The Ordination of Father Simon Obuangwe, SCJ: A Seed of Peace for the Diocese of Wamba

“From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace” (Jn 1:16). It is under the banner of these words that the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Congo rejoiced on Thursday, September 17, for the presbyteral ordination of Father Simon Obuangwe, SCJ, celebrated at Saint Leo Parish in Ibambi, in the Diocese of Wamba. The celebration was presided over by His Excellency Most Rev. Emmanuel Ngona, Bishop of Wamba, amid a large congregation made up of priests, religious men and women, lay faithful, family members of the newly ordained priest, and many young people who came to share in this moment of grace.

According to the Charism of Father Dehon

Between joy and admiration, this ordination stands as the crowning achievement of a journey spanning several years, which led Father Simon sequentially to Kisangani, Kiragho, and South Africa for philosophy, novitiate, and theology, respectively—a time of discernment and formation rooted in patience. Coming in large numbers to celebrate this rare event in the area, the inhabitants of Ibambi and surrounding villages gathered to witness their son’s definitive “yes” to the call received from the Lord. In an atmosphere of prayer and thanksgiving, they watched their son approach the altar and become a priest to serve the people of God, proclaim the Gospel, celebrate the sacraments, and manifest the tenderness of the Heart of Christ in the heart of the world, in accordance with the charism of Father Leo Dehon.

In his address, the newly ordained priest did not hide his emotion at seeing the entire local Church and regional elites mobilize to celebrate the grace he received from God without any merit of his own. For him, rather than an end, this marks a beginning—the start of a heavy and demanding ministry, for which he will need to rely on the Lord’s grace and everyone’s support. “Just as so many of you are here to encourage me, your ongoing support will be essential to me,” he emphasized.

In the Context of a Diocesan Crisis

Furthermore, Father Simon’s presbyteral ordination in Ibambi accomplished something of a miracle. For context, the Diocese of Wamba—a vast territory evangelized by the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus—has been undergoing a crisis for more than three years. Indeed, after the acceptance of the resignation from pastoral governance of Most Rev. Janvier Kataka, who served the diocese with courage and within his limits for twenty-seven years, Most Rev. Emmanuel Ngona, appointed to succeed him, faced rejection. Social media exacerbated the situation by adding fuel to the fire, causing things to spiral from bad to worse, ultimately leading to the closure of diocesan seminaries and the suspension a divinis of certain members of the clergy.

As time passed, the situation struggled to return to normal. The new bishop had to be ordained in Kinshasa, miles away from his flock, and after many efforts at reconciliation, he took possession of his episcopal see not in the cathedral of Wamba, but in Mambasa. In this process of easing tensions, the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus first welcomed the bishop into their community in Mambasa and then, on the occasion of this ordination, invited him to the other part of his diocese today. This allowed Most Rev. Ngona to engage in dialogue with the diocesan clergy. It is certainly a responsibility before history, but even more so, it is the living out of our mission to be “prophets of love and servants of reconciliation” (Cst. No. 7).

A New Era for the Diocese of Wamba

In light of the above, this ordination was more than a personal event: it is a blessing for the entire diocesan Church. It marks a new chapter gradually opening for the Diocese of Wamba, which is now committed to the path of reconciliation and peace.

On this memorable day, we join in the joy of the Diocese of Wamba and entrust Father Simon Obuangwe to the protection of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. May his ministry be characterized by humility, availability, and a concrete love for the least among us, so that his priestly life may become true grace upon grace for all those he encounters. May the blood of our martyr confreres and of Blessed Annuarite, which has watered this mission land, bring peace to all hearts.