By: Adolphus Ofoegbulem
On Saturday, December 13, 2025, twenty-one (21) vibrant young men received the clerical soutane at the investiture ceremony, which took place at St. Mulumba Spiritual Year Seminary, Enyiogugu Aboh Mbaise.
This investiture ceremony, which raised these twenty-one brothers of ours to the status of senior seminarians, began with a Holy Mass with the representative of the Bishop of Ahiara Diocese, Very Rev. Fr. Godson Okoro, the Vicar General of Ahiara Diocese, as the presider, with other concelebrating priests. Delivering the homily, Fr. Godson Okoro made known to the faithful that the ways of God are not the same as man’s. He went further to say that God will always select those who, in the eyes of men, are weak, to strengthen and make them able to do his work. He equally advised on the dangers of judging one another worthy or unworthy of God’s call, but encouraged the faithful to allow God to do his work. He urged them to always pray for those whom they see as incapable of answering the call, that God may strengthen them. While speaking to the new senior seminarians, he told them that there must be a stark difference between the way a seminarian lives his life and one who is not. He encouraged them to obey their formators and not to let any dimension of their vocation suffer in pursuit of another.
To the parents/guardians and well-wishers, he exhorted them to continue to promote and support their children through spiritual and material support, as the times are very hard. The Rector, Rev. Fr. Paul Ohaeri, while delivering a welcome address on behalf of the staff and students of St. Mulumba Spiritual Year Seminary Enyiogugu, thanked His Lordship, Most Rev. Simeon Okezuo Nwobi, who was ably represented by the Vicar General, Very Rev. Fr. Godson Okoro, for accepting to come for the investiture ceremony. He asked God to continue to bless and keep him. He equally thanked other priests present for coming to be with the spiritual year family and to share in the joy of these our twenty-one brothers.
Towards the end of the Mass, Fr. Okoro praised God, who chooses men to serve in his vineyard as priests. He congratulated the newly vested seminarians and charged them to be up and doing. Finally, he thanked the Rector for the good works he is doing at St. Mulumba Spiritual Year Seminary together with the other staff, as well as the parents of the newly vested seminarians for accepting to offer their children to the service of God.
Following the Mass was a reception at the seminary premises. It was indeed a great and joyful event, as the newly vested seminarians could not hold their joy, nor could their parents and friends.
