HISTORY OF THE CONSOLERS

In view of my fundamental obligation to promote faith and devotion among Christ faithful in my diocese, Catholic Diocese of Ilorin, a duty which the Fathers of the Church have rightly termed as the greatest and holiest task of the Church (Ad Gentes, no. 29), and in the face of the numerous challenges facing the diocese and the world at large, I, Bishop Ayo-Maria ATOYEBI OP, by the virtue of my office to enhance a proper caring for the flock of Christ, and bringing Christ to those who still lack the knowledge of salvation, prayed and discerned for a long period of time and then had a due consultation with my consultors and the senate of priests over founding a religious congregation (male and female). Thereafter, from the positive response and the observation of the signs of time, I became convinced that the Lord wants me to found a new congregation. I had to yield to the inspiration of erecting a new indigenous male Religious Congregation, namely – “The Consolers of the Agonizing Jesus Christ”.

The goal of the institute shall be to respond to the invitation of the Lord in the psalm “…I look for sympathy but there was none; for Consoler but there was no one”(Ps 69:20.), and promote the devotion to the Precious Blood and Gethsemane hour of prayer among Christ faithful. On 5th July 2013, the institute was founded. On 8th December 2013, the institute was canonically erected in the House of the institute at Oloofe, Ilorin Diocese, Nigeria, in the celebration of the Holy Mass, amidst the presence of Priests, Religious and Lay Faithful of Ilorin diocese with candidates in formation.

To the glory of God, the institute presently has 60 members among which the finally professed is one, simple professed seventeen, twelve novices, twelve postulants and eighteen aspirants; each phase has its own house of formation. We are already present in three dioceses, Ilorin, Enugu and Ibadan.