By Ononye VC
As the process of canonisation of one of the foremost missionaries and first Catholic Bishop of Onitsha and Vicariate of Southern Nigeria,Most Rev Joseph Ignatius Shanahan gathers momentum,the Archdiocese of Onitsha under the stewardship of Archbishop Valerian Okeke,last Saturday,8th June 2024,marked the annual Shanahan Day to commemorate his early missionary legacies with his team of early missionaries in the Archdiocese of Onitsha.
Recall that the late Bishop Shanahan was born on June 6,1871 and was ordained Bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of the Southern Nigeria on June 6,1920.
Alongside this celebration was also the commemoration of the elevation of the Holy Trinity Cathedral to a Basilica.
The Onitsha Basilica was therefore agog as dozens of priests,the religious,students and other faithful from all walks of life gathered to celebrate the annual event.
The event started with a Rosary procession,confession,lectures on the legacies of Bishop Shanahan and early missionaries and a concelebrated mass presided over by the Onitsha Archdiocesan Vicar General,Very Rev Fr Johnbosco Okafor who held brief for the Archbishop of Onitsha,Most Reverend Valerian Okeke.
Delivering his homily,the Episcopal Vicar of Nnobi Region,Very Rev Fr Johnbosco Ezika,described the late Bishop Shanahan as a man of faith and prayers who achieved his missionary visions with team work.
Fr Ezika eulogised Bishop Shanahan for his achievements particularly in the area of education such that he built many schools in many remote and urban areas of Southern Nigeria while doing his missionary work with his team.
“He brought holistic education to Southern Nigeria.He came and gave us education with character and learning and because of him,almost every community had a primary school which channelled our people to the right course,” fr Ezika pointed out.
While describing the late Bishop Shanahan as “a silent achiever”fr Ezika stated how Bishop Shanahan founded the Holy Rosary Sisters and a seminary school which today,has produced a good number of indigenous priests.
He urged the faithful to look inwards and device means to propagate the faith by harnessing the social media adding that the faithful must make out time for their prayer life.
In his brief acknowledgement of the contributions of Bishop Shanahan and his team of early missionaries,the Metropolitan Archbishop of Onitsha,Most Rev Valerian Okeke said in one of his social media handles,”A day like this,is a day we pray God,that their prayers be fulfilled in our lives,that a strong faith will rise in us and among us.We chose Bishop Ignatius Shanahan as their rallying point,to remember all the sacrifices made by our early missionaries.
We celebrate and remember also with joy today,the elevation of our Cathedral Church,to the status of Basilica,the one and only authentic approved Basilica in Nigeria.We thank God for all these,ask for His graces and pray for His abundant blessings through Bishop Shanahan”.
Earlier,Chancellor of the Archdiocese Very Rev Fr Dr Prudentius Emeka Aroh had conducted the Rosary Procession round the Basilica church.He informed the congregation that among other blessings,that they were privileged to attend the event which would guarantee then “Plenary Indulgence”for forgiveness of sins provided they attended confessions and forgiveness of sin.
Others who addressed the congregation were,the Postulator for the cause of canonisation of Bishop Shanahan,Sr Catherine Asomugha who informed the congregation that the event was holding simultaneously in Dublin,Ireland,home of Bishop Shanahan.She commended Archbishop Valerian Okeke,Fr Prudentius Aroh and others who made the Shanahan Day successful.Also Sr Ekwutosi Onyeka who delivered lectures on the life and times of Bishop Shanahan.
A major highlight on the event was special prayer for the sick,pregnant women and those seeking the fruit of the womb.
The prayer was conducted by Very Rev Monsignor Theophilus Odukwe assisted by other priests present.
