Saturday, the 21st day of June 2008 will never be forgotten in the annals of the history of the Catholic Diocese of Orlu. It was the day Most Rev. Dr. Augustine Toochukwu Ukwuoma was ordained and installed the Catholic Bishop of Orlu Diocese. He becomes the second bishop the Catholic Diocese of Orlu since its inception in 1981.

It was the first of its kind as that was the first time the son of Orlu diocese was elevated to such a prestigious position in the Church and on Orlu land, and the local Church had the opportunity to organize the ordination of her Bishop. He succeeded His Lordship Most Rev. Dr. Gregory Obinna Ochiagha, bishop emeritus of Orlu Diocese.

The ceremony was well attended massively by Catholics and non-Catholics who came either to witness to the Episcopal Ordination for the first time as they would not like to be told about the event or some out of religious piety came to fulfill their religious obligations.

Many who came about 7.00 am could not find seat because before then the Cathedral was already filled to the brim. In short, an unprecedented crowd filled the Holy Trinity Cathedral. The number outside the Cathedral seemed to be greater than those inside. The traffic grew to an uncontrollable degree. But in the face of all the inconveniences people experienced, they were not perturbed, if not for any other thing but for the fact they were able to witness the Episcopal ordination live.

EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION:
The Eucharistic celebration took off at exactly 10: 00 am with a long procession of Archbishops, Bishops, Priests, Deacons, Seminarians and Mass Servers. There was great ovation from the huge crowd especially at the sight of the Bishop-elect, specially dressed with Purple Biretta on his head.

The priesthood is surrounded with dignity. As the ovation grew higher and higher from the different corners of the Cathedral and its premises, the Bishop-elect in the company of his two assisting priests (Rev. Frs. Eugene Dike and Athanasius Ozioma Onyima) was seen moving majestically and spirit-filled in front of the Bishops to the sanctuary. The ovation reached its apex when the Bishop-elect stepped into the sanctuary, kissed the altar and walked majestically to take his seat flanked by his two assisting Priests.

At the altar, the Principal Consecrator, the Co-consecrators, the Bishop-elect and his two assisting priests, as well as the concelebrating bishops and clergy venerated the altar. The principal consecrator assisted by the two deacons, incensed round the altar and thereafter took their seat.

In his opening remarks at the Mass, the Chief celebrant who is the Principal Consecrator of the new Bishop, His Grace, Most Rev. Dr. Renzo Fratini (the Papal Nuncio to Nigeria) prayed for God’s grace and at the same time requested the People of God to pray for the Bishop-elect whom the Lord has found worthy to be one of His Apostles.   

PRESENTATION OF THE CANDIDATE:
Before the homily was the presentation of the bishop-elect. Very Rev. Monsignor Emmanuel C.C. Nwosu, on behalf of our Holy Mother the Catholic Church, requested the Principal Consecrator to ordain the priest Msgr. Augustine Ukwuoma for service as bishop. In return the Principal Consecrator demanded for mandate from the Holy See (the Papal Bull). This was provided and it was read in two languages: Latin and English. The Latin version was read by Rev. Dr. Nathaniel I. Ndiokwere, while the English version was rendered by Msgr. Brian Udaigwe.

In the homily at the Mass, Most Rev. Dr. Solomon Amatu, the Catholic Bishop of Okigwe, gave a sound teaching on who a bishop is, his qualities and his duties and at the same time thanked the Bishop emeritus for the wonderful achievements in the diocese and prayed for his good health and a peaceful retirement. He admonished the bishop-elect to keep to faith and that the poor should not be looked down upon. Also he should see to it that bishop emeritus is being taken adequate care off. To the bishop emeritus, Most Rev Dr. Gregory Ochiagha, he advised to handover the full baton of leadership and authority to his successor for the smooth running of the Church of Christ. He equally called on the priests, religious and laity of the diocese to rally round their new bishop by giving him a maximum support.

EXAMINATION OF THE CANDIDATE:
After the homily, the principal consecrator together with bishops present examined the bishop-elect before the People of God to know his disposition and resolution on how to uphold and discharge his duties faithfully as an Apostle of Christ. The bishop elect answered the questions put to him with ease, trusting in the grace of God.

As the answers given by the ordinand were human, there was the need to seek for the assistance of the Saints of God. The Litany of the Saints was sung and thereafter the laying of hands of the principal consecrator and other bishops in great silence and prayerful mood. The spreading of the Holy Book over the head of the bishop-elect then followed suit.

ORDINATION PROPER:
With the imposition of hands and the prayer of consecration said by the bishops while the
Holy Book was spread over the head of the bishop-elect by two deacons, the bishop elect became a full fledge bishop of the Holy Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church

To equip him for the task ahead, the principal consecrator anointed him with oil on the head after which he (the principal consecrator) put in him the skull cap, the ring, the Miter and the Crosier, the pastoral Staff of authority for shepherding his flock
The new bishop was equally given the book of the Gospel

After ordination proper, the principal consecrator and co-consecrators led the new bishop to the Bishop’s seat in the Cathedral and immediately he took over the position of the Chief celebrant to continue the Mass.

The bishops present showed their acceptance by embracing him one after the other, while priests, religious and the laity from Orlu diocese paid their allegiance to the new bishop

SPEECHES:
Having said the post communion prayer, the Secretary of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Most Rev. Dr. Lucius Ugorji spoke on behalf of the College of Bishops of Nigeria of their joy at accepting Bishop Ukwuoma as the newest bishop in Nigeria and congratulated him for being one of them now.

This was followed by the valedictory speech of Most Rev. Dr. Gregory Ochiagha, the bishop emeritus of Orlu in which he handed over the entire flock of Orlu diocese to Most Rev. Dr. Augustine Ukwuoma, the new Bishop of Orlu. He expressed with joy that throughout his tenure as the Bishop of Orlu, he never received from any corner of the diocese the impression that he is not an indigene of Orlu.

The new Bishop in his inaugural speech expressed his shock at the news of his appointment which he least expected. However he prayed for the grace of God to accomplish the task entrusted to him by the virtue of his office. He pleaded for the support of everyone while thanking his predecessor for the able way he had handled the diocese and promising to take care of him. He appreciated those who contributed in one way or other for the success of his ordination praying God to reward them abundantly.

CONCLUSION:
The Lord has done a lot for us, great is His Holy Name. We pray God to shower on His chosen son Bishop Augustine Ukwuoma the wisdom and grace needed to lead the People of God in Orlu to the promise land and to the Bishop emeritus a good health and peaceful retirement he deserved after services.

Saturday, the 21st day of June 2008 will never be forgotten in the annals of the history of the Catholic Diocese of Orlu. It was the day Most Rev. Dr. Augustine Toochukwu Ukwuoma was ordained and installed the Catholic Bishop of Orlu Diocese. He becomes the second bishop the Catholic Diocese of Orlu since its inception in 1981.

It was the first of its kind as that was the first time the son of Orlu diocese was elevated to such a prestigious position in the Church and on Orlu land, and the local Church had the opportunity to organize the ordination of her Bishop. He succeeded His Lordship Most Rev. Dr. Gregory Obinna Ochiagha, bishop emeritus of Orlu Diocese.

The ceremony was well attended massively by Catholics and non-Catholics who came either to witness to the Episcopal Ordination for the first time as they would not like to be told about the event or some out of religious piety came to fulfill their religious obligations.

Many who came about 7.00 am could not find seat because before then the Cathedral was already filled to the brim. In short, an unprecedented crowd filled the Holy Trinity Cathedral. The number outside the Cathedral seemed to be greater than those inside. The traffic grew to an uncontrollable degree. But in the face of all the inconveniences people experienced, they were not perturbed, if not for any other thing but for the fact they were able to witness the Episcopal ordination live.