By Onyeananam Edmund-Victor
On Thursday 12 of December 2019, Catholic faithful around Imo State and its environs will converge to witness the consecration of Monsignor Moses Chikwe as the Auxiliary Bishop of Owerri Archdiocese with the outspoken Catholic Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province, Most Reverend Dr Anthony J.V Obinna playing the role of principal consecrator, with other Bishops servings as co-consecrators.
This Epoch making consecration according to church authorities signifies the start of the bowing out process of the catholic patriarch who is famous for his campaign against human right violations and corruption.
Briefing newsmen in his office at Maria Assumpta Cathedral Owerri, Archbishop Obinna said, “this year 2019 have been a year of special blessings for the archdiocesan Province of Owerri as well as for me as the first archbishop of Owerri Archdiocese.
On the 3rd of September 2019, Owerri Archdiocese and the Owerri Ecclesiastical Province marked the 25th Anniversary that is the silver jubilee of their inauguration. on that same date, I marked the 25th anniversary of my installation as the first metropolitan archbishop of Owerri”.
The archbishop further stated that many who had participated at the silver jubilee celebration looked forward to hearing some announcement from the Vatican to cap the celebration, but according to him, that was not to be.
The Adjudged vibrant and analytic Archbishop also said, surprisingly on the 1st day of October 2019 roughly three weeks after the silver jubilee celebration, I got a hint about Pope Francis decision to appoint an auxiliary bishop for Owerri archdiocese. Then on Thursday the 17th of October 2019, there was an official release from the Vatican announcing that the Reverend father Moses Chikwe had been appointed the first auxiliary bishop of Owerri archdiocese and automatically named Monsignor”.
Archbishop Obinna revealed that for over five years he yearned for such an appointment, noting that in two years time, he would retire as Bishop, in line with the statutory age of 75. He said the Auxiliary bishop will assist in the pastorial works till he formally retires. He also announced that the Auxiliary bishop will be consecrated on Thursday the 12 of December 2019.
