… Administers Sacrament of Confirmation to 221 Candidates
By Michael Nnebife and R.A. Yakubu
It was a moment of joy and celebrations for the parishioners of St Rita’s Catholic Church, Ichida in Anaocha Local Government Area, Anambra State, as they gathered with their friends and well-wishers to receive the Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Rev Dr Paulinus Ezeokafor, who was in the parish for an episcopal visit.
The epoch-making event, which came on Sunday, 27th April, 2025, after 11 years of such an August Occasion in the parish, attracted the presence of the Chancellor of the Diocese, Rev Fr Charles Ndubuisi; hosts of priests of the diocese; the noble Knights and Ladies of the Church; Lagos, Onitsha, Warri and Aba branches of the Church, among others.
Speaking in a homily during a Holy Mass concluding the historic event, Most Rev Dr Ezeokafor admonished St Rita’s Ichida Catholic faithful to be strong in faith so that heaven, which he said, remained the target of every right thinking Christian, would not elude them.
Reflecting on the feast of the day, Divine Mercy Sunday, the Bishop reminded them of the infinite mercy of God for mankind, urging them never to take it for granted, but to work harder to benefit maximally from the mercy and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Bishop Ezeokafor, who spoke among other things, expressed satisfaction with the progress and level of growth of the church, which, he said, was evidence in the number of the newly confirmed, totalling 221 candidates, during the event.
He thanked the Parish Priest, Rev Fr Anthony Akunwanne, for his service, and the parishioners, for their good relationship with the priest, as well as their support to the Diocese.
Responding, the Parish Priest, Rev Fr Akunwanne, expressed gratitude to the Prelate for his love and care for the Parish.
Akunwanne assured Bishop Ezeokafor of the Parish’s prayers for more grace, wisdom and strength upon him.
He also thanked the dignitaries that graced the epoch-making event for identifying with the Parish.
In their address of welcome, read by the Secretary, Parish Council, Mrs Uche Ezeokeke, during a reception, the Parishioners of St Rita’s Church continued to thank the Bishop for posting dedicated and committed priests to the Parish.
According to the Secretary, their relationship with the priests had no match and had made the Parish one family.
‘This family relationship has yielded good dividends like the selection of one of our widows to be a beneficiary of a three-bedroom house apartment, a project of the Catholic Women’s Organization, CWO, Neni Deanery,’ the Secretary said, thanking Bishop Ezeokafor, and the entire CWO, Neni Deanery.
‘The Parish Chapel Project has been resurrected by the CWO of St Rita’s Parish, in line with the directive of the Diocesan Building Committee; work is in progress at the site. We just concluded renovation touches on our parish house,’ she said, adding that the parish hall had been roofed.
The reception, chaired by Chief Ifeanyi Ezike, came to a climax with the presentation of gifts to Bishop Ezeokafor by the Parish, statutory and pious organizations, individual families of the Parish, among others.
