mass of Thanksgiving was presided by the Archbishop of Kaduna, His Grace, Most Rev Dr. Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso in the school Chapel, on Saturday, the second day of the jubilee. Four bishops, Most Rev Drs. Habila Tyiakonaboi Daboh, Zaria; Julius Yakubu Kundi, Kafanchan; John Namawzah Niyiring, Kano; and Gerald Musa, Kastina and many priests concelebrated the Mass. It was attended by Old Boys of the school comprising priests and lay faithful as well as staff, benefactors and well-wishers.
In the course of the Mass, four representatives of the Class of 1999 pleaded for pardon on behalf of forty out of forty seven members of the class who were expelled from the school in JSS II for acts of great misconduct. The spokesperson, Rev Fr. Daniel Jega, a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan and Rector, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Kafanchan disclosed that they have reasoned their sins out and have come to ask for mercy like the Prodigal Son.
Responding to the request for pardon, the Local Ordinary of the diocese, Bishop Daboh commended the offenders for taking the bold step to retrace their steps, as he intervenes, “I want to on behalf of the Church say a few things based on the request being made by Class of 1999. Something happened, an action was taken and he is speaking on behalf of that Class of 1999. He is asking of forgiveness based on what happened during that time that led to the expulsion.”
“It is a demonstration of humility that they come before the Church to publicly ask for forgiveness – given the values of the Church and what the Church stands for and what Jesus would do when someone comes in like manner to ask for forgiveness. Since you have shown this humility and based on the power invested to me by the Holy Mother Church, and after due consultation with the relevant bodies and stakeholders, I, Most Rev Habila T. Daboh, the Chief Shepherd of Zaria Diocese, I grant you pardon.”
“You have been incorporated into the life of St Joseph Minor Seminary. All rights and the privileges accorded to the Old Boys of St Joseph Minor Seminary are equally granted to you. As a sign to demonstrate this and as a representative of the Church, I will now move to them and embrace each one of them on behalf of the whole class as a sign of welcoming them back to the fold.”
Elated at the development Archbishop Ndagoso joined Bishop Daboh in congratulating them even as he nudged them to contribute their quotas to the growth of the institution.
In his homily, Bishop Niyiring recalled that the seminary was founded by Archbishop John Mccarthy, an SMA priest. He thanked the congregation for evangelizing the province. His words, “SMA Fathers sacrificed so much for us. In the whole Province of Kaduna. They were the people who were running these schools. Then the OLA Sisters, Our Lady of Apostles Sisters who were working closely with SMA Fathers.”
“I will like to thank all the rectors for what they have done in guiding the school, making it to attain the height it has attained today in education and formation. The achievements of St Joseph’s Minor Seminary, Zaria are so many that time allocated for a sermon in this Mass cannot do justice to all of them. We pray that there will be more achievements.”
“In every anniversary you look at the point of arrival and reflect on what you did so well and what you did not do so well. You also look at the point of departure, from which you now move forward and see how you can look into the future. We all must work together with the imaginations of our hearts to creatively apply our resources in order to make St. Joseph’s Minor Seminary relevant to our contemporary Church.”
“If we do not work together, maybe, twenty years from now, we will hear that it is no longer Minor Seminary but a circular secondary school. So, let us work together, the PTA, the Old Boys Association to ensure that this seminary remains relevant to the Church of today.”
At the end of the Mass Archbishop Ndagoso, Bishops Musa and Kundi commissioned the new School Gate crested 60; St Joseph Minor Seminary, Zaria Wall of Fame; and boreholes respectively. One borehole is meant for students while the other one is for staff members at the Staff Quarters.
Founded by Archbishop Mccarthy (SMA) in 1964 for the then Archdiocese of Kaduna (when Zaria was still under the archdiocese), St Joseph’s Minor Seminary, Zaria has produced three bishops: Bishops Mattew Hassan Kukah, Sokoto, George Jonathan Dodo (late), Zaria, and Gerald M. Musa, Kastina; priests; captains of industries; erudite scholars; and refined gentlemen who have made profound contributions to both the Church and the society.
