There are currently 780 seminarians studying philosophy and theology at Bigard Memorial Seminary.
Photo: Agencia Fides
Newsroom (22/11/2024 15:59, Gaudium Press) In an atmosphere of profound joy, the city of Enugu, celebrated the centenary anniversary of the Bigard Memorial Seminary. The seminary is fundamental in the formation of Nigerian priests. Founded in 1924, the seminary is named after Jeanne Bigard, co-founder of the Pontifical Work of St. Peter the Apostle, created to support the formation of seminarians and priests in mission lands.
Currently, 780 seminarians study philosophy and theology in their classrooms, thus continuing to contribute to forming priests for the Nigerian Church.
Throughout its history, the seminary has trained 4 cardinals, 14 archbishops, 37 bishops, and numerous priests who serve in various parts of the world. Among them is Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, current Secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelization, Section for the First Evangelization, and the New Particular Churches, who graduated in theology from the seminary.
During the solemn Eucharistic celebration presided over by Archbishop Nwachukwu yesterday, 40 new deacons were ordained. In his homily, the archbishop stressed that these deacons are the “fruit of the good work” of the institution.
The diaconal ministry recalled the secretary of the Missionary Dicastery, is “a service that finds its roots in the Bible”. In the Old Testament, in the book of Numbers, we read how “the service of the altar was entrusted to the sons of Levi”. In the New Testament, the Book of Acts “recounts the origin of a similar service in the early days of the Church”.
However, “unlike the Levites, Stephen and his companions did not become deacons by human genealogy. They were elect, that is, chosen by God…”. This passage is found in chapter 6 of the Acts of the Apostles.
“You too,” emphasized Monsignor Nwachukwu, ”like Stephen and his companions, by ordination to the diaconate are raised to a level where you are no longer defined by your ethnic or genealogical descent, like the Levites, but by God’s choice. Later, your ordination to the priesthood according to the order begun by Melchisedec, which has no human genealogy, will make this new identity even more defined,” added the Secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelization.
For the Archbishop, “a deacon chosen and ordained like Stephen and his companions, and a priest ordained according to the new order of Melchizedek, can no longer reason or act according to his human genealogy. He becomes, as it were, uprooted from the earth and carried along by the wind of the Spirit. Christ is his model. “I, therefore, recommend you to ‘live a life worthy of the vocation to which you have been called, with humility, meekness and patience’,” was the last wish addressed to the new deacons by Archbishop Nwachukwu.
With information from Agenzia Fides
Compiled by Dominic Joseph
