September 7, 2016, was a sad day in the life of Uromi Diocese, when the news of the sudden demise of one of her own, Rev. Fr Augustine Agbonnaye Ebosele, broke to the entire diocese. Fr Ebosele was born on April 19, 1984 and was ordained on November 15, 2014.
The funeral activities began on Wednesday, September 21, 2016, with a Vigil Mass presided over by Bishop Donatus Ogun, and was concelebrated by priests from within and outside of the diocese of Uromi, especially the classmates of Fr. Augustine Ebosele. The vigil mass which began at 6:00pm, was held at St. Mathias – Ewohimi, where Fr Ebosele worked until his death. The Mass also drew a large number of Religious as well as the lay faithful from all over the diocese, especially parishioners of St. Mathias – Ewohimi, who came out in their number to keep vigil and to pray for the repose of the soul of their associate Pastor.
Bishop Ogun, in his opening remark said: “Though it looks sorrowful, but we are gathered to thank God for the life of a priest. We gather as a diocese to bid farewell to a priest, a father and an elder”. Bishop Ogun gave thanks to God for the many souls Fr. Ebosele impacted and touched positively in his lifetime, and prayed that God may lead his priestly soul back to Christ. His Lordship then invited the congregation and all to the prayer of the Office for the Dead in supplication for Fr Ebosele.
Fr. Andrew Eilenbaluagbon, a classmate, bossom friend and the one who spent the last moments of Fr Ebosele with him, delivered the homily at the Mass. He reminded the faithful that Death is inevitable; a debt all of us must pay in this earthly life, but when, where and how it will come, we do not know. For this reason, he urged all to always prepare by living righteous lives. Nature has made it possible for us to practice death every day, for whenever we go to bed to sleep we are practicing death. Neither the aged nor the sick are first to die, even the healthy sometimes die first; it is indeed a mystery.
Taking a cue from the readings, he reminded all that the righteous man, though he dies early, will be at rest. For old age is not honoured for length of time, nor measured by number of years, but understanding is gray hair for men, and a blameless life is ripe old age. These words, he said, must fill us with hope and peace that death is a passage to new and better life in Christ, for since we came from God, we must surely return to Him.
Fr. Eilenbaluagbon described Fr. Ebosele as a brother and a friend with whom he has shared wonderful memories right from the minor seminary till the very last day of his life on earth. He paid glowing tribute to Fr. Ebosele, whom he discribed as gentle and discipline priest. His gentility gentles the proud, his calmness calms the troubled and his simplicity simplifies the complex. He did not play or joke with his assignments. Fr Eilenbaluagbon went on to narrate the last moments he shared with Fr. Ebosele the last two days of his life and said that though no one saw the death coming, but Fr. Ebosele was prepared for it even unknown to him. While consoling the immediate family, he prayed God to grant a merciful judgement to Fr. Ebosele.
At the close of Mass, the bishop conveyed the sympathy of the diocese to the immediate family, admonishing them to take consolation in the fact that Fr. Ebosele was a priest, a gift from God. And Fr. Ebosele too became a gift to so many in his ministry.
After the 6:00pm Mass, other Masses were also offered at the 9:00pm, 12midnight, 3:00am and 6:00am, by the Classmates, Igueben Deanery, Ubiaja Deanery St Matthias – Ewohimi respectively.
Thursday, September 22, 2016, was the funeral Mass. The remains of Fr Ebosele left St Matthias Ewohimi for St Gregory, Ekpoma for the Mass at 10:00am. The funeral Mass was presided over by His Lordship, Most Rev. Donatus Ogun and concelebrated by priests in their numbers from within and outside the diocese. Notable among them was the Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Benin, Very Rev. Fr. Michael Oyanaofoh, representing His Grace, Most Rev. Augustine Akubeze. The Religious and lay faithful was also not left out as the church was filled to its capacity.
Prayers were offered from the Office for the Dead at the Mass. In his homily, Bishop Ogun brought to the fore the fact that, there is no ripe age to die since a sense of loss will always be felt whether one dies early or not, because we attach our lives to each other, and this determines the pain we feel when they are gone. However, whether one dies early or not, it is simply the person’s time to go back to the creator, hence, one must always be disposed to death for as Thomas A’Kempis says ‘if one is not ready to die today, one will not be ready tomorrow.’
The Bishop described Fr. Ebosele as one who was always ready to make sacrifices, and this he said, is what the priesthood is all about. Fr. Ebosele, in the words of St. Augustine his patron saint; “has gone to join the enviable triumphant church” and will continue to intercede for his family and friends and the diocese of Uromi.
The chancellor, Fr. Hilary Odenore at the close of Mass, thanked all present on behalf of the Bishop, especially the Classmates of Fr Ebosele and priests from other dioceses for their presence.
The final commendation was then carried out by Rev. Fr. Peter Udo Ebhota, the president of the Fr Ebosele’s class, after which the body was carried in a solemn procession to its final resting place at the priests’ cemetery at Brother Roman Catechetical Centre with Fr. Ernest Aburimen performing the Rite of Committal.
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