The Vatican Dicastery for Evangelisation has appointed two prominent Nigerians, a priest-professor and a female religious lecturer, as co-director and participant of the Dicastery’s new initiative, entitled “The church of the Sheaves: Equipping the Saints for Mission as gift exchange.”
While Rev. Fr. Prof. Stan Chu Ilo, a priest from the Awgu Diocese in Nigeria and Senior Research Professor at DePaul University, was appointed as a co-director of the initiative, Sr. Dr. Elizabeth Titilayo Aduloju, a Senior Lecturer at the Catholic Institute of West Africa in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, will participate in the Church of the Sheaves programme.
Roles, Recent Appointment
Rooted in the missionary outreach of Pope Francis and its renewed emphasis under Pope Leo,
Fr. Stan is expected to co-direct the project, which aims “to strengthen the formation of missionaries who move between the Global South and the Global North.”
Rev. Fr. Prof. Stan Chu Ilo, Senior Research Professor at DePaul University, Chicago, IL, USA. Credit: Catholics and Cultures.
“It also seeks to prepare pastoral agents in parishes and dioceses to foster inclusive and vibrant ecclesial communities, where all may feel at home, especially in contexts where rapid migration from rural areas to major cities is reshaping local cultures and increasing social diversity.”
A letter dated May 6, 2026, and co-signed by the Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery, Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle, and the Secretary, Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, notes that the initiative would lead to the “repurposing of underutilized major seminary facilities in Europe, the United States, and Canada as centers of welcome, orientation, ongoing formation, and cultural immersion for priests, religious, and pastoral workers missioned to serve from the Global South.”
With a view to developing a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) for the training of missionaries and pastoral agents throughout the world church, the project brings together 106 prominent Catholic scholars from several countries of the world.
Widely recognised as one of the most published Catholic authors in Africa, he specialises in World Christianity, African studies, ecclesiology, and global health. His wide research interests include theology, Catholic social ethics, African Christianity, ecclesiology, and mission studies.
Fr. Ilo, an acclaimed author of 15 books, was ordained as a Catholic priest for the Diocese of Awgu, Nigeria.
Beyond academia, he runs humanitarian initiatives
He coordinates the Pan-African Catholic Theology and Pastoral Network (PACTPAN), the largest single continental body of Catholic scholars and pastoral agents.
He holds two doctorate degrees, inTheology from the University of St. Michael’s College at the University of Toronto, focusing on cross-cultural currents in African Christian history and another on in Sociology of Education from the University of South Africa, specialising in equity and multicultural faith-based schooling.
This role will entail him splitting his operational time between Rome and Chicago to lead this evangelisation effort.
The winner of the 2017 Afro-Global Impact Award for his outstanding contributions to theological scholarship, Fr. Ilu studied in Nigeria, Italy, Canada, South Africa, and the UK.
He serves as a Senior Research Professor of World Christianity and African Studies at the Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology (CWCIT) at DePaul University in Chicago.
He holds an appointment as an Honorary Professor of Religion and Theology at Durham University in England and is a Visiting Research Scholar at the University of Nigeria.
Beyond academia, he co-founded Canadian Samaritans for Africa, a humanitarian non-profit asset dedicated to funding women’s empowerment and poverty alleviation projects across sub-Saharan African communities.
On her part, Sr. Dr. Aduloju, who was also appointed by the Vatican Dicastery for Evangelisation as a participant in the Dicastery’s new initiative, is expected to perform, among other roles, helping the Dicastery with developing the MOOC.
Sr. Dr. Elizabeth Titilayo Aduloju: Leadership, Professional Roles
Sr. Dr. Elizabeth Titilayo Aduloju, PhD, is a distinguished Nigerian Catholic religious sister, academic, and media literacy expert.
Sr. Dr. Elizabeth Titilayo Aduloju, Ph.D. Senior Lecturer and Sub-Dean of Student Affairs, CIWA, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Credit: Institute for Global Engagement.
She belongs to the congregation of the Sisters of St. Michael the Archangel (SSMA) and serves as a Senior Lecturer and Sub-Dean of Student Affairs at the Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA) in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
With specialised research and advocacy focused heavily on new media literacy, digital ethics, and youth development within the modern technological era, she will be part of the experts who would equip pastoral leaders in evangelical opportunities and challenges in a fast-changing society.
Born on 15 December 1972 in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria, she entered the Sisters of St. Michael the Archangel in 1992, professing her first vows in 1995 and perpetual vows in 2006.
Sr. Aduloju completed an advanced communication internship with Vatican Media under the Dicastery for Communication in Rome.
Sr. Dr. Aduloju explores “fighting digital misinformation ‘infodemics’”
She holds a Ph.D. in New Media Literacy from the University of Port Harcourt, a Master’s Degree in Communication Studies from the Catholic Institute of West Africa and a Bachelor’s Degree in English Education from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
In CIWA, the religious sister teaches courses such as Media Literacy Education, Media Ethics, Media Management, and Audience Analysis.
On the international scene, she serves as the African Representative at the Media Education Desk of the Catholic Association for Communication (SIGNIS-Africa).
As regards her network of engagements, the Nun is an active member of the Pan-African Catholic Theology and Pastoral Network (PACTPAN) and chair of the BBI-Nigeria Steering Committee.
Sr. Dr. Aduloju is a widely published author exploring how faith, African cultural values, and digital technology intersect. One of her prominent books is titled “Media Literacy Skills: Essential for Youth Development in the New Media Age.”
Her academic papers frequently explore fighting digital misinformation “infodemics” and utilising digital tools for religious evangelisation.
She contributes as a member of the Media and Information Literacy Coalition of Nigeria and serves on the editorial board for the UNESCO Manual for Non-Formal Education on Media and Information Literacy.
