The joy of the parishioners of St Anthony, Ewatto, and the entire Ewatto community knew no bounds on November 19, 2016, when the entire community gathered to dedicate their new church building, bless and open the new rectory, Marian Grotto, Sacramental store and parish hall.
It was as if earth was joined to heaven, when the procession to the entrance of the began at 10:00am. At the entrance, the keys of the Church were presented to Bishop Ogun by His Royal Majesty, S.O. Ikhumen I (JP), the Onojie of Ewatto Kingdom, and the other rites continued.
The ceremony was also witnessed by His Grace, Most Rev. Augustine Akubeze, the pioneer bishop of Uromi Diocese – now Archbishop of Benin City; and Bishop Anselm Umoren – the Auxiliary Bishop of Abuja Archdiocese, the Vicar General of Uromi – Very Rev. Fr Francis Omonlumen and a host of Priests and Consecrated Persons from within and outside Uromi Diocese.
The Chief Celebrant, who also doubles as the Principal Consecrator of the Sacred edifice – Archbishop Akubeze, expressed his joy at the introductory to the Mass. He prayed for God’s blessings on the people, while at the same time praising and thanking them for the achievement.
In his homily, Bishop Ogun admonished the people in these words: “This building is a sign of the keeping of covenant by God in answer to the prayer of his children. When they pray here, I will answer them just as He pledged to King Solomon in our first reading (1Kg. 8:23). God answers prayers in the church if we pray. It is true that God is everywhere, but He is eminently present in a place specially set aside by the Ecclesial consecration for a believing community. There are deferent forms of setting a place apart, one is just blessing, and the other is consecration. By consecration we shall anoint and incense the walls. This action thus, makes the building special and the community celebrates this day of consecration hereafter as their feast day irrespective of the title of the saint’s name the church answers. These are two kinds of church, the persons
who are consecrated at Baptism (who constitute the Body of Christ), and the building within which the baptized gather as a sign of communion and the visible temple which shows to the world God’s abiding presence in a community. The bible calls this, the Holy place where the Most High dwells. In the consecrated church Jesus is present and venerated in the Blessed Sacrament just as He is present in every baptised believer and communicant who become His physical presence in the world. Thus, we must preserve both the body of the human person which gives glory to the physical structure through prayers and holiness of life. If the building is beautiful and the worshipers are not, then the church is incomplete. As much as we spend time caring for the building so we must spend time caring for our souls. The energy we spend to clean the building which shall leave here at death must be doubled to keep the soul clean which will be judged after death. Just as God is happy that we keep his physical house clean so much more analogically we may say the happier is He that the house –the human soul is kept clean.”
Bishop Ogun in a very special way, acknowledged the contribution of the entire Ewatto people that brought these enormous projects to bear, beginning from the King himself. A special thanks and recognition was accorded Chief Lee Ikpea, the major financier of the projects, who single-handedly built and furnished the Rectory, and contributed very significantly in all the other projects.
Bishop Ogun also acknowledged the unquantifiable efforts of all the priests, catechists and people who have worked to sow and nature the seed of faith in Ewatto land, both dead and living.
After the homily, the dedication ceremony began and concluded in grace. And before the close of the Mass, Bishop Ogun presented the keys of the church to the parish priest – Rev. Fr Paschal Omofoma and his Assistant – Rev. Fr Collins Osagie, whose efforts in the parish he acknowledge in great dose.
At the close of the Mass, the procession led to the Grotto, where the blessing was done by Bishop Umoren, and from there to the new rectory, where the blessing and opening was performed by Archbishop Akubeze. All moved from there to the reception ground after the blessing of the other projects, where the entire community was adequately taken care of.
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