It was a memorable day for the Nigeria–Ghana Region of the Society of St Paul (Paulines) as Rev. Valentine Mmaduabuchukwum Obumkaneme, SSP, was ordained a Catholic priest on 3rd November 2024. The ordination ceremony, which took place at the 9:00am Mass in the Church of the Ascension (CoTA), Bodija, Ibadan, was presided over by His Grace, Most Rev. Dr Gabriel 'Leke Abegunrin, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Ibadan.

 

Present at the ordination were Very Rev. Fr Anthony Igbekele, the Rector Magnificus of the prestigious Saints Peter and Paul Major Seminary, Bodija, Ibadan; Fr Joseph Kandachamkunnel, SSP, the Regional Superior of the Society of Saint Paul, Nigeria-Ghana Region; and Rev. Fr. Francis Awotoye, the Parish Priest of the Church of the Ascension. There were also priests, religious brothers and sisters, and the faithful people of God.

 

The Holy Mass began with a grand procession from the sacristy. The readings, psalms, and Gospel (Mark 12:28–34) were read and sung in the established sacred tranquillity. After the Gospel, the candidate was presented to the Archbishop by the Regional Superior who, thereafter gave the homily.

He highlighted that the priesthood is a divine call to humble service and the love of God and His Church – a call to servant leadership. Furthermore, he noted that the Paulines are media apostles called to spread God's salvific message through the means of social communication. He concluded by committing the candidate to Mary, Queen of the Apostles, and Blessed James Alberione, the Society’s founder.

 

The newly ordained priest later blessed the congregation and gave the vote of thanks, before the Mass concluded with a solemn blessing and procession outside the sanctuary.