St Mary’s parishioners receive news of appointment of parish priest as Vicar General with joy

By Ononye VC
Following the recent appointment of the Parish Priest of St Mary’s Catholic Church,Onitsha Inland Town,Very Rev Fr Johnbosco Okafor as the new Vicar General of Archdiocese of Onitsha by the Metropolitan Archbishop of Onitsha,Most Rev Valerian Okeke,a wave of jubilation by the parishioners rented the atmosphere at the St Mary’s Catholic Church,Onitsha Inland Town in expression of appreciation for the good news coming to the parish from the Archbishop.
Trinitas monitored the mood of the parishioners last Sunday on the new development and saw it all.
Catechist of the parish,Hon Kingsley Ginikanwa had announced the appointment in all masses last Sunday and the news was greeted with jubilation.
At 10:00am mass where the new Vicar General and immediate past Episcopal Vicar for Onitsha Region,very Rev Fr Johnbosco Okafor presided,he did not initially betray any emotion about the new appointment until towards the end of the mass when the catechist announced it.There was jubilation galore.
The catechist said it was a special blessing to the St Mary’s Parish having produced a Vicar General in the Archdiocese of Onitsha.
He commended Archbishop Valerian Okeke for finding the parish priest worthy of such position.
According to him,it was not only a special privilege but an honour to the parish.
Reacting later,the new Vicar General Very Rev Fr Johnbosco Okafor who was the immediate past Episcopal Vicar of Onitsha Region,said he was dumbfounded when the announcement was made by the Archbishop during a meeting with the Archdiocesan priests.
According to him,he got more confused when it dawned on him that the Archbishop was emphatic and that it wasn’t a joke.
Fr Johnbosco pointed out that it was the prerogative of the Archbishop to make such appointments as he deemed fit and cannot be queried.
Fr Johnbosco likened himself to the Blessed Virgin Mary who expressed surprise at the message of the Angel telling her that a virgin like her would bear a son.
He said he had no choice but to be obedient and ready to obey the Archbishop and ready to do whatever the Archbishop assigns him to do.He urged the parishioners to always remember him in prayers on his new assignment.
While concluding his remarks,the St Mary’s Choir rented the air with congratulatory song and a standing ovation by the entire congregation.