"I will appoint Shepherds who will take care of them. No longer will they fear or be terrified. No one will be lost". (Jer. 23,4)
Deducing from the above quotation, apart from the only Shepherd, Jesus Christ, the prophet Jeremiah sees others who are determined to be responsible for their brethren. Today, history is made as we celebrate three of such Shepherds, Rev. Frs. Callistus Afangideh, Michael Inyang, and Dominic Okon.
In the Apostolic Exhortation, Pastores Dabo Vobis, Pope St. John Paul II echoes thus: "without priests the church would not be able to live out the fundamental obedience which is at the very heart of her existence and her mission in the world. This fundamental obedience is evangelical: “Go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19) and Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:10) (No. 1).
Similarly, Pope Benedict XVI on announcing the Year of the Priests averred: "Just as Jesus called the twelve to be with him, and only later sent them to preach, so too in our days priests are called to assimilate the new style of faith which was inaugurated by the Lord Jesus and taken up by the Apostles"
Today, we in Ikot Ekpene diocese celebrate yet again the history of a call that began on 7th December, 2013 with the priestly ordination of these three gentlemen of finesse and exquisite brilliance, by Most Rev Camillus Umoh, which took place in the diocesan cathedral.
With their power of authority as priests, these three gentlemen have always been a worthy preacher of the good news, and their commitments to intellectual integrity explains why they poured their hearts and soul into teaching the people of God the undiluted doctrine of the Church.
As measured by any standard that history affords, I can testify that they belong to the class of intellectuals, spiritual leaders, and philanthropists of modern church history. They all have degrees both in Philosophy and Theology from Pontifical Urban University, Rome, and some have worked in schools and in parishes.
The words of Pope St. John Paul II in the Angelus of January 14,1990 becomes imperative even today: "there is an essential aspect of the priest that does not change: the priest of tomorrow, no less than the priest of today, must resemble Christ. When Jesus lived on this earth, he manifested in himself the definitive role of the priestly establishing a ministerial priesthood with which the apostles were the first to be invested. This priesthood is destined to last in endless succession throughout history. In this sense the priest of the third millennium will continue the work of the priests who, in the preceding millennia, have animated the life of the Church. In the third millennium the priestly vocation will continue to be the call to live the unique and permanent priesthood of Christ."
As you celebrate your 3rd priestly anniversary today, continue to teach your people how to live godly lives, how to overcome sin and be happy and in peace with God, and how to have a part in the kingdom of God. Your service is to God and a help to people to reach God. The primary goal of a priest is to bring God to the people, and we are happy that you have done this within your power as priests.
Before I end, may I urge all of you like St. Paul did to Timothy, to preach the Word in season and out of season, reproving, rebuking or advising, always with patience and providing instruction. For the time is coming when people will no longer endure sound doctrine but following their passions they will surround themselves with teachers to please their itching ears. And they will abandon the truth to hear fables. So be prudent, do not mind your labour, give yourself to your work as an evangelist, fulfill your ministry (2Tim. 4,2-5).
Rejoice and be happy for the Lord has chosen you for himself. Your parishioners and students loves you. We in the African Catholic Family says, Congratulations!
Rabbi
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