Trumpeta: Good day Fr. Can you briefly introduce yourself fully?
Fr. Dom: I am very Rev. Fr Dr Dom Nnagha and also the judicial vicar of Orlu Diocese and the parish priest of C.KC. Okwudor.
Trumpeta: What is the motive for the shift in the rofatory mass?
Fr. Dom: The motive for my coming is because today, the 21st April 2013, Orlu Diocese made it possible for priests in different parishes to celebrate mass in another parish which is termed “rofatory mass”. This particular rofatory mass is to announce the good news to the people about the appointment of Monsignor Bryan Udaigwe, a priest of Orlu Diocese who has been elevated by Pope Benedict xvi, the Pope Emeritus as a Nuncio, and he is to be ordained an Archbishop in Rome on 27th April.
Trumpeta: Why was he appointed by Pope Benedict, instead of Pope Francis?
Fr Dom: It was Pope Benedict XVI because it was one of his last official pontifical appointments he did before he left on the 28th February.
Trumpeta: When is the ordination and installment taking place?
Fr. Dom: The ordination is taking place on the 27th April, 2013 at St Peter’s Basilica Rome. And there is nothing like installation because he is not a Diocesan bishop, he is a tubular archbishop so there is no installation, besides, installation goes for is going for canonical possession of a diocesan bishop, but he is going to be received at Orlu Diocese, the diocesan office incardination and origin on 18th May, 2013.
Trumpeta: Fr, being the leader of the group going to Rome for the ordination, what are your expectations?
Fr Dom: Our expectations are many; firstly, we are going en mass. Our two bishops, the bishop Emeritus Ochiagha, and our current bishop Ukwuoma, other bishops from Nigeria, Togo, Benin, members of his family, large number of Orlu Diocesan priests from Orlu, USA, and mostly from Italy are going to storm there to give our solidarity to our brother.
Trumpeta: In the hierarchical order of the church, what position does he occupy?
Fr. Dom: The Nuncio is always the pope’s Ambassador. So he belongs to those who work at the Roman Courier. That is the Vatican ministries and he is located in the foreign Affairs office of the Vatican, just like foreign Affairs ministry in Nigeria. Like an Ambassador, he is accredited to the section that is called public affairs of the church under secretariat of the state.
Trumpeta: Is there any tangible difference between Archbishop and Nuncio?
Fr. Dom: Well…………., there are some archbishops who are not Nuncios, but every Nuncio is an Archbishop. When one is appointed a Nuncio, he is automatically made a tubular archbishop.
Trumpeta: What are the challenges he will face as a Nuncio?
Fr. Dom: The challenges is being able to represent His Holiness very well and effectively in the country of his accreditations, and also the churches of his accreditations
But in his case, he is made an Ambassador in Togo and Benin Republic. So there are enormous challenges like culture, language and others as an African priest.
Trumpeta: As an elderly priest, where did you operate from and what are your specific positions in the diocese?
Fr. Dom: Ok. In Orlu Diocese, I am the judicial vicar and the sole judge of Orlu Diocesan Tribunal. That is my primary assignment. You can equally say that I belong to the justice ministry of Orlu Diocese.
Trumpeta: I believe you are also an author and have written many books. How do you cope irrespective of your tight schedules as a principled office holder in the diocese?
Fr. Dom: Yeah, I am an author and have written about five published books, 3 edited newsletters and many magazines. Writing is my hobby right from my earliest years I even have some books now under production that are yet to be published including articles.
Trumpeta: May we know some of these books?
Fr. Dom.: Yeah, I wrote them for the public. Firstly I have the communion and service in the church which I wrote in 2005 after my Doctorate Defence in Rome, I did Doctorate Defence in Canon law at the Pontifical Lateral University in Rome and also had my post graduate Diploma in juri prudence. So I finished in Rome 2005 and presented it publicly in 2006, in 2008, I had my pastoral companion, while in 2010, brought out 3 books. Frontiers of Canon law, vol. 1&2, and the new idols.
Trumpeta: Who is behind your success and inspirations?
Fr. Dom: Behind my success is the Holy Spirit, and my inspiration is the Blessed Mary.
Trumpeta: Does it mean that the local ordinary contributed nothing to your success story today?
Fr. Dom: Why not? The office I occupy today was made possible by bishop Ochiagha in his benevolence gesture. He made me the Diocesan judicial vicar in 2007 and in 2008, with the charge of Episcopal button and incumbency of Bishop Augustine, he also re-appointed me as the judicial vicar and sole judge of Orlu Diocese.
And since then, he has given me more elaborate responsibilities. For example, recently, I was made the secretary of the planning and implementation community of Trinities University Orlu, which we are still building. I have other responsibilities on my head, Councils, Courier Councils, Commissions about 7 or more than in the diocese. Above all, I am the Vice President of Orlu Diocesan Priests. Many on my head…………
Trumpeta: In a nutshell, what is your advice to the aspiring priests?
Fr. Dom: My advice goes in Latin “Passo dopo passo” meaning “step by step”. They should make God their starting point, have faith in Him. Obey Him, and be ready to accept worldly criticisms encompassed with grief and torture. Then, they change their mission to vision.
