By Jude Michael
Ugbene Community in Awka North Local Government Area, Anambra State, was agog with celebration like no other, as St Peter’s Catholic Church, Ugbene, jointly wedded 13 couples who had been in marriage for a period of time, in her aggressive evangelisation against neo-paganism.
The mass wedding, which took place on Sunday 29 June, was one of the major activities to mark the Solemnity of SS Peter and Paul, tagged, ‘’Parish Feast 2025’’ of the Church, with prayers for widowers, as well as widows; joint wedding anniversary of the parishioners; and sendoff for the pioneer Parish Priest, Rev Fr Cyril Okpala.
While speaking with Fides, the incumbent Parish Priest, Rev Fr Justin Ezechukwu, gave an insight into the reason behind the epoch-making event.
‘The challenge facing us today in Igbo Land, especially in riverine areas, is the return to paganism.
‘All the newly wedded were baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Church, but later stopped going to church for just no cause,’ Fr Ezechukwu said.
Fr Ezechukwu, who described the event as radical evangelism, expressed fulfilment, saying the singular event had brought the young men back to the Church.
‘Some of them had never come to church since I came here, but started coming to church three months ago when we started preparation, and vowed that they would remain in the Church.
‘So, this is a way of radical evangelism,’ the Parish Priest said, noting that five of the newly wedded received conditional baptism on Saturday, and seven of them received the first Holy Communion in the course of the event.
‘It’s interesting to know that one received Holy Communion today after 40 years when he backslid from the Christian faith,’ he added.
‘So, I feel great joy, and I hope that some of them who said they would remain where they are will definitely come back. This is because, for them to agree to wed their wives, who have been Christians, is a thing of great joy,’ the cleric said.
He prayed for them, advising them to hold strong to the faith in Jesus Christ to enable them to train their children in the way of God for their good.
According to him, the prayers for widowers and widows, as well as the joint wedding anniversary of the parishioners, were to refresh and enhance holiness, love and peace in their various families.
He expressed the belief that the celebration would bring progress, strong love and faith in the individual families of the parishioners.
On the send-off for the pioneer Parish Priest of the Church, Fr Ezechukwu likened Fr Okpala’s missionary work in Ugbene to those of Apostles Peter and Paul, saying he devotedly served and contributed his quota for the good of Ugbene people and the development of Christianity in the Community.
‘We sincerely thank him for the foundation he laid here,’ Ezechukwu said.
Responding, Fr Okpala expressed gratitude to Fr Ezechukwu and the entire St Peter’s parishioners for their goodwill and their support to him while with them.
Okpala urged them to strive to uphold their faith in God and seek clarification, as well as directions, from their priest, especially in difficult situations.
Earlier in a homily, the Chaplain, CWO, Awka Diocese, Rev Fr Jonas Unegbu, admonished the Ugbene Catholic Community, who filled the gigantic St Peter’s Church building to the brim, to embrace wholeheartedly the worship of God, in order to have everlasting joy and bliss in heaven, which, he said, was incomparable with any material things here on earth.
He enjoined them to strive to emulate Saints Peter and Paul whose solemnity they were celebrating by choosing for themselves sincere worship of God to wear a crown of glory and enjoy heavenly bliss at last.
In interviews, some of the newly wedded, who included Mr Tobias Ejimene, and Mrs Vera Igweze, expressed excitement, and appreciation to the organizers of the event, especially the Parish Priest, for giving them an opportunity to become full-fledged Catholic husbands and wives.
Presentation of gifts to Fr Okpala, by the parishioners, entertainment, among others, added glamour to the solemn celebration, graced by a number of Catholic priests; the Traditional Ruler of Ugbene, Igwe Samson Chimakwa; his cabinet members; illustrious sons of the community; among others.
