"We are the Timothy of Today": Benin City Deanery Concludes Provincial Evangelization Week with Bold Street Outreach

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-By Ruben Mario Brodrick 

The streets surrounding the Holy Cross Cathedral on Mission Road became a vibrant mission ground as the Benin City Ecclesiastical Province successfully concluded its week-long Evangelization exercise.

 Drawing participants from across the Province—including the Archdiocese of Benin City and the Dioceses of Warri, Issele-Uku, Auchi, Uromi, and Bomadi—the event served as a powerful reminder of the Great Commission.

 In a spirited display of faith, evangelizers were organized into five distinct groups and dispatched from the Cathedral into the heart of the Benin City metropolis, engaging residents in their homes, offices, and shops to share the Gospel.

​During the Thanksgiving Mass that capped off the outreach, Very Rev. Fr. Paul Ashoro, CRS, the Archdiocesan Vicar for Religious, delivered a stirring homily that drew parallels between modern believers and the biblical missionary zeal of Paul and Barnabas.

 Proclaiming that "we are the Timothy of today," Fr. Ashoro emphasized that the mandate to evangelize is a universal calling that leaves no one behind. He offered a candid and sobering reflection on the current state of the faithful, lamenting that many Catholics still struggle with a sense of "shame" when it comes to stepping out of their comfort zones to proclaim Christ. 

This hesitation, he noted, contributed to the low turnout at the outreach, yet he remained deeply appreciative of those who prioritized the mission. 

He declared that those who sacrificed their time to seek out souls have effectively "written their names in gold," urging the congregation never to grow weary of a task that must be lived out through practical action rather than just words.

​Adding a modern perspective to the mission, Rev. Fr. Daniel Iyangbe, the Archdiocesan Vicar for Evangelization, spoke passionately about the evolving landscape of faith. He disclosed that the exercise was a direct initiative from the Bishops of the Province to stir a "consciousness of salvation" in the hearts of the people. 

Fr. Iyangbe emphasized a dual strategy: reaching those who have never heard the Word and reigniting the fire in "lukewarm" Catholics who have drifted away. 

A key highlight of his reflection was his charge to the youth and the wider Church to reclaim digital spaces. He urged the faithful to utilize modern gadgets and social media as powerful instruments for promoting the Gospel and moral values, rather than allowing these platforms to be dominated by immorality.

​Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Charles Omogiate, the Dean of Benin City Deanery, further grounded the day’s activities in the authority of Scripture. Presiding over the Mass, he reminded the assembly that their street-to-street movement was the direct fulfillment of the Lord’s mandate in Matthew 28:19-20, to "go into the world and make disciples of all nations." He praised the boldness of the groups that bypassed the safety of the church walls to enter the marketplaces and offices of the city. 

By taking the message directly to where people live and work, Fr. Omogiate noted that the participants proved the Church is not shy or hidden, but is a living witness ready to make Christ known to the world. 

The event, which saw a strong presence of priests and Religious from across the Archdiocese led by the Cathedral Administrator, Very Rev. Fr. James Ogbeiwe, concluded as a definitive call to action for the entire Province.