By Emmanuel Udom
The Parish Priest of St Mary Catholic Church, Alaja, Ifo in Ogun State, Rev Fr Anthony Otegbola, on Sunday, debunked the notion that Catholic schools admit students based on religion, with the intention of brainwashing them to worship the Virgin Mary, the mother of God.
Speaking during the Sunday mass held at the church auditorium, the cleric said Christians and Moslems parents or guardians as well as other religious and spiritual bodies were free to bring their children and wards for admission to any Catholic school anywhere in the world.
The admission begins from nursery, primary through to secondary and tertiary levels.
He was speaking while trying to persuade parents and guardians to ensure that their children and wards attend Santa Maria Catholic College (SMCC), the educational arm of St Mary Catholic Church presently admitting students for the JSS 1 classes, scheduled to begin September, this year.
According to him, “The virtues of humility, service, morality, discipline, and integrity are universal concepts that have no religious barriers.”
“Therefore, since we are brothers and sisters from one God, we are one and our world is now seen as a global family,” he further stated.
All over the world, students attending Catholic schools come from diverse backgrounds and therefore, it is not possible to impose the doctrines of the church on people, but rather students are groomed to be studious, disciplined, and morally upright, to grow up to become useful members of the society and humanity.
Therefore, the issue of brainwashing students to accept and worship the Virgin Mary as the mother of God is certainly not correct or right, the priest said.
The church further said Santa Maria Catholic College is selling its admission into JSS 1 classes for N5,000 for non-parishioners and N3,000 for parishioners of the parish, as further check revealed that the summer coaching of SMCC costs N1,000 per student per week from August to September, this year.