Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Lewis Ph.D
Rector of Saint Albert the Great Major Seminary.
Greetings from our Rector - Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Lewis Ph.D
St. Albert the Great Major Seminary is a new Catholic Major Seminary - a specialised institution where selected young men who believe that they have the special calling to serve the Church and the wider society as priests are prepared for the Catholic priesthood.
The Seminary is jointly owned by the Bishops of the ecclesiastical provinces of Lagos, Ibadan and Benin City. The Seminary is borne out of the need to decongest the two existing Seminaries in the region, that is SS. Peter and Paul Major Seminary, Bodija, Ibadan, Oyo State and All Saints Major Seminary, Uhielle, Edo State. The Seminary is a special institution where young Catholic men interested in the Catholic priesthood are trained. The training spans a total period of nine (9) years; seven of which are spent in the Seminary in serious academic studies in Philosophy and Theology. At the end of their training they are sent back to their dioceses to be ordained catholic priests to work as agents of evangelization and spiritual leaders in the Catholic Church.
Association of Friends of St. Albert the Great Seminary (FOSAGS)
An association of Friends of St. Albert the Great Seminary (FOSAGS) has been inaugurated. With it as a platform, groups and individuals have constituted a network of friends who pledge certain sums or services on a regular basis as their contribution and support to the training of priests for our time. Such contributions are judiciously deployed to supplement the obligations that the bishops of the region bear for the sustenance and continued development of this house of formation. May the Lord abundantly bless as many as would find it in their hearts to subscribe to membership of this association.Wish to be a 'Member of FOSAGS?'
Conclusion
We, at St. Albert's - formators, seminarians and staff - feel highly privileged to have the honour of being pioneers in this house of formation. We are humbled by the abundant evidence of the great sacrifices and uncommon commitment to realising set goals that brought the Seminary to its current status. In a particular way, we are profoundly encouraged by the massive goodwill and support that we have enjoyed from a multitude of men and women of goodwill. We are therefore resolved to rise up to the challenge of contributing our own quota to complement the efforts already made by so many to ensure the full and satisfactory realisation of the set goals and expectations of the Seminary. So, while we acknowledge and tremble at the awesome responsibility that destiny has placed on our shoulders, we are however, emboldened by the knowledge that you are out there to support us, while trusting in the Lord whose providence never fails.
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Lewis Ph.D
Rector
Members of Formation Team
Location
The new seminary is situated on the sprawling hills of Idowu-Offonran village, about 7 kilometres off Sagamu–Abeokuta Expressway in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.
It sits on over 100 hectares of land with some developments, most of which have been contributions of Parishes, Groups and Associations in the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos. These have to be maintained and the pace of development sustained.
Prospects and Appeals
The prospects for St. Albert the Great Seminary are very bright. The serenity of the environment, the structures in place, together with the topography of the location which affords one a breath-taking view of the surrounding rolling hills promise to offer an excellently conducive atmosphere for formation. The academic programme that has been developed is comprehensive and robust. Of no less importance are the character traits of the team of formators and the disposition of the adjunct staff that we have selected. Collectively, they bring on board values and sensitivities that, no doubt, impact positively on the seminarians.
Pursuing the vision of restoring all things in Christ by seeking to build into each candidate a genuine desire to be true salt of the earth and light of the world, St. Albert Major Seminary has the prospects of making a significant contribution to the very desirable new impetus in the process of the formation of priests who will truly be alteri Christi. The community based formation that hopes to engender a deep and genuine spirit of being one’s brother’s keeper will, hopefully, produce a generation of priests who are deeply respectful of others through an appreciation of the intrinsic value of their personhood; sensitive of their needs - particularly of their hunger for the true knowledge of the love and mercy of God; knowledgeable in both sacred and secular sciences; able to deploy the modern tools of communication in the proclamation of the Good News; and generally faithful to the obligations of their calling.
Through the grace of the Archbishop, the Clergy and People of the Archdiocese of Lagos, the means to achieving the lofty goals set out have largely been put in place. We therefore acknowledge, with profound sentiments of joy and gratitude, the projects that have been completed and those nearing completion at St. Albert the Great Seminary. However, some critical elements still remain outstanding. Principal among these include a central chapel, the provision of adequate means of transportation for seminarians and staff, the perimeter fencing, construction of sports facilities, the design and construction of an erosion control system, construction of internal service roads, and the construction of five more hostel blocks. The necessity of each of the items listed here cannot be overemphasised. We therefore, earnestly appeal to all men and women of good-will: dioceses, parishes, pious associations, corporate groups, families and individual persons to partner with the seminary to ensure the completion of the remaining important facilities and the provision of the identified items. It is true that it is not enough to just put up beautiful facilities and write up excellent programmes. Such programmes must, of necessity, be fully implemented in a sustainable manner, and facilities properly maintained if the desired goals are to be attained.
