More than 15,000 faithful Catholics and 300 religious joined confreres of the Vice Province of Nigeria at the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Ugwogo Nike, Enugu State for an epic Jubilee Celebration of Our Mother of Perpetual Help in June. Bishop Callistus Onaga of the Diocese of Enugu presided at the liturgy, imparted the indulgence blessing and ordained four confreres to the priesthood and five confreres to the diaconate.
Congratulations to the newly ordained priests –Fathers Ambrose Unuajohwofia, Paschal Nwankwo, Vitus Orji and Brendan Ugwu – and the newly ordained to the diaconate –Deacons Faustinus Igwe, Thaddeus Egwu, Paul George, Ikpere Isaac and Michael Nzekwe.
Bishop Emeritus Okonkwo Gbuji, who has strong ties to the Redemptorists, also participated in the Jubilee Celebration. Bishop Gbuji celebrated his first Mass of Thanksgiving as a priest at Via Merulana in Rome, and he deeded the land for the first national shrine to Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Nigeria to the Redemptorists. It was a jubilant day for members of the Vice Province of Nigeria and family members of the newly ordained, as well as all who attended the once-in-a-lifetime ceremony.
by Philip Obasi, C.Ss.R.
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