It was all joy for the seminary family as she on Thursday, November 15, 2018 received a delegation of the Catholic Women Organization. The high-profiled delegates led by Prof. Mrs. Benedette Okoli were drawn from the dioceses of Enugu, Awgu, Abakaliki, and Nsukka. The women represented the larger CWO of Onitsha Ecclesiastical Province.
The women numbering over 40 were officially received in the Bigard Main Chapel after Mid-Day prayer by the Rector, Very Rev. Fr. Albert O. Ikpenwa, the Team of Formators and Seminarians. Addressing the women, the Rector disclosed that the total number of seminarians has considerably risen to eight hundred and forty three (843). In spite of her meager resources, he maintained, the seminary makes sure that seminarians feed very well. While expressing gratitude for the yearly visit and continuous support of the Provincial CWO, he pointed out other areas that the seminary still needs help. One of them accommodation, and depending on the availability of funds, the seminary has the plan of building a Centenary Hostel.
Reacting to some of the issues raised by the Rector, Prof Okoli, the Leader and President of C.W.O, Enugu Diocese, expressed gratitude to the Bigard Family for the warm reception given them. She thanked the Rector particularly for his administrative acumen which is made manifest in his ability to keep the seminary at its best in spite of the meager resources. The mothers, she promised, will continue to support the seminary no matter how little.
After her speech, the women introduced themselves in turns with each disclosing her name, diocese and the post held in their respective dioceses.
On behalf of the seminarians, Mr. Kelvin Asogwa articulated the students’ sentiments of gratitude to the mothers for what they have been to them. “You would not know how much seminarians long for your visit each year”, he said. “Your visit does not only bring added value to our daily feedings but brings maternal warmth to seminarians who on account of formation have become removed from home”, he added. What could the world have been like, he wondered, if God had not blessed humanity with mothers, if there were no mothers to aid priests in their pastoral duties, and seminarians in their formation? He reasoned that a world without mothers would have been nothing but a place of boredom. God, he said, may have taken all that into account and therefore gave the world her first love – women. He thanked the mothers sincerely for always seeking for their children. Only the mothers, he thinks, can do this.
The seminarians, who at this moment could no longer contain their joy, burst into spontaneous applause with joyous clappings that gave way for songs in honor of the mothers.
Group photographs were taken at the entrance of the Seminary Main Chapel and the women presented their gift items.