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 published: 2007-01-19

It was a day of Victory

Ordination of four Schoenstatt Fathers in Nigeria

 

Mons. Ochiagha con los neo-sacerdotes. El P. Bruegger y el P. Peter Chukwuma detrás de ellos

Bishop Ochiagha with the newly ordained priests. Fr. Bruegger and Fr. Peter Chukwuma are in the background.

Bischof Ochiagha mit den Neupriestern, dahinter P. Brügger und Pater Peter Chukwuma

 

Un día de gozo

A day of joy

Ein Freudentag

 
 

Encuentro con familiares

Together with relatives

Feier zusammen mit Angehörigen

 
 

P. Franz Bruegger

Fr. Franz Bruegger

P. Franz Brügger

 
 

Cinco Padres de Schoenstatt de cinco naciones y tres continentes... juntos por Nigeria

Five Schoenstatt Fathers from five countries and three continents... together for  Nigeria

Fünf Schönstattpatres aus fünf Ländern und drei Erdteilen … miteinander für Nigeria

Fotos: Schönstatt-Patres Nigeria © 2007

 

 

 

NIGERIA, Fr. Franz J. Bruegger/Benignus Chinedu Emenike. December 30, 2006 was a day of victory in Nigeria. Four young Nigerians were ordained to the priesthood, as members of the Secular Institute of Schoenstatt Fathers. Father Franz Bruegger, Germany, and Father Juan Pablo Cattogio, Argentina, both regional superiors, travelled to Nigeria for this special event, this day of graces. Now there are five native Nigerian Schoenstatt Fathers in the country of the Victory Shrine.

December 30, 2006 – the day of the ordination of Frs. Charles Ozioko, Kingsley Okereke, Newman Egbo and Reginald Ibe by Bishop Gregory O. Ochiagha in Holy Trinity Cathedral, Orlu in Igboland. After all - this event shows that the Sion Community in Nigeria is not a congregation for Seminarians and Novices but a Secular Institute for priests. Now the first nucleus of the Institute in Nigeria is breathing in five hearts.  Fr. Peter Chukwuma was ordained two years ago.  Of course there are the other Schoenstatt Fathers from Switzerland, Germany, Poland and India who since 1992 prepared the new beginning.  We can expect that soon the Nigerian Sion will count nine Schoenstatt Fathers, when Fr. Ivanhoe Allies from South Africa has arrived. Mount Sion as Fathers community in Nigeria!

"You are the salt of the earth; you are the light of the world."

The liturgy of the ordination made a deep impression on all of us who were present from the community together with many other priests and people. Once again four young men were called to participate in the only priesthood of Our Saviour Jesus Christ. It happened in the octave of Christmas when we celebrate the incarnation of God’s Son born of the Virgin Mary. Once again through the laying on of hands and prayer of the Bishop we witnessed a new incarnation of the High priest Jesus Christ in his priests by the working of the Holy Spirit. To act in the person of Christ, the only priest, through a deep union between himself and Christ is the lasting dignity and mission of every priest.

The Bishop focused the train of thoughts in his sermon on the word of the gospel of the liturgy: "You are the salt of the earth; you are the light of the world." The Bishop emphasized: The newly ordained priests are expected to let their light shine as Schoenstatt Fathers. A clear message, a real challenge. He said it was not expected of them to spread Franciscan spirituality or promote pastoral projects like Jesuits or Dominicans but to build up the Schoenstatt Family in Nigeria and to realize by this the mission as Sion, as PARS MOTRIX ET CENTRALIS in this specific pastoral field of a spiritual movement. It was encouraging to hear the Bishop speaking about the Schoenstatt Family in Nigeria as the home for the Schoenstatt Fathers in the future and about the meaning of the ordination of four Schoenstatt Fathers for this beginning of Schoenstatt in the country. In order to underline his witness for Schoenstatt he sponsored a fair sum of money for the formation programme of the Schoenstatt Fathers in Nigeria.

At the end of the Ordination all of us present in Orlu were really filled with joy and gratitude. The following day we split to join the newly ordained priests in their first Mass of Thanksgiving in their various home parishes. It was a great experience of faith and enthusiasm of the people of God for their priests. During the reception later in the afternoon the high esteem for the unique gift and grace of the catholic priesthood was displayed by singing, dancing and speeches and many presents. With wonderful impressions we returned form the East to Ibadan to the Shrine of Our Lady who had allowed us to witness a wonderful victory of Her’s in the ordination of four new Schoenstatt Fathers in Nigeria.

So far the report given by Fr. Franz Bruegger. The following is a testimony given by Benignus Chinedu Emenike, seminarian of the Schoenstatt Fathers.

It was a day of JOY

Viewed in a larger dimension, the priestly ordination of Rev Frs: Egbo Newman, Ibe Reginald, Okereke Kingsley and Ozioko Charles was historical event in the life of Schoenstatt Fathers’ community in Nigeria. Many have wondered the possibility of such an event that contemplating its reality comes with arresting impressions. The 30th of December 2006 was strikingly very remarkable. Now there are five Nigerian Schoenstatt Fathers with high level of creative impulse. In their personalities and future priestly ministry I see a creative and dynamic understanding of today’s missionary terrain. I see an enlightened confidence. I see a creative responsibility.

The major highlights for me on the day of the ordination were the smiling faces of lay faithful and old friends who have travelled far and near to celebrate the day with the community. The greatest gift which Africa has always offered the church and humanity was on that day on display- the polyphonic African music and dance. Some of our priests from Europe were able to see for the first time a Talking Drum.

On the same day of ordination I had the opportunity of giving out the address of the Schoenstatt Vocation Director to many young men who feel that they are called to be a Schoenstatt Father. She (MTA) who is the great missionary continues to perform her wonders from our victory Shrine in Ijokodo Ibadan. We are confident that our newly ordained priests will proactively pastor the flock of Christ with sustainable creativity and determination even in the face of obstacles.

 

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