Igbo Catholic community has a colorful celebration

In photo, Chioma Nzenwa and Ifeoma Akumuo

On Nov. 7, 2013, we had a reflection at the St. Pius X Spiritual Life Center where Msgr. Kevin Irwin appraised the liturgical reforms of Vatican II. During our luncheon, I was seated at the same table with Bishop Dennis Sullivan. When I introduced myself as a priest from Nigeria, he rightly asked me if I were from Igbo land.
My answer to him was yes, and he immediately told the other priests who were seated at our table that his Irish friend told him about the Igbo people of Nigeria, how religious and devout they are. He recounted the Nigerian/Biafran war and how the Nigerian Federal Government evicted the Irish Missionaries for supporting the Igbo cause during the war.
Yes, the Igbo people are one of the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria (Hausa, Yoruba – the other two ethnic groups). Igbo is located in the South Eastern part of Nigeria. The Igbo people are deeply religious who believe in God known as Chukwu. After the unfortunate war (1967-70), many Igbo people emigrated outside Igbo land. Today, the Igbo people are largely found in cities like New York, Atlanta, Houston, California, Washington D.C, Newark and Camden. The Igbo people in these cities practice their religion and culture. They also organize themselves to celebrate ceremonies such as birthdays and anniversaries.
The Igbo Catholic community in the Camden Diocese witnessed a colorful birthday anniversary of two of her devoted members, Ifeoma Akumuo and her sister Chioma Nzenwa on Nov. 24, 2013. This celebration attracted Igbo sons and daughters from different walks of life in the United States of America.
The festival began with the celebration of the Eucharist at which I presided. In his homily, Father Kenneth Enyiaka challenged the faithful to be thankful to God, who is the source of life and love. According to the priest, no one on earth could succeed without projecting God first in his or her life.
The black church is endowed with special gifts which, if properly harnessed, can enrich the universal church. The great Pope Paul VI challenged the black church to give its gifts of blackness to the whole church (The Pope Speaks, 1969 Symposium in Kampala, Uganda).
The pope has challenged the black church to share its vast cultural values with the universal church. This is the true motivating spirit that inspired the 10 black U.S. bishops in 1984 to share the rich African culture with the global church with “What We Have Seen and Heard: A Pastoral Letter on Evangelization From the Black Bishops of the United States.”
This spirit is both generous and highly commendable. It is when the black church shares its rich culture that we, as the black community, contribute in raising up not only ourselves but the whole church.
The 10 black bishops eloquently spoke from their great experience when they wrote, “We have heard with black ears and we have seen with black eyes and we have understood with an African heart.”
I am glad to be associated with the Igbo Catholic community in Camden Diocese. As their spiritual director, I have the duty to shepherd and feed the Igbo Catholic community. More importantly, I have an obligation to encourage the birthday anniversaries and other related celebrations of the members.
In the Mass, we share God’s love with one another. Yes, the Eucharist is also a thanksgiving; we express our deep gratitude to God for sharing his love with us. In the birthday celebration of Chioma Nzenwa and Ifeoma Akumuo, they greatly appreciated what God has done in their lives. It was a moment for them to express their unalloyed gratitude to God, who is the source of their strength, gifts and talents.
We are grateful to God for the gift of these two illustrious Igbo daughters for their contributions to the growth of Igbo Church in Camden Diocese. Chioma Nzenwa’s leadership in the Igbo choir speaks for itself. The beautiful voice of Ifeoma Akumuo inspires the Igbo choir in raising their voices in praise of God.
My aim as a spiritual director is to provide the Igbo Catholics in Camden Diocese a network of support and friendship in the church community. It is my belief that the Igbo Church will be the anchor of their spiritual, social and cultural lives. We, the Igbo people look forward to the future with God in our lives and in our hearts.