BY AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Abakaliki, Ebonyi State has gotten the long awaited new Bishop to pilot affairs of the church, following the retirement and subsequent resignation of the emeritus, Bishop Michael Okoro.
It was all joy and statewide jubilation when the diocesan priests converged at the pastoral center, Abakaliki to congratulate the new Bishop Peter Nworie Chukwu.
The Point gathered that the resignation of the former bishop hastened the appointment of the new pastoral head.
We learnt the Pope accepted the resignation of the former pastoral head of the diocese, Bishop Okoro and consequently appointed Rev Fr Peter Nworie Chukwu, who was parish priest of St. Patrick in Nduruku-Amagu.
Rev Fr Chukwu was born on November 5, 1965 in Ededeagu Umuezekohu in Ezza North Local Government Area, Ebonyi State, under the Abakaliki Diocese.
After attending the Seat of Wisdom Seminary in Owerri, where he completed his philosophical studies (1985-1989), he completed his theological studies (1990-1993) at the Bigard Memorial Major Seminary in Enugu.
Subsequently he studied at the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio (2000-2001) and at the Marquette University in Milwaukee, in the United States of America (USA), obtaining a Doctorate in Philosophy (2002-2007).
He was ordained a priest on July 3, 1993, incardinating himself in the Diocese of Abakaliki.
After his priestly ordination he held the following positions, Parish Vicar of St. John the Evangelist in Okpaugwu (1993-1994); Vice-Rector of the St. Augustine Minor Seminary (1993); Parish Vicar of St. Michael in Ogboji (1994); Parish priest of St. Mulumba in Echara Ikwo (1994-1996); Parish priest of St. Paul in Uburu (1996-2000); Pastor of All Saints in Fremont and of St. Joseph in White Cloud, in the Diocese of Grand Rapids and Adjunct Professor at Aquinas College , USA (2000-2010); President of the Association of Nigerian Priests of the Diocese of Abakaliki (2010-2017).
From 2010 up to now he has been parish priest of St. Patrick in Nduruku-Amagu; since 2011 Professor at Ebonyi State University in Abakaliki and since 2017 Spiritual Director of the Novitiate of the Sisters of Jesus the Good Shepherd.
The official handover and ordination of the new bishop is being awaited.
Efforts to speak with the President of Diocesan Catholic priests in the state Rev Fr Mathew Opoke for more details were not successful as at the time of filing this report.
