Only a few years ago, Pope saint John Paul II exclaimed that God is opening before the church the horizons of a humanity more fully prepared for the sowing of the gospel. And as such, he felt that the time had come to commit all the church's energies to a new evangelization and to the mission ad gentes. In this collection of the homilies, pastoral letters and interviews lies the conviction of a man who did not just believe in those words, but made them his supreme duty. His life and teachings which constitute his pastoral kerygma is such that on "seeing or hearing, people could say: this man reads the life of Christ". What joy it is to learn from the lips of a shepherd whose life resonates his love for Christ and his church and whose desire to live a noble life gives off the 'aroma of Christ'.
Bishop John OKOYE,
Bishop of Agwu Diocese

From his first appearance as the shepherd of the flock in the diocese of warri, Bishop Oke Afareha has been zealous in his intent on the preservation of the faith via the proclamation of the Gospel message and adherence to the Catholic faith and doctrine. Little wonder he chooses as his motto: "Fides et obidentia," a sign of his connectedness to the apostolic tradition in obedience to the Church, the promptings of the Holy Spirit and to Christ the head of the Church. The gift of life and principally that of the priesthood and episcopate has availed him this opportunity to bring to our palms the inexhaustible richness of the doctrines of the Church scripturally.
The Pastoral Kerygma of a Shepherd: Message and Thoughts of Bishop John Oke. Afareha is a concise compilation of his homilies and documents through the period of his episcopate as the Shepherd of the diocese of Warri. It is theological adequacy is highly commendable. It is a hybrid of his apt understanding of the Scripture garnered with his experiences of life; hence the existential nature of this book. The recourse made to the magisterium and the Catechism of the Catholic Church through the rim of this work in simple and clear. He takes into consideration the seasons and time of the Church's life with direct distinct messages to the faithful at all levels in contemporary times. The thoughts are inspiring and edifying; suitable for an ongoing daily reflection in homes, formation houses and in the parish.
Consequent on the foregone, I recommend this book to all. In the hands of clerics, it is a veritable tool for the education of the flock of Christ entrusted to you; a guide in homiletics and a ready material for meditation and reflection. In the hands of the lay faithful, it gives a synchronized in-depth insight to the faith and teaching of the Church via the scriptures, magisterium and catechism. Non-Catholics who intend a better understanding of the scripture as it applies to the contemporary man will benefit greatly from the pages of this document. Make it your handbook.
Bishop George Jonathan DODO,
Bishop of Zaria Diocese, Nigeria.

Bishops have triple duties assigned to them: to teach, to sanctify and to govern. This book shows Bishop Afareha to be a good teacher and a prophet who breaks open and shares the Word of God with his faithful. This collection will be greeted with deep gratitude by those who have heard him and who desire to grow in their understanding of the Word of God and the teachings of the Church. Readers will be grateful to the compiler of this collection for it is a good and welcome interpretation of the Word of God and the tradition of the Church.
Fr. Tony EKPO, Phd, Systematic Theology, Catholic University of Australia,
Official Secretariat of State, Roma