By Henry Ohanaka
On Sunday, April 26, 2026, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, commonly known as Good Shepherd Sunday, the community of St Mulumba Spiritual Year Seminary, Enyiogugu Mbaise, gathered with parents and guardians, members of the laity, and representatives of various parishes to observe its annual Vocation Sunday, a day set aside for reflection on the call to priesthood and religious life.
The Mass that opened the celebration was presided over by the Rector, Rev. Fr. Paul Ohaeri, with the Vice Rector, Rev. Fr. Matthew Uche Nwoko, concelebrating. In his introductory remarks, Fr Ohaeri gave thanks for the gift of life and prayed that the day’s observance would bear fruit in the lives of the faithful.
Delivering the homily, Fr Nwoko described the occasion as one in which the Church not only acknowledges those called to serve but also turns, with some urgency, to the question of vocation itself, how it is heard, how it is received, and how it is lived. The call of God, he noted, is not abstract but personal, and it asks of each person a readiness that is both attentive and responsive.
He urged the faithful to take an active part in fostering vocations, not merely by recognizing them, but by nurturing and sustaining them, particularly in relation to the priesthood and the consecrated life. A call, he suggested, is not fulfilled by being heard alone; it requires a considered and faithful response.
Returning to the image of Christ as the Good Shepherd, Fr. Nwoko reflected on the mutual recognition that binds shepherd and flock, a recognition grounded in knowledge, trust, and fidelity. Seminarians, he said, are formed to imitate this pattern in the life of Christ, learning not only to lead but also first to belong. The image, he added, extends beyond the shepherd to the sheep themselves, inviting each person to consider the quality of his or her own response, whether it tends towards fidelity or neglect, whether it remains steady or wanders.
In a welcome address delivered on behalf of the seminary community, Fr Ohaeri expressed gratitude to God for the occasion and to all who had joined in the celebration. The gathering, he said, was both a sign of support and a reminder of the shared responsibility borne by the wider church in the work of vocation.
The vote of thanks was given by Fr. Nwoko, who expressed the seminary’s gratitude to all present and prayed for their safe return to their various homes.
