Soon after officially taking over the mantle of shepherding the flock of Christ in the Catholic Diocese of Umuahia, Most Rev. Michael Kalu Ukpong left no one in doubt that, building on the legacies of his predecessors, his episcopacy will be characterised by selfless service in humility and people-oriented.
In his remark during the Holy Mass of his installation as the third Bishop of Umuahia diocese, Bishop Ukpong thanked the government of Abia State and assured the leaders that “the Church is your partner when you work for the good of the people entrusted to you.”
The prelate reminded those in government that both institutions serve the same children of God because, “God who entrusted the care of the temporal wellbeing of his children to civil authorities has also entrusted the spiritual wellbeing of the same children of His to the Church.”
It then implies that “when the government fails I her duty, she makes the work of the Church more difficult,” because “a hungry man does not shout or sing alleluia.” Conversely, he noted that where the Church fails in her duty, there will be break down of law and order in the society.Bishop Ukpong affirmed that the Church has a responsibility to call government to order where and when they neglect or abandon their responsibilities, and should not been seen as an enemy or as opposing the government.
“The Church and State should work in synergy, for we are working for the same master – God, to whom we must give account of our stewardships when the time comes,” he exhorted.
While thanking all those present at the ceremony, the new Chief Shepherd of Umuahia declared that his only ambition as he takes up leadership in the diocese “is to grow/advance the Catholic Faith as far and as wide as the grace of God enables me.”
For this reason, adopting an open-door style of administration, “anybody who is willing to work with me to achieve this goal is highly welcome. It does not matter where you come from, the Church is one, and her mission is one. No Catholic is a stranger in the Church anywhere in the world.”
In concluding his remark, the new Bishop made two appointments of close collaborators to assist him in administration of the diocese: Very Rev, Fr, Chukwudi Anya as the Vicar General and Rev. Fr. Henry Maduka as the Diocesan Chancellor.
