Emulate Christ’s Sacrifice, Bishop Urges New Priests In Borno

Catholic Bishop of Maiduguri Diocese, Dr Oliver Dashe Doeme, has urged five newly ordained priests to emulate the life of Jesus Christ by remaining steadfast in faith and enduring persecution and challenges in the course of preaching the Gospel.

Doeme gave the charge yesterday during the Ordination Mass of the five priests at St. Patrick’s Catholic Cathedral, Maiduguri, Borno State.

The ceremony attracted families, friends, well-wishers and clergymen from various parishes across the North-East region.

The event featured worship, prayers and thanksgiving for the successful ordination of the priests.

The bishop urged the priests to serve God and humanity faithfully, warning them against the excessive pursuit of material possessions and the corrupting influence of money in the discharge of their priestly duties.

He also charged them to follow the example of Christ, remain committed to prayers, and demonstrate unwavering faith, expressing the hope that sustained prayers would help end insurgency in the North-East and other conflict-affected parts of the country.

On his ordination, Rev. Fr. Iliya Stephen, who hails from Yobe State, described the occasion as a moment of overwhelming joy, saying his journey to the priesthood had taken over 10 years.

Stephen, the seventh child of his mother in a polygamous family, said his desire to serve God and humanity motivated him to pursue the priesthood, adding that becoming a priest had been his childhood ambition.

He said he was prepared to serve wherever he might be posted, despite the security challenges in his home state, and expressed confidence that God’s grace would protect him throughout his ministry.

Similarly, Rev. Fr. Mark Patrick Tada described his ordination as one of the happiest moments of his life.

He attributed his vocation to his commitment to the altar servers’ association, noting that his 10-year journey towards the priesthood had finally come to fruition.

Also speaking, Rev. Fr. Solomon James Yawal described the occasion as memorable and expressed gratitude to God for sustaining him throughout his journey to the priesthood.

Yawal, the youngest of seven children in his family, disclosed that he applied for admission into the seminary without initially informing his parents.

According to him, his parents were informed of his decision after he had been offered admission, marking the beginning of his journey towards becoming a Catholic priest.