Bishop Ezeokafor to Newly Invested Seminarians of Awka, Ekwulobia Dioceses
By Fr Constantine Echichechi Okoli
Thirty-three seminarians were on Saturday, 7th December, 2024, invested with the clerical soutane, a symbol of their commitment to the life of love of God and priestly vocation, by the Catholic Bishop of Awka, Most Rev Paulinus Ezeokafor, at Archbishop A. K. Obiefuna Retreat, Pastoral and Conference Centre, Okpuno.
Reflecting on the readings of the Mass of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which was celebrated in anticipation by the Chief Shepherd of the Diocese, the Bishop elaborately explained that the honour given to the Blessed Virgin Mary by the Church was in imitation of God Himself who had greatly favoured her from creation, preveniently for the work He wanted her to do in the world.
Furthermore, addressing and bringing his message home to the congregation and the 33 seminarians of Holy Family Spiritual Seminary, Okpuno, who were for the Dioceses of Awka and Ekwulobia, the Bishop instructed that it was not enough to be called into one vocation or the other by God, but that those called are to answer and follow the directives of God who called them.
He therefore, reminded the seminarians that their vocation to the Catholic Priesthood was one that required discernment, discipline and devotion to God and the Church. He exhorted them to bear in mind that the journey of life was marked with thorns and roses and that each was necessary for shaping them into better agents of peace, justice and development in the world.
Going further, the Bishop, who was a one-time Rector in the Minor Seminaries: St. Dominic Savio Seminary, Akpu and St. Johnbosco Seminary, Isuaniocha, encouraged the family of the seminarians to allow them to discern their vocation to the priesthood properly.
‘Do not pressure the seminarians into becoming priests, so that you answer Mama Fada,’ the Bishop pleaded. And to the newly invested seminarians, the Bishop said, ‘Try and love your vocation, not because it is the best, but because it is God’s will for you.’
With that, he called on the congregation to always pray for them as it served as their journey into the Senior Seminary formation and preparation to the sacred priesthood.
Fides gathered that the 33 seminarians invested with the clerical soutane comprised 17 seminarians from the Catholic Diocese of Awka and 16 seminarians from the Catholic Diocese of Ekwulobia. The seminarians for Awka Diocese were: Aguinam JohnPaul, Ananwude Victor, Arinze Kevin, Ezeagu Bonaventure, Igwe Eugene, Mmagu JohnPaul, Nwankwor Timothy, Nwankwor Vincent, Obiudu Patrick, Odili Raphael, Ogbuagu Benedict, Okpalaihedi Shedrack, Omalu Eugene, Onua Gerald, Onuegbu John, Onwumelu Evans, Umeh Valentine.
Those from the Catholic Diocese of Ekwulobia (CADEK) were: Anujeonye Patrick, Chima Charles, Ezeike Benedict, Ezeike Cyprian, Ezeji Stephen, Ezeokafor Victor, Ezeorji Vincent, Ibekwe Francis, Ikeora Sixtus, Mbam Benjamin, Muokwe Martin, Okechukwu Samuel, Okoli Vincent, Okpala Emmanuel, Okpalaugo Samuel, and Umeokolo George.
While thanking the Bishop for his presence and for being a good neighbour to them, the Vocations Director of the Diocese of Awka and the Rector of Holy Family Spiritual Year, Okpuno, Rev. Fr. Paul Chukwukebe, thanked all who came to celebrate with the seminarians. He thanked their parents for allowing their sons to answer the demands God was making of them.
For his own part, the Bishop of Ekwulobia, Peter Ebere Cardinal Okpaleke, who was represented by the Vocations Director of the Diocese, Rev. Fr. Linus Ibekwe, shared with Fides his opinion. He said the Spiritual Year was an environment for proper discernment before embracing the onerous and yet gracious task of the Catholic priesthood.
He equally encouraged the young seminarians to make the best use of their time of formation, noting that the Spiritual Year was an important Propaedeutic Stage in the seminary formation that prepared the seminarians for human and spiritual formation.
Speaking on behalf of the newly invested seminarians, the coordinator of the set, Master Evans Onwumelu, from St. Pius X Parish, Okpeze (a town which is very dear to Bishop Ezeokafor, having worked there as a young priest in the then Old Awgbu Parish), thanked the Bishop for his encouraging words and examples to them and for subsidizing their fees and caring for them. He used the opportunity, on behalf of others, to present a gift of a spiritual bouquet to the Bishop.
The highlights in the Rite of the Investiture of the seminarians included the interrogation of the seminarians by the Bishop and the response of the seminarians; the blessing of the clerical soutane and the giving of the blessed soutane to the seminarians.
Other highlights of the event which had the presence of many priests from the various parishes of the seminarians and beyond, religious men and women, lay faithful, parents and representatives of towns and organizations, were thanksgiving procession led by the seminarians, group pictures, dance and entertainment and donations, which took place at the Resurrection of Hall of the Retreat Centre.
According to one of the parents of the newly invested seminarians, Dr. Mrs. Ify Obiudu, the seminarians would surely need their prayers in order to reach to the end which they visibly desired.
