. . . Wants Parish Growth Sustained
By Ifeoma Ezenyilimba
The Chief Shepherd of Awka Catholic Diocese, Most Rev Paulinus Ezeokafor has called for consistent efforts of all, so as to sustain what he described as impressive growth of St John’s Parish, Umuomaku, Orumba South L.G.A, Anambra State, within one year and six months of the current parish priest, Rev. Fr. Anthony Paul Ibekwe.
Most Rev Paulinus Ezeokafor, who stated this when he blessed a Chapel of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration built and donated to the parish, on Easter Tuesday, April 23, 2019, expressed his delight that with the pace of the development, the parish would record a lot of development in the priest’s 3 to 6 years stay.
He commended Umeora Family of Umuokpurukwa Village Umuomaku for the Chapel of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration which they built in honour of their parents, Patron Elias & Mrs. Bessy Umeora, for the parish, saying that the importance of a chapel which was for private prayers, could not be over emphasized in the life of the Church.
The Catholic prelate, who recalled his moment with the late Patron Umeora, described the deceased as one who lived a life of faith. He prayed that the chapel would be a source of last blessings to the children, who honoured their parents’ wish with it, as well as the need parish.
Earlier in his homily of the concelebrated Holy Mass, Bishop Ezeokafor called on others to equally take up the various outstanding projects such as re-roofing of the church roof and hall for social activities in the parish so as to sustain the on going development. He thanked God for the portable water sunk by an individual in the parish, the chapel for private prayers, grotto of Holy Mother Mary and other things already in place.
In his remarks, the parish priest, St John’s Parish, Umuomaku, Rev. Fr. Anthony Paul Ibekwe, appreciated Umeora Family for the chapel which they took up ,following the request made by the parish in 2018 for its need. He commended the various groups, families and individuals of the parish for their support and solidarity, and prayed for the goodwill to be sustained.
Handing over the chapel to the bishop, a member of the family, Barr. Emeka Umeora, thanked God for the chapel built in honour of their parents, who he said lived for the Church. Accorcing to Barr. Umeora, his late father, before his death, had appealed to him to look after St John’s Parish Umuomaku which he (the deceased) was a patron of. He recalled that their father opted for money to be used in the building of a nursing school after their late mother, who was a midwife, instead of an expensive burial and funeral ceremonies for him.
Umeora prayed that the chapel would be a holy place where the women in need of fruits of the womb would, with faith, pray and encounter God’s mercy and blessings.
The parish, through an address of welcome that was signed by the parish priest, Rev. Fr. Ibekwe; the Vice Chairman, Parish Pastoral Council, Mr. Augustine Chukwuekezie and the Secretary, Parish Pastoral Council, Mrs. Perpetual Ebo, appealed for support from the bishop and all towards the poor parish’s need of re-roofing of the church, which heavy raindrops from the bad roof had caused many damages to the parish.
