Rev. Jude Langeh, cmf, and Rev. Andrew Esua, cmf,
ordained priests in Cameroon.

On the joy filled and fateful day of the 9th of April,2010, in the “Annus sacerdotalis”, heaven and earth witnessed a great event which took place at the Saint Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary, Bambui in the Archdiocese of Bamenda, Cameroon.  Before 9am, the seminary premises were filled with Christ’s faithful from within and without Cameroon. They were all seated in the Major Seminary Football Field waiting for a great event. With the sounds of music animated by the melodious voices streaming from the Major Seminary Choir, the long procession which began from the Seminary Chapel reached the football field. What was startling in the whole event was that all eye were turned towards 22 youngmen that were in the procession. These young men were all dressed in identical cream white albs with stoles crossed temporarily over their shoulders, fastened with detachable pins. 
Were the twenty two entering the football field for a soccer encounter? No! They were not in two separate camps of 11, but together. These were deacons moving to the altar to say their unconditional fiat to the sacerdotal vocation. They were accompanied by many priests and 6 Bishops: Msgr Pius Awa, Emeritus Bishop of Buea, Msgr Immanuel Bushu, Bishop of Buea, Msgr Francis Teke Lysinge, Bishhop of Mamfe, Msgr George Nkuo, Bishop of Kumbo, Msgr Gabriel Ntalu, Archbishop of Garoua and Msgr Cornelius Fontem Esua, Archbishop of Bamenda and the Ordaining Prelate. How beautiful are indeed the feet of those who preach the good news and blessed are those coming in the name of the Lord! The 9th of April was in fact, the official closure of the Year of the Priests in the Ecclesiastical Province of Bamenda and this came after a congress organized for priest which began three days before. This congress united all the priests from the ecclesiastical province with some lay faithful to get the quintessence of the priesthood.

In his homily, Bishop Immanuel Bushu streamlined the importance of the Year of the Priests in the Church while stressing on the challenges and the joys faced by priests in the modern world. He encouraged the ordinands to be steadfast in their vocation, be men of prayer and be assiduous in reading so as to be well armed in the ministry. The 22 priests ordained comprised 13 diocesans from the dioceses of Kumbo, Bamenda, Buea and Mamfe respectively, 4 capuchins, 2 Piarists, 1 Conceptionist and Two Claretians, Rev. Fr. Jude Thaddeus Langeh Basebang, cmf and Rev. Fr. Esua Andrew Forka, cmf. The entire ceremony took place in a splendid weather. Though the rain threatened, it did not disturb the event, so the ordination went on in good conditions. After the ordination ceremony which took about four hours, the claretian community, the lay claretians and the Provincial
Superior, Very Rev. Fr. Simeon Nwobi, cmf, and the Provincial Secretary, Fr. Nathaniel Eke, cmf, moved to the Bamenda Congress Hall where the reception took place. We were glad to receive the Archbishop of Bamenda, our Provincial Superior and the Secretary of the Province as our special guests of honour.

Our brothers, Fr. Jude and Fr. Andrew, cmf are the 3rd Batch of Cameroonians belonging to the East Nigerian Province. They did their postulancy,  four years of philosophy and pastoral year in Nigeria and only went back to Cameroon for their theology. The first visit of the Provincial Superior and the Secretary to Cameroon was necessitated by this.

Afterwards, the newly ordained went for some of their thanksgiving masses. Fr. Jude celebrated his in Saint Theresia’s Parish Bamenda on the11th of April. The confreres together with the Provincial and the Secretary were there. Fr. Andrew later celebrated his in Regina Pacis Cathedral in Small Soppo Buea on 18th April, 2010.

It is worth noting that, as immediate preparation for the ordination, Frs Jude and Andrew earlier went to Kutaba Cistercian Monastery where they  had a grace filled retreat. Jude and Andrew thank God almighty for this event and especially for choosing them as his priests.

Presented by: Fr. Jude Langeh, cmf.