Brief History of St. Peter Society
BACKGROUND HISTORY
The society started in 1981 in Mama Maria Oluwaremilekun’s house in Kosofe till 1983 with Rev. Fr. Dennis O’Hara as the Priest from St. Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland. This was made possible through the influence of Mr. Tometi and Chief Ehindero.Due to lack of space, the Mass Centre moved to The Apostolic Church Grammar School hall and worshiped there from 1984 to 1986 with Rev. Fr. Brown as the Priest from Maryland. During that period, our society was called St. Mary’s Society. Mr. Alex Durojaiye was the Chairman of our society.
Circumstances led the Yoruba Society to occupy the land at Ajelogo which was already sub-let to land theft (that eventually left us with a plot of land). We met the Archbishop at the time, who asked us to be worshiping there with a confirmation letter to that effect. This was in a way advantageous to members of our society who do not understand English.Rev. Fr. S.E.U. Osigwe, the priest in charge from St. Augustine (our being an outstation of the parish then) tried to bring the Yoruba Society together with the other groups in the Church at their present location but this was eventually made possible by another priest. Our Church became a parish in the year 1993 with Rev. Fr. John Trout as the first parish priest. It was this priest that eventually brought us back together. We then merged with the already existing St. Peter Society here (in St. Michael Catholic Church).As a group and individually, we contributed immensely to the development of the old Church building. The development of the new church building to the level it is today has equally gotten huge contribution from us as a group and individually, physically, financially and every otherwise. Many of our members are very active in the Church, have assumed leadership roles and won awards to the glory of God. Equally, we once had a very vibrant youth wing which is in its re-grouping stage presently because the youths then are adults now and have relocated.Below are the names of the presidents who have served the society so far: Mr. Alex Durojaiye, Mr. Raphael Akinyeke, Pa. Clement Ogunyemi, Mr. Francis Ogunpeju, Mr. Taiwo Oyafemi, Mr. Edward Ayanoya, Mr. James Odunsi, Mr. Albert Ogunuga while Mr. Emmanuel Adeoyo Ogunkoya is the incumbent.
Circumstances led the Yoruba Society to occupy the land at Ajelogo which was already sub-let to land theft (that eventually left us with a plot of land). We met the Archbishop at the time, who asked us to be worshiping there with a confirmation letter to that effect. This was in a way advantageous to members of our society who do not understand English.Rev. Fr. S.E.U. Osigwe, the priest in charge from St. Augustine (our being an outstation of the parish then) tried to bring the Yoruba Society together with the other groups in the Church at their present location but this was eventually made possible by another priest. Our Church became a parish in the year 1993 with Rev. Fr. John Trout as the first parish priest. It was this priest that eventually brought us back together. We then merged with the already existing St. Peter Society here (in St. Michael Catholic Church).As a group and individually, we contributed immensely to the development of the old Church building. The development of the new church building to the level it is today has equally gotten huge contribution from us as a group and individually, physically, financially and every otherwise. Many of our members are very active in the Church, have assumed leadership roles and won awards to the glory of God. Equally, we once had a very vibrant youth wing which is in its re-grouping stage presently because the youths then are adults now and have relocated.Below are the names of the presidents who have served the society so far: Mr. Alex Durojaiye, Mr. Raphael Akinyeke, Pa. Clement Ogunyemi, Mr. Francis Ogunpeju, Mr. Taiwo Oyafemi, Mr. Edward Ayanoya, Mr. James Odunsi, Mr. Albert Ogunuga while Mr. Emmanuel Adeoyo Ogunkoya is the incumbent.
MEMBERSHIP AND OBJECTIVES
Membership of the society is open to all interested Yoruba speaking parishioners of St. Michael Catholic Church, Ketu.
OBJECTIVES
To protect and extend the teachings of faith in Jesus Christ among the people.
To assist the Church through financial contributions and other obligations aimed at the advancement of the Church
To come together in fellowship through prayers for physical growth of members at quarter or as the Holy Spirit wills.
To work together faithfully and harmoniously and also assist each other as followers of Christ.
To support members in need of our prayers or assistance.
To participate actively in naming ceremonies, burial ceremonies, wedding ceremonies and other forms of social functions.
To promote and use our cultural heritage in serving God.
OBJECTIVES
To protect and extend the teachings of faith in Jesus Christ among the people.
To assist the Church through financial contributions and other obligations aimed at the advancement of the Church
To come together in fellowship through prayers for physical growth of members at quarter or as the Holy Spirit wills.
To work together faithfully and harmoniously and also assist each other as followers of Christ.
To support members in need of our prayers or assistance.
To participate actively in naming ceremonies, burial ceremonies, wedding ceremonies and other forms of social functions.
To promote and use our cultural heritage in serving God.
HISTORY OF ST. PETER THE APOSTLE
Saint Peter (?-AD 64?), the most prominent of the 12 disciples of Jesus Christ, a leader and missionary in the early Church, and traditionally the first Bishop of Rome.The sources of knowledge about Peter are letters of Paul, written between AD50 and 60s; the four canonical Gospels and Acts of the Apostles, written from about AD65 to the end of the 1st century by someone other than Peter; and a reference by a Roman presbyter named Gaius (Flourished early 3rd century) to a “trophy” on Vatican hill memorializing the place of Peter’s martyrdom or burial. In these sources several well-established traditions about Peter are found. He was called by Jesus to be a disciple, and he became prominent among the Twelve, often serving, as their spokesman. At Caesarea Philippi he confessed Jesus to be the Messiah and was subsequently rebuked (see Mark 8:33) or praised (see Matthew 16:17) by Jesus for that confession. After Jesus’ arrest, Peter denied being associated with him and suffered enormous self-reproach for having done so, but the first appearance of the risen Jesus was to Peter. Peter played an important role in the early Christian Church at Jerusalem, having received a special call to preach the gospel to his fellow Jews. In time, Peter came also to affirm the Christian mission to the Gentiles, whose chief advocate was the apostle Paul. Peter took part in a meeting in Jerusalem that focused decisively on the place of Gentiles in the Church (see Acts 15). Against the faction of Jewish Christians who would have required converts to Christianity to the circumcised and to abide by Jewish dietary restrictions, Peter supported those who declared that the Christian message of salvation to all did not require that Gentiles adhere to specific legal and ritual precepts of Judaism.
Peter was viewed as the rock on which the Church was founded, because Jesus so designated him (see Matthew 16:16-19). Three years Paul became a Christian, he visited Peter in Jerusalem, and later had a sharp and bitter confrontation with him in Anthioch; Paul had also to deal with Peter’s influence in at least one of the Churches Paul founded (the Church at Corinth). Peter travelled about in his missionary activity, accompanied by his wife, and finally died the death of a martyr in Rome.
Peter was viewed as the rock on which the Church was founded, because Jesus so designated him (see Matthew 16:16-19). Three years Paul became a Christian, he visited Peter in Jerusalem, and later had a sharp and bitter confrontation with him in Anthioch; Paul had also to deal with Peter’s influence in at least one of the Churches Paul founded (the Church at Corinth). Peter travelled about in his missionary activity, accompanied by his wife, and finally died the death of a martyr in Rome.
SOURCE OF PETER’S NAME
Scholars have had considerable difficulty in advancing from these traditions to the historical Peter, but one of the most important of the traditional elements is also one of the most historically secure: Peter was the first to receive a revelation of the risen Jesus Christ (see 1 Corinthians 15:3; Luke 24:34). From this point other aspects of the picture of Peter have been developed, notably the change of his name from Simon to Peter.
From the references of Peter in the Gospels it is known that he received at birth and with which he grew was Simon. The Greek word petros (“rock”) and its Aramaic equivalent, cephas, were not in use as personal names. “Peter” is thus a metaphorical or symbolic designation that came in time to function as the name of the man in question. The symbolic name in its Aramatic form may have arisen in connection with the affirmation that the resurrected Lord appeared first to Simon, that appearance and thus Simon himself serving as a sort of foundation stone of the church.
From the references of Peter in the Gospels it is known that he received at birth and with which he grew was Simon. The Greek word petros (“rock”) and its Aramaic equivalent, cephas, were not in use as personal names. “Peter” is thus a metaphorical or symbolic designation that came in time to function as the name of the man in question. The symbolic name in its Aramatic form may have arisen in connection with the affirmation that the resurrected Lord appeared first to Simon, that appearance and thus Simon himself serving as a sort of foundation stone of the church.
TRADITIONAL STATUS
Peter undoubtedly had great influence in the Church at its beginning, being consistently named first in the list of the Twelve. The earliest image of him is, however, that of a remarkable missionary (fisherman), not that of an administrator. He was seen to have been entrusted not with authority, as such, but with a special vocation to preach the gospel (see Galatians 2:7). In time the image of the missionary was shifted to that of the pastor (shepherd), as can be seen from the two New Testament epistles that bear Peter’s name, and from the appendix to John’s Gospel (see John 21).
When the bishop of Rome came to be regarded as the bishop of the most prominent church in Christendom, the picture of Peter as a caring pastor was combined with the tradition of his martyr’s death in Rome to serve as the basis of a theory of apostolic succession, according to which each Roman bishop was regarded as the successor to Peter, to whom Jesus had entrusted the keys to the kingdom of God (see Matthew 16:19). Beginning in the 11th century, the Eastern churches (see Orthodox Church) rejected the authority of the Roman bishop (pope), and opposition to the theory of papal succession and authority was a foundation stone of the Protestant Reformation. The feast of the Chair of St. Peter the Apostle is celebrated in the West on February 22, and that of St. Peter and St. Paul of June 29.
When the bishop of Rome came to be regarded as the bishop of the most prominent church in Christendom, the picture of Peter as a caring pastor was combined with the tradition of his martyr’s death in Rome to serve as the basis of a theory of apostolic succession, according to which each Roman bishop was regarded as the successor to Peter, to whom Jesus had entrusted the keys to the kingdom of God (see Matthew 16:19). Beginning in the 11th century, the Eastern churches (see Orthodox Church) rejected the authority of the Roman bishop (pope), and opposition to the theory of papal succession and authority was a foundation stone of the Protestant Reformation. The feast of the Chair of St. Peter the Apostle is celebrated in the West on February 22, and that of St. Peter and St. Paul of June 29.
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