“You are a Priest forever, according to the order of King Melchizedek…” (Ps 110:4)

From now on, the date of May 16th will hold a very special meaning for the SCJ Province of Cameroon, as it is the day that saw the birth of 08 new priests, consecrated for the service of God and His Church. Confreres ASHWEHMBOWN Betrand, Kisito NINPA, Raoul WEPECBI, Quentin MVONDO MVONDO, Olivier NAMESSO, Stéphane Martial BOUME, Guy Christian BAYO, and Cédric TCHAMAKAM were ordained Priests by Bishop Paul LONTSIE-KEUNE, Bishop of the Diocese of Bafoussam. This took place in Bafoussam, in the Centenary Church marking the presence of the Priests of the Sacred Heart in Cameroon.

Following a 5-day retreat spent in our community of Bamenda-N’tasen—a retreat preached by Father Thomas ELAT, a priest from the Diocese of Nkongsamba—the solemn ordination Mass of our 08 confreres took place in Bafoussam, at the Sacred Heart Parish of Ndiandam. Scheduled for 9:55 AM, it began with a 10-minute delay and was broadcast live on social media by the Communication Commission of the CMR Province.

The Priest must be a witness, even more so the religious Priest

In his homily for the day, the Bishop dwelt at length on the meaning of the Priest’s vocation for today’s world. Taken from among men, the Priest is, in the image of Christ—the sole Mediator between God and men—the intermediary that goes from God to man, and from man to God. He speaks of God to man, and speaks of man to God. To do this, he must be a witness, a true witness, even more so for the religious priest, because his obedience invites the world to surrender entirely to the will of God; his chastity shows the world the only true love, and his poverty points toward the only true wealth, which is Christ.

Presence of Confreres from Germany and the DR Congo

This ordination Mass was a celebration rich in meaning and significance, but also rich in color, emotion, and grace. Its brilliance was further enhanced by the presence of Fathers Marcio Auth and Edwin Rombach, who traveled from Freiburg, Germany, where Fr. Kisito Ninpa completed his studies in Philosophy and Theology. Also present were Provincial Superiors Father Stéphane TERTÜNTE and Father Michel MANDEY, arriving respectively from Germany and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The Mottos of the New Priests

The thanksgiving offered to God, who continually blesses His Church and our Province, joined that of the day’s chosen ones, as can be clearly seen in their priestly ordination mottos:

• Fr. Benjamin Quentin MVONDO MVONDO: “What is man, Lord, that you think of him?” Psalm 8:4.
• Fr. Raoul DJOUMBI WEPECBI: “Here I am, Lord, I come to do your will” Psalm 40.
• Fr. Guy Christian BAYO: “My people perish for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge” (Hos 4:6).
• Fr. Stéphane Martial BOUME DASSI: “Of this Gospel I became a minister according to the gift of God’s grace that was given me by the working of his power. To me, the very least of all the saints” Eph 3:7-8.
• Fr. Georges Olivier NAMESSO LONTSI: “As for you, always be steady, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry completely” (2 Tim 4:5).
• Fr. Guilin Cédric TCHAMAKAM NOUMI: “I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service” 1 Tim 1:12.
• Fr. Kisito NINPA FOGAN: “The Lord is at hand” (Phil 4:5).
• Fr. Betrand ASHWEHMBOWN: “And Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit who has been given to us” Rom 5:5.

After the Mass, fraternal agape feasts took place within the main hall of the Mont Saint Jean community, not to mention the celebrations organized by the families of the newly ordained in various nooks and crannies of the episcopal city. We continue to give thanks to God, who never ceases to bless His Church and especially our SCJ Province of Cameroon with new vocations. From now on, the number of priests in our Cameroonian Province stands at 88.

In everything and for everything, blessed be the Holy Name of the Lord!