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

FOUR  VILLAGES BENEFIT FROM MILITARY GENEROSITY  By Mildred Ndum Wung Kum The populations of Esu, Weh, Ndu and Furu-Awa villages in the Northwest Region of Cameroon have received aid in health, infrastucture and didatics from the  Fifth Joint Military Region. Nka Valere, commander of the Fifth Military Region led a team to the various villages during the weekend. The activity carried out December 11 to 13, 2020 was within the framework of a mission to segment civilio military ties, to encourage soldiers charged with security and to reassure  indegenes of the military duty to protect them against assailants.  The first visit was in Furu - Awa on December 11 where the population received food items and didatic material including palm oil, rice, garri, books, pens, chalk, soaps among others. The visit continued on December 12 in Esu and Weh where similar items were handed to natives. In Esu, Nka Valere inaugurated a bridge constructed by the military to link Esu an...
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
PLAN INTERNATIONAL CAMEROON SPEAK UP ON GIRL EDUCATION By MILDRED NDUM WUNG KUM Sad but true, the image of the 21st century girl child is still faint in the world of education. Girls in both  rural areas and and urban communities either have no chance to go to school or are subjected to chores that block their access to education. A sadly large number of girls in most communities in the third world do not attain their desired dreams in life. They are deterred by the pressure to get married and the thought that females do not require much "book" among others. The misthought has rendered many girls both under utilised and under proficient setting the girl in a disadvantage position when offset with the male child.  Plan International Cameroon advocates for equal opportunity to both sexes. exhibition of artistic displays portray girls' worth The NGO marked celebration of the international day of the girl child in various localities of different regions...
Post a Comment
Read more