Skip to main content

ARCHBISHOP ANDREW COMMISSIONS PRIESTS TO DEFEND TRUTH

By Mildred Ndum Wung Kum

Nineteen deacons of the Roman Catholic church have answered God's call to the ministerial priesthood. The ceremony to raise the deacons to priests took place at the piazza of the Saint Joseph's Cathedral on April 20, 2022 during a concelebrated Holy Mass. His Grace Andrew Nkea, Archbishop of Bamenda presided at the  ordination.

Laying of hands on a candidate during ordination rites

(Photo credit: Archdiocese of Bamenda info)

Of the nineteen new priests, seventeen priests were ordained into the Archdiocese of Bamenda, one into the Archdiocese of Garoua and one into the Capauchin Friary. The solemn gestures accompanying the ordination ceremony was marked by  the examination and scrutiny of the candidates, the promise of obedience to the Archbishop, the prayers of consecration, anointing of those being ordained and the peace kiss. The newly ordained were then clad in stole and chasuble to signify their priestly office. They were instructed by the Archbishop to believe what they read, teach what they believe, and practice what they preach. Preaching at the Mass, His Grace Andrew Nkea called on the newly ordained to offer their lives to humanity and stand for the truth "When you lay down your lives, you must be ready to stand for the truth defend the truth and be ready to die for the truth...Know that The day you stop speaking the truth, you make yourself a prisoner of lies and you will be a sad priest but the truth liberates, the truth unites, the truth invigorates and the truth gives eternal life and the truth would not make you popular" Archbishop Nkea said

Those who were ordained expressed fulfilment for having been called to the vocation of priesthood. In an interview, Reverend Father Blaise Awah one of the nineteen said "I am grateful to God for having bestowed upon me such favours to work though I am not worthy. I pray for the grace to be able to work in  his vineyard for his people and for my personal sanctification" Another newly ordained Reverend Father Henry Piere said "It's a special day in my life because God has raised me to the order of priest. I'm very happy today because my dreams have come to reality. I thank God for my family, I thank God for my brothers and sisters and for all those who have been praying for me. My promise is that I'll be able to serve the people of God and stick to the promises I have made"

Newly ordained in priestly vestment flanking Archbishop

(Photo credit: Archdiocese of Bamenda info)

Christians who attended the ordination event were all engulfed in joy. In song and dance, they praised God for the gift of more labourers for the harvest. The newly ordained priests each received certificates from the Archbishop. 

The day ended with feasting and merriment. Some people scrambled to get blessings from the new priests while others scrambled for photo sessions. Having been ordained priests,  they shall live a life of poverty, chastity and obedience. They shall celebrate sacraments in accordance with the rubrics of the Church and they shall carryout any assignment deemed by the Archbishop or superior wherever they are commissioned.

Comments

Post a Comment

Editor's Picks

AT PALLIUM INVESTITURE PAROLIN ENTASKS ALL TO PEACE   By Mildred Ndum Wung Kum The mission to hand the pallium in Bamenda was blended with a mission of peace, dialogue and reconciliation. Pietro Cardinal Parolin, Secretary of States of the Vatican and Pope’s envoy on errand to place the pallium on the shoulders of Archbishop Andrew Fuanya Nkea accomplished his task while also calling on an end to violence affecting Bamenda. He prescribed vigilance and serenity insisting that dialogue should be pursued in place of violence. Pietro Cardinal Parolin at St Joseph Piazza Bamenda Pietro Parolin was principal celebrant of a pontifical High Mass to mark the pallium investiture on January 31, 2021 at the St Joseph Centenary Piazza in Bamenda.  He acknowledged that Bamenda is being shattered by division and rioting. His message of none violence in relation to a socio political crisis plaguing Bamenda fell on a heterogonous audience “we are all responsible for peace. All the actors of society are
3 comments
Read more
UNIVERSITY OF BAMENDA: STRIKE BEGINS DEC 4 AGAINST ATTEMPTED MURDER OF DON AND KIDNAP OF ANOTHER ON HEELS OF GROWING SECURITY CONCERNS BY MILDRED NDUM WUNG KUM A strike action by affiliates of the University of Bamenda agreed by an executive committee of the institution  shall run  Dec 4th -5th 2019. The information is  contained in a communique for a solidarity strike action. The strike is provoked by attempts to assasinate Professor Tata Simon Ngenge lecturer and Director of studies at the Higher Teacher Training College  and abduction of Dr Ami Nyoh Hycinth, lecturer and Head of Division of Administration and Finance at the Higher Teacher Training College. The incident happened Dec 3rd 2019 on the stretch of road known as Bambui Bambili C Bend.      According to the communique, the University Community was assured beefed up security during a high level meeting with the security situation of the institution on agenda. The meeting was chaired by the governnor of the Nort
1 comment
Read more
FIGHT GBV: YOUR CONTRIBUTION BRINGS CHANGE; WOMEN NOW GIVEN LAND RIGTS, READ THIS BY MILDRED NDUM WUNG KUM When it comes to Gender Based Violence GBV, mostly women are victims. Persons in the society violate females either due to ignorance of human rights or outright refusal to recognise the position of women in matters of rights. Many are gradually embracing the fact of equal rights to both sexes. Ngeh Patricia says her father accorded her a portion of land which is today a livewire for her meanwhile Anye  Fidelis Is today sympathising with his sister whose bride price was used to sponsor him, yet the sister remained uneducated and peasant.  “We are four girls, three boys. My father gave all of us land. When the boys have a problem we help them, we give them some of our share of the plot to solve the problem and we talk with our husbands. We use the plot with our husband to construct. I used my piece of land to cultivate corn, beans and potatoes which helped me a lot” Ngeh
1 comment
Read more