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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Pensacola-Tallahassee Bishop Emeritus John H. Ricard, S.S.J., ordained seven men as Josephite priests June 1 at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.
Bishop Ricard, the rector of St. Joseph Seminary in Washington, D.C., ordained for the Society of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart Fathers George-Bede Ajuruchi, Emmanuel Olorunesan Awe, Hyginus Ledum Boboh, Cornelius Kelechi Ejiogu, Bura Aloysius Koroba, Anthony Okwum and Stephen Remilekun Sohe.
Father Koroba and Father Okwum, natives of Nigeria, will serve this year at St. Augustine High School in New Orleans.
The Josephites are a congregation of priests and brothers whose exclusive mission is to the African-American community. Founded after the Civil War to minister to newly freed slaves, the organization has served the African-American community since 1871.
Father William L. Norvel, superior general of the Josephites, thanked all of the friends and relatives, educators who supported the young men in their priestly formation.
“Oh, happy day! It is with great joy to congratulate and welcome our newly ordained to the Josephite priesthood and the Society of St. Joseph,” Father Norvel said. “Thanks to the parents, for their first formation, for sending them to the Josephites. Thank you to St. Joseph who has been faithful to my prayers.”
Called “The Magnificent Seven” by those who know the newly ordained group, the priests, all from Nigeria, will be assigned to one of the 40 Josephite parishes nationwide.
The seven new priests participated in 11 years of formation in both the U.S. and in their home country before completing their master of divinity and theology degrees at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Washington, D.C.
“As a newly ordained priest, I feel I am called and chosen by God to take Christ to the world and to bring the world to Christ through my words and actions,” Father Okwum said.
Father Koroba said “the most significant aspect of my call to the priesthood is the mystery that I am chosen as a consecrated priest to be Christ’s ambassador, a minister of God with the special privilege to give my life wholly to God whose son gave up his own life for the salvation of humanity.”
Tags: Josephite, ordination, Uncategorized