Cameroon: At ordination ceremony, Bishop Andrew Nkea says priesthood is not for voyagers

In a sermon delivered during the solemn priestly ordination mass recently at the St Joseph Cathedral in Mamfe, Bishop Andrew Nkea of the Mamfe Diocese warned the college of priests, newly ordained and would- be- priest  that the priesthood is not for adventurers. He stated that priesthood is neither a profession, business nor job but a holy vocation destined by the almighty God. He lamented the bad and ungodly practices that go a long way to derail the image of the Holy Roman Catholic Church putting its faith regularly under public scrutiny. 

To the astute Bishop of Mamfe Diocese, the only fact about priesthood is living up to spiritual and holy expectations incarnated in the ordination vows. The need to keep and sustain a quality and positive human and Church reputation is necessary, he noted. The two newly ordained priests where mandated to be flag bearers of Mercy in its divine standard. His Lordship Bishop Andrew Nkea described Rev Fr Nchianang Ronald Eyong and Rev Fr. Roland Arrey as fathers of Mercy due to the fact that their ordination came at the time when the Holy Father Pope Francis declared this year as the “Year of Mercy” in the Catholic Church the world over.

The bishop called on the newly ordained men of God to shun the intimation of Christians during confession and pray for the forgiveness of sins and of the resurrection. The memorable period in the life of a priest commences from ordination vows and it is incumbent on them to respect to the later as long as they served as reverend men of God, Bishop Nkea Observed. Bishop Nkea reminded the newly ordained through the Gospel of John 20:19-23 that those whose sins you forgive are forgiven and those whose sins you retain are retained, he said.

Rev Fr Roland Arrey was born in Bota Limbe. He attended GNS and GPS mile one Limbe, went to GBHS Limbe. After his one year of formation in the postulancy at the St. Raphael’s formation house, Romajaay-Diocese of Kumbo, he proceeded to the Noviciate at the Noviciat Betel in Sokone-Diocese of Kaolack, Republic of Senegal. He further went to the St. Joseph’s Major Seminary, Ikot-Ekpene-Akwa Ibom State, earning a bachelor of Philosophy Degree from the Pontifical Urban University of Rome and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy from the University of Uyo-Nigeria.

God in his infinite image created and planted Rev Fr NchiaNang Eyong Ronald  on the 28^{th of}  November 1985 in Manyemen. He attended GNS and CS Mbonge where he obtained his FSLC. He continued his secondary education in the Bishop Rogan Minor Seminary, BIROCOL Buea, and backed his GCE Ordinary and Advanced Levels. He proceeded to the St. John Mary Vianney Spiritual Centre, Bafut, St. Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary Bambui and then the Pontifical Urban University Rome.