At Maryland Catholic Nursery and Primary School in Ogbomoso, Nigeria, it is traditional to celebrate Christmas with carols before the holidays. The children were very excited to start rehearsing the different carols, supported by their teachers. Everything was decorated and prepared for the party.
On Thursday 12 December, the festivities began with the celebration of Holy Mass by the school chaplain, the Reverend Father Ferdinand Olabode. The children took an active part as choristers, readers and servers, and also took part in the prayers of the faithful.
During his homily, Father Ferdinand reminded the congregation that, as Christmas approaches, we should remember that Christmas is not just about eating, drinking, decorating and accumulating material goods, but that the reason for our celebration is Jesus. It’s about knowing Christ and imitating him. Jesus, as the Light, came into the world to destroy the darkness. We are therefore called to follow Jesus’ example by being light, happy and at peace with one another.
During the thanksgiving, all the children, class by class, and the staff expressed their joy to God by singing, dancing, clapping and placing their gifts on the altar to the glory of God.
At the end of the celebration, on behalf of the school, I welcomed everyone present, the priest, the nuns, in particular the Daughters of the Holy Spirit, parents, friends and well-wishers. I also reminded everyone that the Christmas season calls us to share joy, peace and God’s love with one another. In doing so, we reveal God who has made us one in Christ.
Afterwards, each class sang, acted and presented a show based on Christmas and the birth of Christ. The most exciting part was the Nativity play. The pupils re-enacted the scene with all their skills, making the event seem so real! The parents were delighted to see their children so happy and active: they came forward to congratulate them.
It was a wonderful moment to see how the children were able to express their faith, their gifts and their love for Christ through these different presentations. They rejoiced in the privilege of taking part in the 2024 Christmas carols!
By Sister Patience Effiong, DHS. Published on 19 December 2024
