By
Bakah Derick
Blogger@hilltopvoices
About
Ten years ago, the Archbishop to the Bamenda Archdiocese His Grace Cornelius
Fontem Essua decided to begin an annual meeting with Seminarians of the St
Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary Bambui in the various Parishes of his
Archdiocese.
This
year’s midyear meeting takes the leader of Catholic Christians in Bamenda to St
Michaels Parish Futru Nkwen which has been placed under the care of Piarist
Fathers; a missionary congregation with Spanish roots and St Joseph Calasanz as
Patron Saint.
In
a Holy Mass Sunday July 5, 2015 in the Parish Church of St Michaels Parish
Futru Nkwen, His Grace Cornelius Fontem Essua enjoined Christians to pray for
the Priestly vocation in the Church. The Priests the Archbishop maintained need
the prayers of the lay faithful to be able to do their work as expected by the
Church and by God. He was grateful at the close of the Holy Mass like the representative
of the Seminarians for the love shown them by Futru Christians.
During
their Stay in Futru Parish, the Seminarians live with families an act the
Archbishop describe as part of their formation on issues of family life to
better equip them as counselors on family issues which is a daily activity for
Priests.
The
Archbishop also used the Pontifical High Mass to bless the Foundation stone for
the new hall project in St Michaels Parish Futru Nkwen.
Rev
Fr Obassi Gerald outgoing Parish Priest described the visit of the Archbishop
and the Seminarians as a blessing to the Parish reason why he worked restlessly
with the Christians ahead of the visit. Corroborating the Archbishop who said
it may take again like 40years for Futru to host this meeting, Fr Obassi Gerald
thanked God for the opportunity. He literally referred to the blessing of the
foundation stone as a green light for the start of the giant project that has
been baptized “the silver jubilee” project of the Parish.
Madam
Taminang Therese Chairperson of the Parish Pastoral Council regretted that out
of the many who were introduced as Seminarians, only one is from Futru Parish.
She however expressed signs of consolation that many from the Parish were
interested in becoming Piarist Priests. While wishing that many could be
interested in becoming diocesan priests, she corroborated Rev Fr. Obassi in
thanking God for the hardworking Christians of the Parish.
The
incoming Parish Priest of Futru Rev Fr Hyppolite Wirkar and the Vocations
director of the Archdiocese con-celebrated the Mass that was attended my thousands of Christians.