Now there are twelve Nigerian Schoenstatt Fathers

December 13^th: Priestly ordination in Nigeria

Antes de la ordenación, con el Padre Juan Pablo Catoggio Before the ordination, with Fr. Juan Pablo Catoggio Vor der Priesterweihe, mit P. Juan Pablo Catoggio
Entrega... Surrender... Hingabe...
Practicando During the practice Probe für die Weihe
Imposición de manos Imposition of hands Handauflegung
Primera bendición First blessing Segen durch die Neupriester
P. Alfred Kistler, P. Claudius, P. Andrew Pastore Fr. Alfred Kistler, Fr. Claudius, Fr. Andrew Pastore P. Alfred Kistler, P. Claudius, P. Andrew Pastore Fotos: P. Andrew Pastore © 2008

NIGERIA, P. Alfred Kistler/mfk. It has been eleven years, since 1997, when the first Schoenstatt Fathers were established in Nigeria. In October of 2004, there was the blessing of a Sister Shrine. This past December 13^th, the Bishop of Lokoja, Monsignor Dr. Martín Dada Olorunmolu, conferred the priestly ordination to seven deacons. With these newly ordained, there are now twelve Nigerian Schoenstatt Fathers. Twelve Schoenstatt Apostles in Africa!

The ordination took place in East Nigeria in the home parish for Father Justin Obuka, dedicated to St. Mark, in Abagana, Diocese of Awka. Two of the candidates had worked in the parish with Bishop Olorunmolu, when he was the parish priest in Port Hacourt. This Sunday six of the new priests celebrated their first Holy Mass in their home parishes. The seven new Schoenstatt Fathers were ordained to the transitional deaconate in the Adoration Church at Schoenstatt this past August 31^st. Father John Paul Catoggio, regional superior of the of the Schoenstatt Fathers, traveled from Argentina as a representative of the direction for participating in the priestly ordination.

Hundred children baptized...

Father Reginald Amanze arrived in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, a little after the deaconal ordination. He recounts: "The parish is located near the city’s central area and is home to around 15,000 of the faithful. The church is full on Sundays for the celebration of the Holy Mass in both morning and afternoon with five masses. Here I am the only priest most of the time and other priests come from time to time and help out, so I keep my homily brief for all the masses on workdays. Also Sundays in the two Masses and on Christ the King, a parish celebration of their patron, I preached at five Holy Masses.

I say daily Mass in the morning and the afternoon where there is half an hour for adoration for which I am responsible. The parish priest threw me directly in the water; he gives me great freedom of movement, while observing my work, but with interest which has been a good introduction to pastoral life. The experience has been very enriching and I don’t regret being placed in this location for my new introduction to the priesthood."

The vocation in plenty…

Thirty-five seminarians continue their formation. One of them, Augustine Uchenu, twenty-one years old, passed up six weeks of his vacation with other seminarians working in a parish. He writes:

"I went to a parish of the Jesuits in Lagos that has fourteen thousand parishioners. Two Jesuits work there and we went to help four seminarians. I committed to helping with the preparation for first communion and confirmation, to visit the sick, and work with the young people.

I am especially interested in working with the youth and remember some of the words of Father Kentenich: ‘We don’t want to be a cheap copy of a great personality, or a bad copy of any other… each of us must be an original personality.’ This phrase guided my conversations and discussions with the youth in comparing all of our experiences in everyday life. I could also occasionally talk about Schoenstatt and the Shrine of the Mother Thrice Admirable. In the end, forty-eight youth prepared to make a two day pilgrimage to the Schoenstatt Shrine at Ibadan."

Emmanuel Nwabuo, twenty-one years old, passed his six weeks of parish work in a rural zone, where there are people still relate with the representatives and the practice of its old religions. He relates:

"The parish surprised the two seminarians the first day with a special task: in many parishes there is a type of network of centers, where the rosary is said daily, especially the youth and the children. For eighteen months there has been tension and discord among the various groups of the parish. We would have to help restore peace. There I remembered two things: ‘The one who stops praying has no success,’ and ‘a servant of Mary will never perish.’ I took an image of the Blessed Mother and visited with her to all the groups. In a few days, they were able to understand each other again and work together.

It was very complicated with the youth. I began to play soccer with them and we became friends. Some of them agreed to be acolytes and the majority was interested in participating in a week of conferences, debates on faith and morality, skills, and moments of prayer. This made me much more happy than the whole preparation for the first communion and confirmation, and many visits to homes. It was a marvelous fruitful time and one can only say, Thank you Lord!"

Some of the Nigerian Schoenstatt Fathers are working for a time in German parishes for the experience. One of them, Father Kingsley Obereke, recounts:

"In the beginning, the language and the climate were difficult for me. One can imagine what it means to be in the middle of winter for this poor African. The mentality is also totally distinct. It took great care for me to understand the people and them, me. Like a missionary intent on preparing the Holy Mass with much life, in the greeting, in the homily, and also some African singing, and with this desire, I wanted to show how our Christianity must be full of life."

Translation: amj, USA