By Abuchi Onwumelu
The Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, His Lordship Most Rev. Paulinus Chukwuemeka Ezeokafor, has dedicated St. Dominic’s Catholic Church, Mbaukwu, Awka South Local Government Area to God with a call on the Catholic community to desist from carrying out unholy activities in the Church as it is now an abode of God.
The dedication ceremony was attended by the who is who in Mbaukwu especially the parish benefactors which include the Igwe of the town His Majesty, Igwe Peter N. Anugwu, JP. OFR (Ezeukwu Mbaukwu); Chief (Sir) O.B. Onyali, SAN, K.T.SS, (Onwa Mbaukwu). Others were the Bishop’s secretary, Rev. Fr.Dr. Lawrence Nwankwo; Assistant Chancellor of the Diocese, Rev. Fr. Dr Francis Chidume; indigenous priests and religious led by Very Rev. Fr. Raphael Ebedeagu Indigenous Rev. Sisters led by Rev. Sister Angela Ogor; president general Mbaukwu Town Union, Mazi Omife I. Omife (Mbuze Mbaukwu); Igwe Romanus Iloh (Ise Nise); Igwe Vincent Chukwuma Bob Orji (Ezeugo II of Ezinifite Aguata); the Anglican Bishop of Awka Diocese, Rt. Rev. Dr. Alexander Ibezim represented by the priest in-charge of St. Lawrence Anglican Parish Mbaukwu, Ven. D.C. Ezeobi; a renowned educationist, Mr. Ossy Nweke, among other distinguished personalities.
The dedication was heralded by 13 gun shots salute amidst cheers and jubilations from the entire Mbaukwu community including Catholics and their Anglican counterparts.
The dedication also offered a platform for fund raising for the renovation of the dilapidated Rev. Fathers’ residential house.
Earlier in his sermon, Bishop Ezeokafor charged Christians to also endeavor to build themselves as they build God’s house, stressing that it is a vanity to have good Church without god Christians.
‘The most important thing is for us to build ourselves as we have built the Church because our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. There will be a problem if we build good Church without being good Christians. Let us endeavour to show love to one another by helping people we are better than and praying for our neighbours.
‘It is a thing of joy for a parish to build Church of this magnitude and dedicate it to God. It now means that the Church is now holy and where holy things alone can be performed. No meeting of any sort will be held henceforth. I thank God for his support and all who contributed in building this House of God,’ he said.
He further congratulated little children who were enrolled into the Holy Child Association (HCA) family and charged than to pay attention to Church teachings and also respect their Church leaders, parents, guardians and seniors.
In a remark, the parish priest Rev. Fr. Clement Onyemelukwu, thanked the bishop for his good works in the diocese and all those who in one way or the other contributed to quick completion of the Church building.
