Silver jubilee for Fr. Rowland Nwokocha
MOAB — Friends and well-wishers from California, Montana, Minnesota, Colorado, Salt Lake City, West Valley City, Monticello and as far away as Nigeria filled St. Pius X Catholic Church in Moab on Aug. 6 to celebrate Father Rowland Nwokocha’s 25 years as a priest.
He was ordained a priest on Aug. 2, 1997 in Nigeria, where he served in the Diocese of Okigwe in various ministries before coming to the United States. He ministered in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles for three years, then arrived in the Diocese of Salt Lake City on June 1, 2013. He served as parochial vicar at St. Ambrose Parish and as a hospital chaplain in the Salt Lake City area before being assigned to St. Pius X and St. Joseph Parish in Monticello.
Bishop Oscar A. Solis presided at the Aug. 6 Mass. Concelebrants were Fr. Nwokocha; Fr. Albert Kileo, ALCP, pastor of St. Anthony of Padua in Helper; Fr. Augustine Obasi, a seminary classmate of Fr. Nwokocha; Fr. Chris Ikeh, another friend; and Fr. Christopher Nwaele, a friend who is pastor of St. Mary Catholic Church in Grand Junction, Colo. Deacon Dale Dillon assisted.
Among those in the church was a very special guest: Fr. Nwokocha’s mother, Gladys, who came from Nigeria for the occasion.
Bishop Solis gave special recognition to Gladys Nwokocha, calling her forward as he thanked her “for giving your son to our loving God and for the service of the Church.”
In his homily, Fr. Nwokocha also acknowledged that his mother was instrumental in his vocation. He entered the seminary when he was 12 years old, and when he returned home after his first year, he told his mother he would not continue because they didn’t have enough food. She told him they would talk about it. A week before the next academic year began, she asked him why he couldn’t endure hunger when others at the seminary, including those who were younger than he, did so.
“Her words felt like a challenge to me, and I never complained again,” he said. “I returned to the seminary prepared to face the challenges of seminary formation.”
The priesthood “is a call from Jesus,” Fr. Nwokocha said. “Jesus calls us to total commitment. He calls certain men to stand in his place today and continue to give their lives in service to us. A priest is a priest 24 hours a day.”
Fr. Nwokocha noted that in the Gospel reading for that day, Jesus tells his disciples not to be afraid.
However, “We are all always afraid,” Fr. Nwokocha said. “We are afraid of suffering, dying, God’s judgment or not being understood and loved. This Gospel reading reminded me of my mom’s fears when I was issued an American visa.”
His mother was happy that he would come to the U.S. to further his studies, but “she was afraid I might leave the priesthood because she knew some priests who left it when they came here either for studies or missions,” he said.
That fear didn’t come to pass. At Mary Mount Loyola University in California, Fr. Nwokocha earned a master’s degree in bioethics, and also did a program on clinical pastoral education at two hospitals.
When he came to Utah, he was afraid of snow because he had only seen it in pictures. However, “I have come to enjoy Utah since I arrived in 2013. Utah has many beautiful national parks, and I feel very much at home as an outdoor person,” he said.
He said he is happy in Moab, but “The only thing that scares me is the first Sunday of the month, when I have to cover 320 miles,” to serve the parishes and Sacred Heart Mission in La Sal.
“The good news today is faith is the answer to fear. Like Abraham, I have faith in God and am confident that my mother will support me with her prayers,” he said. “I also have confidence in my friends and parishioners that they will keep me in their prayers.”
In his comments at the end of the Mass, Bishop Solis extended to Fr. Nwokocha his deepest gratitude on behalf of himself and the people of the diocese.
“Thank you, Fr. Rowland, for your fidelity and your commitment as God’s servant as a shepherd and as a pastor,” he said. “May God continue to bless you in your ministry filled with joy and enthusiasm,” he said.
The bishop also thanked the members of the congregation and Fr. Nwokocha’s friends who were “behind Fr. Roland’s success and fidelity to his commitment as a shepherd and as a pastor.”
Bishop Solis then led the congregation in blessing Fr. Nwokocha.
Afterward, members of the parish, coordinated by Colleen Smith, hosted a prime rib dinner.
© Copyright 2024 The Diocese of Salt Lake City. All rights reserved.
Stay Connected With Us