Posted on 06/09/2013 4:05:37 AM PDT by NYer
The Josephites (The Society of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart) welcomed seven new priests on June 1 at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC.
Bishop John H. Ricard, SSJ, rector of St. Joseph Seminary in Washington, DC, and bishop emeritus of Pensacola-Tallahassee, served as the principal celebrant and ordaining bishop at the joyful liturgy.
Family members from Nigeria lined the front rows of the church in support of the new priests: Father George-Bede Ajuruchi, SSJ; Father Emmanuel Olorunesan Awe, SSJ; Father Hyginus Ledum Boboh, SSJ; Father Cornelius Kelechi Ejiogu, SSJ;Father Bura Aloysius Koroba, SSJ; Father Anthony Okwum, SSJ; and Father Stephen Remilekun Sohe, SSJ.
The Josephites are a congregation of priests and brothers whose exclusive mission is to the African-American community. Founded after the Civil War to minister to newly freed slaves, the organization has served the African American community since 1871.
Father William L. Norvel, superior general of the Josephites, thanked all of the friends and relatives, educators who supported the young men throughout their years of study and priestly formation.
“Oh, happy day! It is with great joy to congratulate and welcome our newly ordained to the Josephite priesthood and the Society of St. Joseph,” Father Norvel smiled. “Thanks to the parents, for their first formation, for sending them to the Josephites. Thank you to St. Joseph who has been faithful to my prayers.”
Called “The Magnificent Seven” by those who know the newly ordained group, the priests, all from Nigeria, will be assigned to one of the 40 Josephite parishes nationwide.
The seven new priests participated in 11 years of formation in both the United States and in their home country before completing their master of divinity and theology degrees at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Washington, DC.
“As a newly ordained priest, I feel I am called and chosen by God to take Christ to the world and to bring the world to Christ through my words and actions,” said Father Anthony Okwum.
Father Bura Aloysius Koroba, said this was “the most significant aspect of my call to the priesthood is the mystery that I am chosen as a consecrated priest to be Christ’s ambassador, a minister of God with the special privilege to give my life wholly to God whose Son gave up His own life for the salvation of humanity.”
Ping!
God bless all of these new priests.
But why are all of them from Nigeria? Where are the vocations from the Josephite parishes referenced in the article?
I have to say the idea of a Josephite order - exclusively ministering to African Americans - makes me a liftle uncomfortable in this day and age.
I can see the necessity of this during the Jim Crow days, but segregation is over. IMHO we shouldn’t have segregated parishes (just MHO)
The parishioners may be in for a shock. Nigerian immigrant priests are by reputation more socially conservative than black Americans.
They seem to be able to ignore homosexual behavior while refusing to be cowed by it politically. I’ve met an awful lot of church music directors/musicians that were obviously gay in churches where it is condemned. A friend of mine is gay and he plays at one of the most conservative Pentecostal churches in the area.
Every time they sweep the hookup park in my old hometown, they grab a black church leader.
A new fact for our mind:
**The Josephites are a congregation of priests and brothers whose exclusive mission is to the African-American community. Founded after the Civil War to minister to newly freed slaves, the organization has served the African American community since 1871.**
The harvest indeed is great, but the labourers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send labourers into his harvest. (Luke 10:2)
they are not ordained exclusively for US ministry. They will be sent all over the world to black parishes. This group happened to be Nigerian, but it's not a requirement, and any nationality is accepted, I'm sure.
A lot of Nigerians become missionaries to America: we had a few in Oklahoma.
And yes, they are conservative.
As for local black vocations: they are probably discouraged by the racism in the church.
My personal devotion to St Joseph was sparked by a random piece of junk mail I received from the Josephites: a copy of the 30 day prayer to st joseph. I prayed that prayer for my own intentions and those of others and have lost track of the mini miracles God has worked in response. I hapen to be a middle class, middle aged white woman. My point is that the Josephites still may directly minister to black people, but their arms have encircled me, too.
woo
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