All is set for the ordination of another batch of Reverend priests by the Catholic Diocese of Ahiara, Mbaise, Imo State.
The ordination which holds on Saturday, May 4, 2019 at the Maria Mater Ecclesiae Cathedral, Ahiara would be performed by His Lordship, Most Rev. Lucius Ugorgi, Apostolic Administrator of Ahiara Diocese.
According to a press release made available to the media by Mrs Charity Nnaji, among those to be ordained is Rev. Christogonus Chinonso Okonko.
Nnaji, who is the senior sister to Okonko added that on May 5, there would be a Holy Mass at the Christ the King Parish Okpofe to be celebrated by Rev. Father Christogonus Chinonso Okonko, one of the newly ordained priests.
Nnaji who said this would be the third batch of priestly ordination since the coming of Rev. Ugorji, added that many of these Seminarians completed their studies as required by the church over five years ago, but could not be ordained because of the problem of who became the Bishop.
“Thank God peace has returned. I sincerely pray that God will empower all the young priest to be ordained so that the people will feel the impact of God and Christianity in their lives,” she said.
Ahiara Diocese was in the eye of the storm following the appointment of Bishop Peter Ebele Okaleke as Catholic Bishop of Ahiara Diocese after the demise of the former Bishop.
The appointment was vehemently criticised and rejected by Mbaise Catholic faithfuls for falling short of the expectations and rules guiding the appointments of Bishops under the Catholic institution.
However the imbroglio was finally rested when Bishop Okpalaeke in 2017, stretched by pressure from the people of Mbaise, threw in the towel by tendering his letter of resignation to the Pope.
With the resignation by Bishop Okpalaeke, the much sought peace in the Ahiara Diocese returned, hence paving way for the young seminarians who have passed the various examinations as required by the catholic institution, to be ordained into the priesthood.
Since the coming of Most Rev. Lucius Ugorji as the Apostolic Administrator of Ahiara Diocese, the people are happy even as the young seminarians were re-examined, re-tested and certified credible both in character and learning before the final nod for their ordination by the Bishop.
The Okonko Family and the entire Okpofe community expressed joy at witnessing their son, Chinonso, joining his colleagues in their ordination into the Catholic priesthood.
