…As Awka Diocesan Pastoral Council Meets, Releases New Parish Grades
… Honours Best Performing Parishes in 2025 Cathedraticum
By Micheal Nnebife and Jacobson Nbina
The Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Rev Paulinus Chukwuemeka Ezeokafor, has appealed to the 131 parishes, chaplaincies, and Mass Centres of the Diocese, to enforce the Anambra State Burial Law in their domains for the overall good of less-privileged individuals in society.
The Bishop who made the appeal while addressing a second Diocesan Pastoral Council Meeting, 2025, of Awka Diocese on Saturday October 11, strongly reiterated his support to the Burial Law.
He said the law did not belong to Ezeokafor but that what he was doing was to ensure that the law worked for the good of every common man in society.
‘I stand behind that law 100% because it helps; if there is no law like that, the level where burial expenses would have been today is only known by God,’ Bishop Ezeokafor said.
Regretting what he called lack of implementation of laws in Nigeria, Bishop Ezeokafor emphasized that if a law was made and kept, society would be a better place to live by all; just as he stated that the two-month period regulation on death and burial in the Diocese still stood.
The Bishop frowned at a ceremony which he called second burial, practiced by some people and described it as an aberration.
Recalling his befitting living against befitting burial advocacy, Bishop Ezeokafor admonished parish leaders to encourage their subjects to embrace the idea of celebrating parents while they were alive.
He spoke about Peter University, Achina-Onneh, thanking parishes and statutory bodies in the Diocese for their support.
According to him, the University had a satisfying number of students and rate of student enrollment, but faced a challenge of hostel accommodation.
Bishop Ezeokafor who further noted that a university project was a continuous process, appealed for more support to Peter University to enable it to perform optimally.
The Chief Shepherd of Awka Diocese reminded the Chairmen and the Vice-Chairmen of the parishes, chaplaincies, Mass Centres, including the diocesan leaders of the statutory bodies of the Diocese who gathered for the meeting, that the whole essence of the University hinged on the salvation of souls of the youth.
The Chief Shepherd, during the meeting presented awards of honour to the best performing parishes in the 2025 Cathedraticum to appreciate their efforts.
At the diocesan position, St Mary’s, Awka, gave 320 cows; St Paul’s, Abba, 210 cows; and St Theresa’s, Enugwu-Ukwu, 200 cows, taking the first, second and third positions respectively.
At the regional level, Awka Region took first position while Adazi Region came second and Nimo Region settled third position
Speaking shortly after the meeting, Bishop Ezeokafor’s Secretary, Rev Fr Evaristus Ifeanacho, said the essence of the performance grading and the honour was to spur the best performing parishes on for the spirit of competition that others would emulate in upcoming cathedraticums.
Other highlights of the meeting which took place at St Patrick’s Cathedral Hall, included the presentation of a newly reviewed grading for parishes, chaplaincies and Mass Centres.
The new review, which contains 10 grade levels, has St Andrew’s, Adazi-Nnukwu; Madonna Assumpta, Agulu; St Patrick’s, Agulu; St Matthew’s, Amawbia; St Mary’s, Awka; St Patrick’s, Awka; St Thomas Aquinas, Awka; St John’s, Enugwu-Agidi; and St Anthony’s, Enugwu-Ukwu, as grade one parishes.
St Mary’s, Abagana; St Anthony’s, Awka; St Peter’s, Awka; St Theresa’s, Enugwu-Ukwu; and St John’s, Neni occupy grade two.
The grade three parishes, are St Patrick’s, Aguluzigbo; St Joseph’s the Worker Chaplaincy, Awka; St Theresa’s, Nibo; Our Lady of Assumption, Nimo; and St Joseph’s, Umuawulu; while St Paul’s, Abba; St Peter’s, Adazi-Ani; St Dominic’s, Adazi-Enu; St Theresa’s, Agulu; Queen of All Hearts, Aguluzigbo; St Michael’s, Akwaeze; St Edward’s, Amawbia; Annunciation, Awka; Christ the King, Awka; St Augustine’s, Ichida; St Gabriel’s, Ifitedunu; St Mary’s, Nimo; St Mary’s Eucharist, Nri; St Paul’s, Obeledu; and St Simon’s, Ukpo are the grade four parishes.
St Anthony’s, Abba; St Paul’s, Achalla; Christ the King, Adazi-Nnukwu; St Paul’s, Agulu; St Joseph’s, Amawbia; St Patrick’s, Awgbu; St Theresa’s, Awgbu; St Francis, Awka; St Joseph’s, Awka; St Francis, Enugwu-Ukwu; St Rita’s, Ichida; St Mary’s, Ifitedunu; St Dominic’s, Mbakwu; St Anthony’s, Nawfia; St Michael’s, Neni; St Vincent’s, Nimo; St Kelvin’s Nimo; St Felix’s, Nise;Â and St Gabriel’s, Okpuno are now grade five parishes.
Grade six parishes include St Francis, Abagana; St Michael’s, Abagana; St Gregory’s, Akwaeze; All Saints, Awgbu; St Mary’s, Awgbu; Our Lady of Assumption, Awka; SS John & Paul, Awka; St Joseph’s, Nri; St Peter’s, Nri; and Holy Trinity, Obeledu; while St Martin’s Hill Top, Abagana; All Saints, Adazi-Ani; St Joseph the Worker, Adazi-Nnukwu; St Michael’s, Agulu; St Jude’s, Awka; Sacred Heart Chaplaincy, Awka; St John’s, Awka; St Martin’s, Ifitedunu; Christ the King, Isuaniocha; Ave Maria, Nawfia; St Joseph’s, Neni; and SS Peter & Paul, Nise are grade seven parishes.
Grade eight parishes, include Holy Family, Achalla; St Patrick’s, Adazi-Enu; Holy Family, Agulu; St Joseph’s, Agulu; St John the Evangelist, Agulu; St Matthias, Agulu; St Anthony’s, Amansea; St Albert the Great, Amansea; Our Lady of Victory, Amansea; St Joseph’s, Ebebene; St Theresa’s, Ichida; Immaculate Heart of Mary, Neni; St James, Neni; St Mary’s, Neni; St Joseph’s, Nibo; A. K. Obiefuna REPACCO, Okpuno; St Paul’s, Ugwuoba; St Peter’s, Ugwuoba; St Joseph’s, Ukpo; and St Theresa’s, Ukwulu.
Sacred Heart, Adazi-Ani; St Joseph’s, Awgbu; Blessed Iwene Tansi, Ebenebe; St Benedict’s, Enugwu-Ukwu; St Kelvin’s, Ichida;Â St Michael’s, Isiagu; St Patrick’s, Mbaukwu; St Theresa’s, Mbaukwu; St Paul’s, Mgbakwu; St Michael’s, Nawgu; St Paul’s, Nibo; St Stephen’s, Nise; St Raphael’s, Okpuno; St Anthony’s, Okpuno; Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Ukpo and St Peter’s, Urum are grade nine parishes.
Grade 10 include St Joseph’s Chaplaincy, Adazi-Nnukwu; St Paul’s, Awba Ofemili; Divine Mercy Chaplaincy, Awka; Regina Caeli Chaplaincy, Awka; St Charles Borromeo Quasi Parish, Awka; St Lawrence Chapel Mass Centre, Awka; Blessed Iwene Tansi Chaplaincy, CPS, Awka; Udoka Mass Centre, Awka; St Mary’s, Ebenebe; St Joseph’s Quasi Parish, Ezinato; St James’ Quasi Parish, Ezinato; St Paul’s Quasi Chaplaincy, Ezinato; Holy Trinity, Ndiukwuenu; St Pius X, Okpeze; St Mary’s Quasi Chaplaincy, Okpuno; St Peter’s, Ugbene; St Raphael’s, Ugbene; St Michael’s, Ugwuoba; St Patrick’s, Ugwuoba; and St Aloysius Gonzaga Chaplaincy, Ukwulu.
In a chat during the event, the Diocesan Financial Administrator, Rev Fr Paulinus Okonkwo, said that the grading was based on the financial strength of the parishes, chaplaincies and Mass Centres.
Presentation of the awards of appreciation to the best performing parishes in the 2025 Cathedraticum, by Bishop Ezeokafor climaxed the meeting which essence was to carry along both the parish priests and the people of God in the various pastoral engagements in Awka Catholic Diocese.
