“The Priesthood is a gift and every Priest is a gift. None of us is entitled to anything, neither the Church nor the family,” Bishop Onah emphasized during the Eucharistic celebration that was held at St. Theresa Cathedral of Nsukka Diocese.
He encouraged the 26 members of the Clergy to foster collaboration, saying, “You are called to participate in the ministry of the Bishop, to help your Bishop and to be united with the Bishop because the Bishop is the leader of a believing community.”
“These young men who are being given to me as helpers, as gifts, are an answer to my prayers,” he said, adding, “My prayers not as Godfred Onah and gifts to me not as Godfrey Onah but to me as the Catholic Bishop of Nsukka because I am the leader of the people of God in Nsukka in prayer to God.”
The Catholic Bishop who has been at the helm of Nigeria’s Nsukka Diocese since his Episcopal Ordination in July 2013 told the Deacons to be ordained Priests that they will get “gifts through the instrumentality of the Bishop and some of these gifts may make you shine even more than your Bishop or your superior for those who are religious but it does not place you above them.”
“We are a gift to Moses for the good of the people of Israel to lead them. So also, we are the apostles’ gifts from God to Jesus,” Bishop Onah said.
He reiterated, “As we thank God for these young men, I want to remind them and to remind myself that they are gifts to the Church through the Bishop and their Superiors.”
The 26 who were ordained Priests during the August 26 event include Deacons Emmanuel U. Okeze, Hillary O. Ogbonnal, Hillary N. Ogbonnal, Kingsley I. Onyishi, Henry N. Akah, Hillary E. Mamah, Canice N. Onah, Paschal K. Nweke, Fidelis C. Asadu, Vitus I. Odoh, and Anselm A. Onah.
Other Deacons ordained Priests include Christian K. Ukwuoma, Emmanuel A. Nwafor, Charles C. Nnadi, Emmanuel O. Odoh, Emmanuel O. Ogbonna, Gerald C. Asogwal, Vitus O. Onyishi, Christian O. Ugwu, Christian N. Nnadi, Jude N. Ozor, Hillary U. Eze, Paschal Anike, Malachi A. Ugwu, Gregory K. Abonyi and Peter U. Obodoechina.
Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.
