…Hails Donors’ Philanthropy
By Mmaduabuchi Onwumelu
It was a harvest of projects on Saturday, 29 August 2026, as the Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, His Lordship Most Reverend Paulinus Ezeokafor, commissioned a multi-million Naira Grotto, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Grotto, built by Oba Chief/Mrs Ikechukwu Ileagu (Ezekwueche) and Iyom Amaka Ileagu (Ugodiya), in memory of their late mother, Ezinne Cecilia Ugoada Ileagu, who died in 2016 at a very ripe age, as well as the Sacred Heart Grotto built by Mr./Mrs Daniel Obinwa in memory of Luke and Cecilia Akambu Obinwa.
The Prelate equally commissioned the Boys’ Quarters built by the Catholic Women’s Organization (CWO), St. Peter’s Parish, and also the convenience (toilet) built by the Parish Priest, Reverend Father Cornelius Okoye. He thanked the donors for their philanthropic spirit and generosity, even as he beckoned on others who are well-to-do to emulate them.
According to him, the Boys’ Quarters would serve accommodation for altar boys/corps members/workers, support the altar servers, and keep them close to serve the church better while the toilet facilities would be very useful for the parishioners during Mass and events. He said the Grottos would give people a quiet place for prayer, rosary, and adoration outside Mass.
In his homily, Bishop Ezeokafor admonished Christians to be sincere and direct with the things of God, stating that no one should joke with a matter as serious as seeking the kingdom of God. He added that whatever one sowed would be what they would reap.
Bishop Ezeokafor, while exhorting Christians, paid a glowing tribute to the families of Ileagu and Obinwa for investing in the house of God, even as he took his time to extol the Parish Priest for doing a yeoman’s job in the parish. He also thanked the Catholic Women’s Organization, St. Peter’s Parish, for erecting the Boys’ Quarters, urging them to sustain the tempo.
Bishop Ezeokafor, who is known for pushing infrastructure and spiritual growth in Awka Diocese, stated that commissioning those projects encouraged lay participation and that showed that the Church was growing.
The Local Ordinary, who expressed delight with the level of development recorded so far in the parish, noted that the donors had already shown their understanding of Christian virtues, stating that giving to the Church and investing in her was a call everyone should answer.
Appreciating the Bishop, the Parish Priest of St Peter’s Parish Nri, Reverend Father Cornelius Okoye, showered encomiums on Bishop Ezeokafor, describing him as a shepherd who shepherded his flock with utmost care and attention. He prayed God to continue to bless, guard and protect him.
Fr. Okoye, who attributed his contributions towards the growth of the Parish to what he described as the Bishop’s shrewd administrative acumen and sagacity, thanked all the parishioners and benefactors for always coming through for the Parish.
The occasion featured the 10-year memorial Mass in honour of their late matriarch, Mrs. Cecilia Ugoada Ileagu. Eulogies, group photographs, and exchange of pleasantries, speeches, and acknowledgements formed the high points of the event.
