Buea, Cameroon: Ordinations A Celebration of Earlier Evangelisation
It was indeed the day ordained by God, for four young Mill Hill Missionary brothers as they commit themselves to the ministerial priesthood.
Reverends Celestine Suliy Kevin from Moyoka, Njume Eric Njume from big Soppo, Njinuwo Kingsley Botambo from Kumba and Nelson Zang Kum from small Soppo were all ordained priest today 23rd of June 2023 at the DIVINE MERCY CO-CATHEDRAL by the Most Rev. Michael Bibi, Bishop of Buea in the presence of two other bishops; Bishop Agapitus Fon of the diocese of Kumba and bishop Bushu Emmanuel bishop emeritus of Buea.
The people of the Diocese of Buea & Kumba came out in their numbers to witness this joyous occasion, first of its kind of ordaining four Mill Hill missionary priests. Some even travelled from the archdiocese of Douala to show their support to these young men and to the Mill Hill Missionaries.
In his homily, the ordaining prelate, the Bishop of Buea took the congregation down memory lane of how the MHM came into existence in Cameroon through Buea. He was particularly clear about the foundation of the church in the NW & SW regions of Cameroon largely being the work of the Mill Hill missionaries in Cameroon. Even after the 1st World war which had claimed the lives of so many causing a dent in the Mill Hill congregation numbers, MHM still came to spread the word in Cameroon. The Bishop also expressed his strong desire to see Mill Hill return to Buea where it all began 100 hundred years ago.
To the newly ordained, the Society superior for MHM in Cameroon Fr. Innocent Wefon Akum gave three words: Prayer, Sacrifice and Love as the guiding principles to enjoy their priesthood. As a sign of appreciation to the diocese, the newly ordained together with Fr. Innocent led a special thanksgiving collection to support the enormous work going on at the Divine Mercy Co-Cathedral.
To mark this unique occasion, Fr. Innocent and newly ordained Fr.Eric Njume planted trees at the entrance of the Cathedral to support the environmental sustainability agenda and make peace with Mother earth. We are looking forward to more ordinations for the Bamenda archdiocese in the months ahead.
Innocent Wefon Akum MHM
