What's Your Story? My Experience as a Mother to a Catholic Missionary Priest

I am Mrs Roseline Adeola Fasakin by God's grace the mother of Reverend Father Emmanuel Oluwadamilare Fasakin (MSP).

Before Fr. Emmanuel and his younger brother made their decisions to become a priest, I will not stop them from attending the Churches activities, especially with the members of the Catholic Youth Organisation of Nigeria in the parish. I also would encourage them to participate in the Youth’s activities in the Parish, and at the Diocesan level. Also, I never stopped them from attending the Altar server’s practices and meetings. However, they must first attend to all house chores allocated to them before they leave for those church’s activities. And I never bothered about them giving their time, talents and energies to the service of God even though they spent most of their time in the church either after school on weekdays or morning on weekends, rendering services to the priests or attending the youth or altar server’s activities which at some point, they both held an office, both in the parish and at the diocesan level.

When Fr. Emmanuel declared his intention of becoming a priest, all I could do as a mother was to always support him with prayer for his success, that he may not to fall into temptation and prayed that God would uphold him till the end. Upon hearing of the date of his ordination, I was overwhelmed at the same time, I continued to pray for that day to come to fulfilment, that nothing should hinder his ordination since it was his dream to answer God’s call.

On the day of his ordination, at the moment he was proclaimed as ‘Rev Fr. Emmanuel Fasakin MSP’, I knelt down with joy, with tears rolling down my eyes. I thanked our Lord Jesus Christ and our Mother Mary who through her intercessions gave her son Emmanuel the opportunity to share in the work of salvation of Christ to the humanity.

After this came the reality that Fr. Emmanuel now belongs more to the Church, ordained for the work of God and to the missions, to be sent anywhere for God wants him to be. As his posting was immediately announced that day to resume the diocese of Bomadi in Nigeria which is about 10 hours’ drive from us. There he was for 9 months, after which he called and told us he has been sent on mission out of the country to the Northern Ireland in the Archdiocese of Armagh where he is presently, still working to win souls for God. Although this feels sometimes awkward, but it is a great thing to behold. And I get to appreciate any time I have to see him no matter how long it may be.

CONCLUSION:
I regard being a mother of a Priest, and two priests in a year’s time (since his kid brother is preparing to be ordained a deacon this year and to be ordained a priest next year by the grace of God), as a great privilege and honour from God. And I’m always happy about it because I know that I have a son who through the celebration of the Mass prays for me every day not just as a member of the church but as his own mother.

Thus, I think we mothers should try to instil some level of discipline into our children with the fear of God so that they can stand with their heads up high wherever they find themselves and defend their faith among their friends.

Also, some mothers who frown on their sons/daughters who chose to work for God either in the priesthood or religious life, should realise that while they debar their children from working for God, they also debar them from saving souls, which in my opinion God will not be so pleased with.

Finally, mothers should encourage their children to render services to God in their parishes by joining the different groups and societies like the altar servers, choir, lector stewards etc. In doing this I realised that our children, judging from my perspective learn to know more about God. They also remain focused and determined in their moment of discernments.

I pray that God will spare my life to witness the second Ordination of my sons. So please remember them in your prayers, thank you.