News & Activities
TRIPATITE CELEBRATIONS OF OUR ELDERLY MISSIONARIES
January 6th 2024 was the date when some resident members of Holy Ghost Haven were treated to a triple celebration.
Fr Francis Okonkwo, C.S.Sp attained 90th birthday, the first from Nigeria to do so and probably the oldest Spiritan now from continental Africa. Frs. Michael Ojobor, C.S.Sp and John Echemazu, C.S.Sp celebrating the golden jubilee of their priestly ordination, while Frs. Romanus Ochemba, C.S.Sp., Malachy Nwabisi, C.S.Sp., and Bro. Linus Ugwu, C.S.Sp (who has been a key actor in the Holy Ghost Vocation Movement, and has been professed for 56years) began a journey of taking stock and counting their blessings through joyful retirements. It is true that a few of them had celebrated in their home parishes but the celebration at Mgbidi was significant for many reasons: the array of confreres in attendance was beyond compare. Many had come from their missions abroad and it was time to fellowship and identify in a special way with the great legends. The committee for the celebration got its work well planned out as the ambiance was very festive.
The chief celebrant of the Mass of that day, Archbishop Emeritus of Owerri, Most Rev Dr. Anthony Obinna who identifies himself as a” Dio-Spiritan” (a Diocesan Spiritan) added much fanfare to the gathering. He was flanked by Rev. Fr. John Asomugha, C.S.Sp, the First Assistant to the Provincial, and Rev. Fr. Val Ezeh, C.S.Sp., the Second Assistant to the Provincial. The Homilist Fr Mike Onwuemelie,C.S.Sp (Former Provincial and General Counsellor) went memory lane to pitch his tent with the celebrants as his path and theirs crossed in many significant ways.
After the Mass, the celebration saw the commissioning of the new Marian Grotto and Physiotherapy/Gym complex in the Haven. Thanks to the generosity to confreres, and all men and women of goodwill. Further celebrations continued, which was anchored by the Director II of the Spiritan healthcare Apostolate, Rev. Fr. JohnBaptist Igwenagu, C.S.Sp. The warm presence of scholastics from Spiritan International School of Theology (SIST), and their joyful Christochendo music trope electrified the arena. One could see Fr. Francis Okonkwo, C.S.Sp, at 90, still dancing to the traditional Igba of the dance trope.
Celebrants and their family members felt honoured, well treated and celebrated as people had travelled all the way from Obollo Afor and other distant places to bear testimony to a moment of grace. To the glory of God, all went home very happy with good memories of a day that will hardly be forgotten too soon as it was the first of its kind.
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