Reported By Warri Diocese,
Twin brothers, Paul Mary Oñele and Peter Mary Oñele from Nkaliki, Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi State alongside 10 others were on Saturday, July 13, in Owerri, capital of Imo State Nigeria ordained priests and deacons of the Claretian Missionaries, East Nigeria Province.
The ordination involving nine priests and three deacons was performed by His Lordship, Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, Catholic Bishop of Sunyani Diocese, Ghana at St. Anthony Mary Claret Parish, Owerri, Imo State.
According information made available, the two twins, Rev. Fr. Paul Mary Oñele and Rev. Fr. Peter Mary Oñele, were the first twins to be ordained priests since St. Anthony Mary Claret founded the Claretian Missionaries in 1849.
Others priests were; Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Anyaebosim, Rev. Fr. Henry Ekwem, Rev. Fr. Valentine Orazulume, Rev. Fr. Kentigern Aririguzo, Rev. Fr. Churchill Emeghara, Rev. Fr. Anthony Enemuo and Rev. Fr Gabriel Lanshima.
The three deacons were,Rev. Michael Madunagu, Rev. Charles Okonkwo and Rev. Augustine Mary Obiadazie.
Bishop Gyamfi, who presided over the ordination mass charged the newly ordained to be shining example to the world.
Gyamfi told them to emulate Jesus Christ, and reach out to people both in towns and villages in the course of their missionary work.
He said that the key duty of a priest was to interface between God and man, adding that any priest who is not prayerful was not worth his calling.
“Teach what you believe and practise what you preach. You must endeavour to pray three times; in the morning, afternoon and evening”.
“Make sure you pray, as prayer nourishes the soul, just as food does to the body,” he said.
Gyamfi who described the event as ‘significant’, said the ordination of Paul Mary and Peter Mary Oñele was the first for him to witness priestly ordination of twins.
He called on the congregation to equally pray and support the clergy materially, noting that the work of a priest is not an easy one.
He also thanked other parents who donated their wards to the service of God.
One of the twins, Rev. Fr. Paul Mary Oñele until he entered the seminary in 2008, was said to be working with the News Agency Of Nigeria (NAN), Abakaliki office.
Their uncle, Mr. Sunday Oñele and Mrs. Chinwe Oñele, their mother, said releasing two brothers for the Catholic priesthood was never an easy decision but noted that God that gave them also called them to serve him.
”We are grateful to God that the two young men have today made it to the end of their priestly journey, and we pray God to continue to guide them,” Sunday said.
Rev. Fr. Paul Mary said he was thankful to God for seeing him and his twin brother Peter Mary through the rough path to priesthood.
The ordination ceremony attracted more than 100 priests including Rev. Fr. Simeon Nwobi, Provincial Superior, Claretian Missionaries, East Nigeria Province, and Rev. Fr. Anthony Onyeocha, former Rector St. Peter Claver Seminary, Okpala, among others.