The people of Emekuku turned out in their large numbers and in a special uniform to celebrate the dedication of their famous and historic Church – Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Parish, Emekuku.

The Church, a brain child of the legendary missionary Priest, Rev. Fr. Peter Paul Cloonan, was built in 1954.

The dedication on Saturday, May 10, 2014 was performed by the Most Rev. Anthony J.V. Obinna, Catholic Archbishop of Owerrri who was flanked by the Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Dr. Alex Okoro and Rev. Fr. Ben Agumanu, who incidentally was ordained in the Church in 1966. The Mass was concelebrated by over 100 priests including the Secretary-General, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Rev. Fr. Ralph Madu, Rev. Fr. Christian Ihedoro, Rev. Msgr. Alphonsus Aghaizu etc.

In his sermon, Archbishop Obinna commended the beauty of the newly renovated Church saying, “we glimpse the glory of God when we see a beautiful Church”. He however admonished the congregation to be similarly beautiful in their body because “your body is far more important than a church edifice”.

He praised the missionaries who brought the message of salvation to this part of the world more than 100 years ago. The prelate noted that if it were not for the coming of Christ, many of us would still have been in darkness, worshipping idols and performing other pagan practices. For example, the Archbishop said he would have been a great native doctor like his grandfather.

He regretted that despite the fact that we are baptized and confirmed Christians, many of us are still pagans as evidenced by our conscious and unconscious reflexes, especially in matters of Osu/Diala segregation.

The prelate called on the parishioners to use the occasion of the dedication as a moment of rebirth and renewed of their relationship with God. He commended all who contributed to the renovation and dedication of the Church including Capt Emma Iheanacho and Chief Agbaso.

Speaking at the Mass, the Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Alex Okoro said Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish is not just a landmark in Owerri Province, it is a city of refuge for those in need; a hospital for sinners.

Fr. Okoro however made a passionate appeal to the Archbishop to raise Mount Carmel Catholic Church Emekuku, the Mother Church in Owerri Province to the status of a Basilica. He said that a Basilica does not need to be a Cathedral, recalling that in the USA, out of 60 Basilicas in the country only 20 are Cathedral Basilica. “I’m just making a suggestion”, Fr. Alex said jovially.

A Basilica is an important Church that has been given special ceremonial rights by the Pope. The term can also indicate either the architectural style of a Church or its canonical status.

Later at a reception, the Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Sylvanus Amaechi recalled the contributions of the past parish priests of the Mother Parish towards the physical and spiritual growth of the parish. He praised Fr. Alex Okoro, who in a very short of his stay, worked hard to ensure the dedication of the church.

In his own address, the Chairman of the Dedication Committee, Nze Dr. R.L.N. Offurum (KSM) went down memory lane, tracing the history of the Church in Emekuku, from where it spread to other parts of the present Imo and Abia States and, parts of Rivers and Anambra States.

“The Church being dedicated today is the legacy of Rev. Fr. Peter Paul Cloonan (C.S.Sp), who arrived at Emekuku in 1933 at the age of 28 and was the Parish Priest for 32 years (1936 – 1968). He completed the building of the Church in 1961, in order to have the first Emekuku priests, Fr. Ben Agumanu, Fr. Phillip Agu and Fr. Christian Ihedoro ordained in it in 1966. Dr. Offurum explained that Bishop J.B. Whelan performed the ceremony of laying the foundation stone and blessing of the altar making people believe that the Church has been dedicated. In the absence of any official record and in view of the reconstruction done recently, the Church is being dedicated today, he explained.

Dr. Offurum expressed profound gratitude to His Grace, Archbishop A.J.V. Obinna for dedicating the Church and also Rev. Fr. Dr. Alex Okoro for championing its course. He also thanked Chief Martin Agbaso and Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho for their contributions towards the renovation of the church building.

Our reporter said the rite of dedication of a church is long and complex involving blessing and sprinkling of water, anointing and incensing of the altar and the Church Litany of the Saints etc.

The occasion, which was heralded by several gun salute (Nkponala), was attended by important dignitaries, including, HRM Eze Peter Ugochukwu Obi III, Eze Ukwu of Emekuku.

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