Priestly Life Paramount in your Vocation, Bishop Ezeokafor Tells New Priests

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    By Fr. Robert Anagboso

    The Catholic Bishop of Awka, Most Rev Paulinus Chukwuemeka Ezeokafor, has ordained eleven new priests for Awka Diocese, calling on them to maintain a priestly life worthy of their vocation. This is even as he advocated for a new people-oriented constitution for equity, justice and fairness in Nigeria.

    On Saturday, 19 July 2025, at St Patrick’s Cathedral Awka, Bishop Ezeokafor raised eleven deacons to the office of presbytery after many years of academic, spiritual and human formation in the seminary. The newly ordained priests included Rev. Frs. Henry Okpalaorakwe (Adazi-Enu); Emmanuel Okeke T. (Adazi-Ani); Simon Ebeogu (Enugwu Agidi); Charles Udekwe (Agulu); Emmanuel Okeke O. (Adazi-Ani); Ambrose Ezeagwalu (Agulu).

    Others were Rev. Frs. Cyprian Nwabueze (Ifitedunu); Paschal Obelenwa (Nri); Paschal Iredibia (Ogbaku); Christian Okoye (Agulu); and Paul Arjih (Okpo, Enugu Ezike).

    Delivering the homily at the Mass of Ordination, Bishop Ezeokafor underscored the fact of holiness and humane living as the paramount life of a Catholic priest. Addressing the ordinands, the Prelate stressed: ‘What sets you apart from others is your holiness of life and humane living as a priest.’

    Continuing, the Bishop, reflecting on the current world that is marked with ever flashing and whirl wind of changes, maintained that the priesthood was one of the rare beacons of hope and stability in the world, especially in matters of faith and morals.

    He said priests must therefore, embody this hope and stability by a strict and generous adherence to the tenets of the Catholic Priesthood.

    ‘You are called to be role models, especially to the youth of your age, and not to be swallowed up by their inordinate life style. You are not to imitate them in their worldly fashion, quest and pursuits; rather, you are to present and make yourselves signs of sound and authentic human living,’ the Bishop exhorted.

    Bishop Ezeokafor thanked the people of God, especially the parents, sponsors, friends, family and town members of the priests, for what he described as the generous gift of the young priests which they had made to God and the Church.

    He lauded them for the sacrifices they had made to see those young men answer the call to the priesthood, even as he reminded them that it was only God who would adequately reward them, as the priests would always remember them at the altar of the sacrifice of Mass.

    The Prelate equally reminded the newly ordained that their primary duty to such category of persons, and indeed to anyone at all, was fundamentally spiritual; to offer prayers and sacrifices of Mass for their good and well-being.

    On the state of the nation, Bishop Ezeokafor lamented the lingering constitutional amendments that, he noted, apparently seemed not to positively impact on the ordinary Nigerians and the masses, and called for a new constitution that would be people oriented.

    Furthermore, he frowned on what he described as the inordinate quest for political power by some politicians, who, by age and other altruistic considerations, should serve well as elder statesmen instead of always trying to be at the forefront leading. He advised such politicians to put the interest of the nation and the masses first in order to ensure justice, equity and fairness.

    At the end of the Mass, the new priests blessed all categories of the faithful, including the Bishop, on one hand, and the priests and religious; seminarians and aspirants, in one fell swoop; even as they blessed the conglomeration of the parents, sponsors and family members before capping the benediction with the blessing of the entire congregation.

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