Skip to main content

CHRISTIANS UPHOLD FAITH, DEFY THREATS AT PALLIUM INVESTITURE 

By Mildred Ndum Wung Kum

In defiance of a ghost town programmed by Ambazonians, thousands of Catholic Christians turned out January 31, 2021 to witness the bestowal of the pallium on Andrew Nkea, Metropolitan Archbishop of Bamenda. 

A Christian assigned to sell hymn booklets printed for the day’s occasion spoke of two thousand five hundred copies sold out that ran in short supply.

Radio Evangelium Bamenda reported that one hundred and thirty eight priests and eight bishops filled the alter.

The turnout at the pontifical High Mass at the St Joseph Centenary Piazza for the pallium investiture was saluted as an act of faith given the multitude.

In his opening statement at the beginning of Mass, Andrew Nkea hailed the faith of Christians in the presence of Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of States of the Vatican sent by Pope Francis to hand the pallium “We the people of Bamenda lack many things but one thing we don't lack is faith. The presence here of of the people of Bamenda in such great numbers  is a sure sign that their faith is greater than politics, the faith of the  people of the Archdiocese of Bamenda is greater than intimidation and their presence here is a proof that the devil is a liar." 

Catholics who turned out for the pallium told Cameroon Infotrend that their presence at the Holy Mass was an act of faith. 

“On my part, I brave all odds to attend the pallium investiture first of all because I wanted to receive the blessings from the Holy Father through the Cardinal Secretary of State of the Vatican city and secondly because I wanted to get the experience of the event and thirdly as a response to the invitation of our chief shepherd to come to the cathedral. All of these was because of my faith which cannot be compromised by any situation or threats.” Niba Fracis, seminarian of the Archdiocese of Bamenda noted.

“A Pallium is an Ecclesiastical Vestment presented by the Holy See upon a metropolitan Archbishop as a symbol of authority over a particular area of jurisdiction. This is always presented in Rome and this was first of its kind for me as a Catholic Christian to witness the handing of Pallium to an Archbishop, reason I had to defile all threats to be part of the history making event in the Ecclesiastical Province of Bamenda” Said a Christian who chose to stay anonymous.

Chris Anu acting as Communication Secretary of the Ambazonian Interim Government sent a message Thursday January 28, asking Catholics to stay at home where he gave reasons that “They may deliver a message that doesn’t reflect the message we see on the ground . When we have an important guest like the cardinal visiting from the Vatican, we do not want anyone else to tell our own story for us. We want to tell our story by ourselves.  Stay home and pray at home this week and choose lockdown over this Vatican visit” he said in an audio while criticizing the national Episcopal conference for being indifferent and not condemning the killing of Ambazonians.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin’s visit to Bamenda to hand the pallium to His Grace Andrew N. generated polemics with critics on one hand saying that his was a political mission to meet elements of the Biya regime. Some political minds raised fear that Pope Francis’ envoy would be ill informed on the socio political crisis affecting Bamenda, a city in Cameroon’s Northwest Region rendered restive by the struggle to carve out a separate state from the existing t unitary system of government.

Comments

Post a Comment

Editor's Picks

Archdiocese of Bamenda: Pope Francis Raises five Priests to Monsignors Story: Mildred Ndum Wung Kum and Felicitas Ika Picture: New Monsignors holding appointment letters  Reverend Fathers  William Neba, John Ambe, Michael Yuh, Michael Kintang and Anthony Viban are five Priests, newly crowned as monsignors.  The honorific title conferred on them by Pope Francis was proclaimed by Andrew Nkea, Archbishop of Bamenda on 6th December 2022 at Our Lady of Fatima Queen of Peace Shrine, Abangoh, Bamenda. He broke the news of the newly appointed monsignors at Abangoh where Christians were gathered for a Eucharistic celebration to mark the end of "the Marian Year" declared by Pope Francis to run from December 8th 2021 to December 8th 2022.  The Archbishop announced to the Christian Community gathered that, Pope Francis has raised the five to  the rank of monsignors. Christians screamed in joy as a bull was read pronouncing new Monsignors in the Archdiocese of Bamenda. The r...
Post a Comment
Read more
GIDICom BRINGS PSYCHOLOGICAL RELIEF TO 15 WOMEN BY MILDRED NDUM WUNG KUM The Global Initiative for Digital Inclusion and Communication GIDICom has effected ease and psychological  relief on some fifteen women with special abilities.  GIDICom gave a pat in the back to the fifteen in a heart to heart fireplace chat while listening to the plight they are  facing in the present Cameroon Anglophone  crisis period.     This initiative by GIDICom was part of it's #Act4peace237 Campaign with the aim to #DefyHateNow by hearing their stories which has up to now been unreported.  Women with special abilities confide in GIDICom The session was coordinated by the Communication and Gender Expert of GIDICom Madame Rosaline Obah Akah. She ensured a cozy atmosphere among the women; one that gave them the confidence to share disturbing issues. Sitting round the fireside, they talked of having lost loved ones, property,  recorded teenage pregna...
Post a Comment
Read more
PAUL MBIYBE VERDZEKOV SHALL BE PROCLAIMED CANDIDATE FOR SAINTHOOD BY MILDRED NDUM WUNG KUM A pontifical Holy Mass would be celebrated on Thursday 30th January at the St Joseph's Metropolitan Cathedral Mankon,Bamenda at 9am to officially open the process of beatification for late Archbishop Emeritus of Bamenda, Paul Mbiybe Verdzekov. The Mass would be presided by the Apostolic Administrator of Bamenda Cornelius Fontem Esua. It is expected to bring together a huge number of Catholics and non Catholics including pastors and the laity to witness the beginning of the process of sainthood for Paul Verdzekov.  Saints are honoured as people who lived exemplery lives of virtue, are in heaven (triumphant church), can intercede for those living on earth (pilgrim church) as well as those in purgatory (suffering church). The saintly heritage is revered by Catholics but have also benefitted non Catholics who seek intercession of saints and who strive to mimic the saintly way of life. ...
1 comment
Read more