His Grace, Most Rev. (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins, the Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos, will raise five deacons to the priesthood on September, 24, 2019 at St. Jude Catholic Church, Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos.
The candidates are Rev. Paul Tobechukwu Ariole, Rev. Joseph Chukwuemeka Okafor, Rev. Harrison Chinagorom Okoli, Rev. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia and Rev. Reuben Simeon Onyebuchi.
The soon-to-be ordained priests will be welcomed by a large and vibrant Catholic faithful of the Archdiocese of Lagos. The Archdiocese of Lagos traces its beginning to the Vicariate of the Bight of Benin which was created in 1870, and eventually raised to an Archdiocese on the 8th of April, 1950, with the name Archdiocese of Lagos.
“The faith, dedication and commitment of these five young deacons are blessings from God to our Archdiocese. Their ministry and talents are vital to the needs of the flock God has entrusted to his Church. With over three million strong, energetic and faith-filled Catholic faithful, God has indeed blessed the Archdiocese of Lagos. Surely the entire Catholic faithful will journey with the newly ordained priests as they seek to know Christ Jesus in his Church and fulfill the purpose for which they have been called, chosen and ordained priests,” said Archbishop Martins.
Speaking further, the Chief Shepherd stated that as priests and spiritual fathers they are to continue with Christ’s redemptive work in the midst of God’s people. He said that as faithful witnesses for Christ their lives must necessarily exude the apostolic zeal required for the new era of evangelization.
I am grateful to God for their families and others in their lives who helped nurture their faith and vocation to the priesthood,” he noted.
Ordination is the ceremony in which the sacrament of Holy Orders will be conferred on the five deacons to make them priests. The Rite of Ordination includes various rituals, rich in meaning and symbols.
