The Vice-Provincial Extended Leadership Workshop 2026 was convened on 18th and 19th of March, as a strategic and reflective gathering of Parish Priests, Community Superiors, and Heads of major apostolates, including the National Shrine of St. Gerard Majella, Oba; Our Mother of Perpetual Help, Ugwuogo-Nike, Enugu; the Icon Visitation Team; the Redemptorist Traditional Mission Team; and the League of St. Gerard Majella Nigeria within the Vice-Province of Nigeria, under the theme: “Stewardship as a Necessary Condition for Leadership.” This composition ensured a comprehensive representation of the Vice-Province’s pastoral, missionary, and devotional engagements.
The workshop commenced on Tuesday with the arrival of participants, followed by lunch and an evening session of introductions and fraternal interaction. This opening phase fostered communion among participants and created an atmosphere conducive for collaborative reflection.
Proceedings on Wednesday (Day One) began with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist and Morning Prayer, situating the entire exercise within the spiritual and liturgical life of the Church. The keynote address, delivered by Prof. Isaac Ukpokolo, opened the formal sessions and established the theological and pastoral framework of the workshop. He emphasized that stewardship constitutes an indispensable element of authentic leadership, underscoring that effective leadership is fundamentally rooted in responsibility, accountability, and service. Drawing from the example of Christ, whom he presented as the perfect steward in the absolute sense of the term, Prof. Ukpokolo proposed Him as the definitive model for leadership within the Vice-Province. Consequently, he called on all leaders to emulate Christ’s pattern of servant leadership, characterized by self-giving, humility, and unwavering fidelity to mission.
The subsequent session focused on the evaluation of the Quadrennium Apostolic Plan, providing an opportunity for critical assessment of the Vice-Province’s missionary priorities and their implementation across various apostolates. This was followed by reports from the Finance Office, which not only addressed issues of financial stewardship, transparency, and sustainability, but also presented a detailed account of the financial standing of the Vice-Province, including its current investment portfolio and status. A report on Social Works was also delivered, highlighting the Church’s preferential option for the poor, this time, the internally displaced persons (IDPs) as concretely expressed in the Vice-Province’s outreach initiatives.
In the afternoon, attention shifted to practical expressions of stewardship in leadership. Directors, Superiors, and Parish Priests presented stewardship reports from their respective units, offering insights into administrative practices, pastoral challenges, and resource management. These presentations facilitated a shared evaluation of leadership styles and underscored the need for greater accountability and mission-oriented administration. Complementing these were group presentations addressing welfare-related concerns, including retreat provisions, clothing allowance, and bereavement packages, thereby highlighting the human and communal dimensions of leadership within the Vice-Province.
Thursday (Day Two) commenced with the celebration of the Sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist and Morning Prayer, followed by sessions aimed at strengthening structural coordination and policy clarity. The presentation of the Western Zone Calendar enhanced the synchronization of apostolic activities, while the audit of community apostolates and the Vice-Province as a whole provided a framework for institutional accountability and performance review.
A key session on the dynamics of a cashless society examined emerging financial realities and their implications for ecclesial administration, particularly in relation to transparency and efficiency of confreres in the discharge of their stewardship. This was followed by a critical discussion on Private Ministry, which clarified the relationship between individual apostolic initiatives and the authority of the Vice-Province, emphasizing the necessity of alignment with communal discernment and mission priorities.
The afternoon sessions addressed pressing pastoral and structural concerns, especially the sustainability of two-man parish communities and the possibility of closure where necessary. These deliberations, conducted through breakout sessions and plenary discussions, reflected a pragmatic and forward-looking approach to mission in the context of expanding pastoral demands within the Nigerian Church
The workshop also incorporated elements of pastoral creativity and engagement, including reflections on youth-oriented initiatives such as sports fiestas and quizzes involving parish associations (CWO, CMO, CYON, HMCA), thereby reinforcing the importance of youth ministry within the broader evangelizing mission.
The workshop concluded with evening prayer and a closing celebration (Gaudeamus), marking the end of an intensive period of reflection, evaluation, and strategic planning.
In conclusion, the Vice-Provincial Extended Leadership Workshop 2026 served as a critical instrument for deepening the understanding of leadership as stewardship within the Redemptorist context. By bringing together Parish Priests, Superiors, and Heads of Apostolates, the workshop fostered a unified vision of mission, strengthened accountability structures, and encouraged collaborative leadership. Confreres departed with a renewed commitment to exercise their responsibilities as faithful stewards of the charism, resources, and people entrusted to their care, in service of the Church’s evangelizing mission as incarnated in the Pastoral Plan of the Redemptorist Vice Province of Nigeria.
Fr. Peter Chijioke Onyeno, CSsR.
Director of Media and Communications,
Redemptorist Vice Province of Nigeria
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