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.