ENUGU DIOCESE CELEBRSTES BISHOP GBUJI AT 50 YEARS A BISHOP
By Chikezie Ogbonna
In a grand celebration that echoed with the resonance of half a century of devoted service, the Enugu Diocese gathered today at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Emene, to honor the 50th Episcopal Anniversary of the Emeritus Bishop, Most Rev. Anthony Okonkwo Gbuji. The air was thick with reverence as Bishops, Priests, the religious, the faithful, and leaders from every corner of the nation and beyond came together to pay homage to a remarkable man whose life has been intertwined with the tapestry of the Catholic Church.
At the age of 92, Bishop Gbuji stands as a living testament to a lifetime of commitment, having served as an ordained Bishop for an impressive 50 years and as an ordained priest for an astounding 65 years. The celebratory atmosphere was heightened by the presence of Nigerian conference of Bishops and His Eminence John Cardinal Onaiyekan, the visibly excited Emeritus Bishop of Abuja Diocese, who delivered a heartfelt homily.
Cardinal Onaiyekan, with palpable joy, expressed the rarity of such an occasion, emphasizing the significance of living through and witnessing fifty years of episcopacy. “Fifty years a Bishop – from 1973 to 2023. It’s not a common grace,” he exclaimed. The Cardinal invited all present to join in a holy mass to express gratitude to the Almighty for the grace bestowed upon Most Rev. Anthony Okonkwo Gbuji. Drawing inspiration from the Scriptures, he likened Bishop Gbuji to the figure Isaiah spoke of, stating that the spirit of God is undoubtedly upon him to bring good news to the oppressed.
Continuing with his Homily, His Eminence highlighted that Bishop Gbuji’s story goes beyond the fifty years of episcopacy. it spans an incredible ninety-three years on Earth. A journey that commenced from the womb, through being an altar boy, junior and senior seminarian, to the pinnacle of priesthood and episcopacy. Cardinal Onaiyekan painted a portrait of a man called, prepared, and equipped by the Lord to bring good news to God’s people, a Doctor of Canon Law. Bishop Gbuji’s path led him to be ordained as a Catholic Bishop in the Diocese of Issele Uku in 1973, ultimately retiring in the Enugu Diocese.
