…As Bishop Ezeokafor Speaks on Invasion of Cathedral Land by Umuzocha Community, Building of Old People’s Home, Jubilee Year of Hope By Pope Francis, Beatification of Late Fr Aaron Ekwu, Emergence of Knights St. Michael’s The Archangel
By Mmaduabuchi Onwumelu, R.A Yakubu and Emmanuel Chigozie
This year’s Awka Diocesan Chrism Mass, cum Cathedraticum, was celebrated in dramatic fashion, glitz and glamour, with parishes from all the three Regions jostling in a charged atmosphere to outdo the other in a healthy and entertaining manner. The turnout of priests, consecrated men and women, and the laity were encouraging, while presentation of cash gifts, material items, among others; as well as paying of homage to the Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, His Lordship Most Reverend Paulinus Ezeokafor, were impressive.
The event, preceded by a concelebrated Eucharistic Celebration presided over by Bishop Ezeokafor, had all the parishes falling head over heel just to show their deepest and undiluted appreciation and love towards the Local Ordinary.
Leading over all in the three regions this year, is St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Awka, who took the first position in Awka Region and also in all the three regions put together, with 320 cows. St Paul’s Parish Abba, from the Nimo Region, won the second position in the three regions and first in their immediate region, Nimo, with 210 cows; while St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Akwaeze, came third in the regions and first in Adazi, with 164 cows.
Other parishes from the three regions who came close include St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Enugwu-Ukwu, 200 cows; St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, G. R. A., Awka, 156; St. Patrick’s Catholic Cathedral Parish, Awka, 150 cows; St. Joseph’s Parish, Maryland, Umueze Amawbia, 105; Ezinator Chaplaincy (Adoration Family), 100 Cows; St. Theresa’s Secondary School, Enugwu-Ukwu, 100 cows; St. Anthony’s Parish, Enugwu-Ukwu, 75 cows.
Others also include; St. Mark’s Catholic Church Abagana, 70 cows; Assumption Catholic Church, Nimo, 60 cows; St. Mary’s Nimo, 42 cows; St. John the Evangelist, Enugwu Agidi, 40 cows; St. Anthony’s Abba, 40 cows; St. Francis Enugwu-Ukwu, 40 cows; St. Gabriel’s Ifitedunu, 32 cows; St. Michael’s Nawgu, 30 cows; St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Nawfia, 30 cows.
St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Akwaeze, wowed everyone, including Bishop Ezeokafor, priests, religious, lay faithful and guests, with a total of 164 cows, followed by St. Augustine’s Catholic Church, Ichida, who came a distant second with 100 cows. St. Andrew’s Catholic Church, Adazi-Nnukwu, came third with 80 cows; St. Rita’s Ichida, came fourth with 70 cows; St. Gregory Cath. Church, Akwaeze came fourth with 60 cows; St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Aguluizigbo, came fifth with 51 cows; St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Obeledu; St. John’s, Neni; St. Peter’s, Nri; St. Paul’s, Obeledu; and Queen of All Hearts Catholic Church, Aguluizigbo, all came with 50 cows each; while St. Joseph’s Hospital Complex came with 45 cows; with CKP Adazi-Nnukwu, coming with 40 cows.
St. Anthony’s Parish, Ifite Awka, came with 70 cows; St. Peter’s Parish, Nkwelle Awka, 65 cows; St. Gabriel’s Parish, 60 cows; St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Awka, 60 cows; Annunciation Parish, Awka, 55 cows; St. Felix Parish, Nise, 40 cows; UNIZIK Chaplaincy, Permanent Site, 40 cows; St. Matthew’s Parish, Amawbia, 60 cows; St. Joseph’s Parish, Temp Site, Awka, 55 cows; St. Patrick’s College, Awka, 50 cows.
This year’s Chrism Mass/Cathedraticum for Adazi Region was held at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church, Adazi-Nnukwu, on Saturday, 12th April; that of Nimo Region, was held at Assumption Catholic Church, Nimo, on Tuesday, 15th April, 2025; while that of Awka Region was held at St. Patrick’s Catholic Cathedral, Awka, on Wednesday, 16th April. 2025.
Each of the activities was preceded with a Concelebrated Eucharistic Celebration presided over by the Diocesan Bishop, Most Rev Paulinus Ezeokafor.
Delivering the homily at the different regions, the Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, His Lordship Most Rev Ezeokafor, spoke on a wide range of issues, ranging from the theme: ”Jubilee Year of Hope”, instituted by the Holy Father, Pope Francis; to his Lenten Pastoral Letter, entitled, ”Never Lose Hope!’’; and to the invasion of the Cathedral land by those he described as ill-informed individuals; the emergence of Knights of St. Michael the Archangel; building of Old People’s Home; beatification of the late Rev. Fr. Aaron Ekwu (Blessed), among others.
The Prelate informed the government and the people that the people of Umuzocha Village, Awka, had made the Cathedral very insecure by knocking down 60% of the Cathedral’s wall, saying that they should be held responsible if anything went wrong at the Cathedral. He added that the land they were dragging was given to them by their forebears, wondering why those whose fathers were not born when the land was given should be fighting the Church for it.
He exhorted the people to keep hope alive and endeavour to live for others, stating that it was on that premise he anchored his Lenten Pastoral Letter to the people of God on ”Never Lose Hope”.
He said that it was created out-of this year’s Pope Francis’s message themed, ”Jubilee Year of Hope”.
He commended the Government of Anambra State, led by Professor Chukwuma Soludo, for sanitising and ridding the state of quacks and self-acclaimed native doctors, who, he noted, went about deceiving the gullible, especially the ill-informed and haphazardly trained youths.
In their separate speeches, the Vicar General, Very Rev. Peter Chudi Akaenyi; the Episcopal Vicar of Awka Region, Very Rev. Anthony Nwafor; Episcopal Vicar of Adazi Region, Very Rev. Fr Dr. Anthony Anike; and the Episcopal Vicar of Nimo Region, Very Rev. Fr Shedrack Anunwa; thanked Bishop Ezeokafor for his steadfastness, kind disposition, commitment, love, care, and tireless efforts towards piloting the affairs of the Diocese. They prayed God to continue to guide, guard and direct him. The quartet, individually, described him as Bishop’s Bishop.
Some of the dignitaries who graced this year’s Chrism Mass/ Cathedraticum, included the Governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Soludo; Local Government Chairmen; Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike; and the former Provost of Nwafor Orizu College of Education (NOCEN) and erstwhile Vice Chancellor of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Prof Fidelis Okafor (Papal Knight), among others.
Blessing of the different Chrism oils holy by Bishop Ezeokafor, renewal of vows by the priests, prayer of indulgence said by Bishop Ezeokafor, announcements made by the Diocesan Chancellor, Very Rev. Fr. Charles Ndubuisi, and the presentation of Regional Councils addresses, formed the highpoints of this year’s Chrism Mass/Cathedraticum.
