From Obinna Odogwu, Abakaliki
The Catholic Diocese of Abakaliki in Ebonyi State is spiritually growing from strength to strength. The spiritual growth received a boost on July 8, as six deacons were ordained priests by the Bishop of the diocese, His Lordship, Most Rev. (Dr) Michael Nnachi Okoro.
On that Sunday of the priestly ordination, the venue, St. Theresa’s Cathedral, Abakaliki, with over 5,000 capacity could not contain the congregants and their guests, making many who came to felicitate with them to stand outside till the end of the service.
The massive turnout of people caused a gridlock along the Ogoja Expressway, which led to the Cathedral.
The new priests are Rev. Frs. Daniel Okoli, Anselm Oyom, Aluu Moses, Valentine Nwali, Timothy Ngwuta and Emmanuel Oko.
The visibly elated men of God, shortly after their ordination, joined other priests in the altar and subsequently performed their first function of offering Holy Communion to Catholic communicants at the church service.
The parish priest of St. Thomas, Unwana in Afikpo, Rev. Fr. Basil Okoye, in his sermon at the ordination service charged the newly ordained priests to gird up their loins for the enormous task of evangelism lying ahead of them.
He was displeased that evil and other criminal activities were rapidly growing in the Nigerian society, saying that their ordination was a strong call to take the message of salvation as prescribed by Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth.
In his homily, Bishop Okoro charged the Christian faithful to embrace the teachings of Jesus Christ and live according to His standards.
He thanked the congregants for their support on the new priests throughout their years of training.
While administering the oath of ordination on the new clerics, he cautioned them to stick to the oaths for which they have pledged to abide by in the course of their service in the Lord’s vineyard.
In his speech, the state governor, Engr David Umahi, charged the ordained Catholic priests to use their calling to promote peace and ecumenism in the society.
Umahi in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Emmanuel Uzor, also urged the priests to pay more attention to the biblical injunction of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and promoting peace as the only panacea to achieving unity in the world.
The governor also commended Bishop Okoro, the entire presibiterium and all Catholic faithful in the state for the successful ordination and called on the clergy to pray for the leaders.
He said his administration had taken bold steps in bringing the state under one family irrespective of religious denominations by embarking on the construction of a gigantic ultra-modern Ecumenical Centre in Abakaliki to enable Christians live in unity under Christ, the true shepherd.
“We are one before God and should be united under the one and true shepherd, Jesus Christ, to heal the world which has been greatly infected by evil and hatred. I call on the new priests to use their calling to preach about peace and healing of the society.
“On our part as government, we have created good relationship with the church and that is why we have started processes of handing over some schools to the church which the Catholic Church in the state has benefited among the first missionaries.
“The idea was borne out of trust we have in the church to play her role in bringing back morality back to our schools and drive the conviction this administration has in proper foundation in the family as solution to moral decadence and decline in quality education,” Umahi said.
He said that under his administration, the church would be properly engaged in the project of transforming the state, adding that no denomination would be left behind.
He, therefore, called on the priests to also inform their congregations to be part of his administration’s agricultural programme by participating and maximising government assistance in the sector.
Also the Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on Higher Education, Prof. Mrs Adaeze Nwuzor, encouraged the priests to dedicate their all to the service for which they were called.
She pointed out that the governor has put measures in place to also meet social needs of the masses, which she said, was also part of God’s work.
“Governor Umahi appointed Rev. Fr. Dr Abraham Nwali as his SSA on Religious and Welfare Matters to ensure that the welfare of the indigent people is taken care of. He moves from one hospital to the other to settle the bills of poor people and offer financial aid to indigent people,” she said.
Also, the member representing Ishielu South in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Hon. Julius Nwokpor, reminded the clerics that their ordination was not an accident; hence, “they must have God in mind in whatever they’re doing.”
Responding on behalf of the other priests, Rev Aluu Moses and Rev Emmanuel Oko expressed joy for the success of the event.
They pledged to deploy all their resources to win souls for Christ.