. . . says she is fulfilled in Service to God, Humanity
By Ifeoma Ezenyilimba
Filled with joy over her fulfillment in humble services to God and humanity, the Awka-born Lady Patricia Ifemma Nwabueze, OSB, at Ss John & Paul Catholic Church, Umubele, Awka, Awka South L.G.A, Anambra State on Sunday, January 27, 2019, renewed her vows into the Oblate of Saint Benedict (OSB).
Speaking to Fides shortly after she renewed her vows before the parish vicar of Ss John & Paul Catholic Parish, Umubele-Awka, Rev. Fr. Kingsley, Ibeh, Lady Nwabueze, who hails from Awka, said she had joined the Oblate of Saint Benedict with her late husband in 1998 as a way of offering services to God, who according to her, had blessed her family greatly.
Oblate Nwabueze added that the humility and simple selfless services attitude she saw in Bro Paul Emebo (OSB) of the Catholic Caritas Organisation, inspired her and the late husband to join the Oblates.
Lady Nwabueze said they started as oblates of Holy Trinity Zone, Onitsha in 1998 she joined with her late husband, Late Br Fidelis Nwabueze (Mr. White), underwent trainings at Paschal Abbey Monastery, Akpakpanike, Enugu, and took their first profession before the demise of her husband in 2000. Then, in November 2004, made her final profession into the Abbey of Benedictine Word Incarnate Congregation.
On the benefits from the order, the Oblate said she had been enjoying profound joys in services to God and her commitments to live out the vows she took, had brought her down to earth, saying that she felt fulfilled and loved being an oblate of Saint Benedict than all her status in life.
Lady Nwabueze through the vows she renewed, offered herself to Almighty God, to Blessed Virgin Mary, and to the Holy Father, Benedict, for the Abbey of Benedictine Word Incarnate Congregation of Nigeria,
She promised the reformation of her life; spirit of poverty, chastity of life and obedience, according to the constitution of the Oblates.
Earlier in his homily of the Holy Mass, Rev Fr. Kingsley Ibeh, stressed the importance of the fruits of the word of God in the faithful. The Ss. John & Paul Parish vicar, who based his reflections on the readings of the Sunday, noted that the word of God corrects the error in the life of the bearer of the word, guides the bearrer’s life and makes the person to be upright.
Fr. Ibeh enjoined all to like the children of God whom the message of the Lord’s year of favour was proclaimed to, bear good fruits of good works and virtuous lives.
Lady Patricia Nwabueze, OSB (left), renews her vows into the Oblate of Saint Benedict, before the parish vicar of Ss John & Paul Catholic Parish, Umubele-Awka, Rev. Fr. Kingsley Okwudili Ibah, Jan 27, 2019.
The priest, who received the renewal of vows and homilist, Rev. Fr. Kingsley Ibeh (sitting right) with the Oblate, Lady Patricia Nwabueze, OSB (sitting left), pose with some of the Oblates and others that graced the event.