“You are called to serve, not to rule”: Vatican Official to 32 Newly Ordained Priests in Nigeria

Kaduna, 28 June, 2025 / 10:07 PM

The Secretary of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization has told the 32 Deacons he ordained Priests in Nigeria that the Priesthood is a mission of service, not an opportunity to exercise authority characterized with self-interests.

In his homily during the Priestly Ordination of the 32 Deacons at the Good Shepherd Major Seminary in Nigeria’s Catholic Archdiocese of Kaduna, Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu reminded the Priests-elect of the dignity and responsibility of their calling.

“You are called to serve, not to rule or lord it over the people of God,” Archbishop Nwachukwu said during the Thursday, June 26 Eucharistic celebration also marking the Silver Jubilee of the Good Shepherd Major Seminary in Kaduna

He added, “That is why your Priesthood is called the ministerial Priesthood—or the Priesthood of service.”

The Nigerian-born Vatican official explained that all Christians, by virtue of baptism, share in Christ’s Priesthood, but that those chosen for ordained ministry “must carry out Christ’s mission of teacher, shepherd, and Priest in a unique way.”

“You are to be configured to Christ the High Priest and united in Priesthood with your Bishop. You will be preachers of the Gospel, pastors of the people of God, and celebrants of the Eucharist,” he said.

Archbishop Nwachukwu urged the Priests-elect to remain faithful to the Word of God and those who handed it on to them, saying, “Proclaim that Word with joy, but never forget the people through whom you received it—your parents, teachers, and Catechists. The Word of God is not your property. You are at its service.”

The former Vatican diplomat, who had been serving as Apostolic Nuncio from November 2012 till he was appointed Secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelization in March 2023, also noted that Priestly ministry must remain in communion with the Bishop and the wider Church.

“You cannot authentically be called a shepherd if you are not in good communion with your Bishop. You cannot run your own ministry, your own adoration movement, outside the unity of the Church. That is an aberration,” he said.

Referring to the Seminary's name and identity, he said, “You are Good Shepherd Priests. But remember: Jesus first called His disciples to be fishers of men, not shepherds. The title ‘Shepherd’ came only after the Resurrection, when He passed that responsibility to Peter.”

Archbishop Nwachukwu continued, “You are to go out into the world, bring people out of anonymity, and give them a new belonging in Christ. They must die to their old life and begin anew in Him. That is your mission.”

The Catholic Archbishop placed the ordination between two key feasts—the Birth of John the Baptist and the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus—and invited the Priest-elect to imitate both: the humility of John, who said “He must increase, I must decrease,” and the compassion of the Sacred Heart.

He added, “The Catholic Priest, like Melchizedek, must be a universal figure. You must rise above tribalism, racism, or anything that divides. Be sons of the Church, not sons of the soil.”

“Being Priests of the Catholic Church makes you members of a new tribe—a tribe of Christ. Let that sink in,” Archbishop Nwachukwu emphasized.

He implored, “May Our Lady, the Blessed Virgin Mary, obtain for you the grace to live out your call: Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”

The 32 newly ordained Priests include 24 from the Good Shepherd Major Seminary in Kaduna, six from the Christ the King Mission Seminary (CKMS) in the Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan, and two members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost Fathers/Spiritans – CSSp).