St. John the Baptist’s quasi Parish, Nkwen raised to full Parish.

Wednesday June 24, 2015, Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist shall remain a historical day for Christians of St. John the Baptist’s Parish, Foncha Street, Nkwen. The Archbishop of Bamenda canonically erected the former Quasi Parish to the status of a full-fledged parish during a Pontifical Mass. Archbishop Cornelius Fontem Esua erected the Parish of St John the Baptist, and at the same time raised St. John’s Mission Station Church to the status of a Parochial Church with all the rights and privileges thereof. During the rite of the canonical erection, the Archbishop equally appointed Rev. Fr. John Bosco Ambe as Pioneer Parish Priest of the new parish and entrusted the Parish to the intercession of St. John the Baptist, her patron.

Another highlight of the day was a fundraiser for the parish project which is the construction of an ultra-modern hall complex estimated at some 185 million FRS CFA. Governor Lele L’Afrique who was guest of honour donated a million FRS CFA. An estimated 3 million FRS CFA was raised that day.

What is remarkable about this newest parish is that it had the status of quasi parish only for about 2 years, whereas places like Mbengwi, Yemge, Ntaafi just to name a few have been quasi parishes before St. John for many years now and have still remained so. The explanation is that St. John fulfilled the conditions for becoming a parish within a very short time. These conditions include: an evaluation of the pastoral, spiritual and financial situation of a given Quasi Parish and its growth since its creation; statistics concerning the number of Mission Stations, Small Christian Communities, the population of the parish, Baptisms, First Holy Communion, Confirmations, Marriages, etc.

As far back as the early 90’s, what is today St. John the Baptist’s Parish started in a long classroom hall in the St. John School premises, where Sunday Masses were celebrated. It was then an out station of All Saint’s Parish Bayelle. Later on when contacted, Dr. John Ngu Foncha (R.I.P) and his family willingly offered spacious land for the church; thus the vision for the church became a reality. Following the construction of the church, it became a mission station under Bayelle Parish and maintained that status until August 16, 2013, when the mission station became St. John the Baptist Quasi Parish, Nkwen with territory detached from All Saints’ Parish Bayelle and Fr. John Ambe as pioneer rector. Following the close and effective collaboration between the faithful of that parish and their rector to establish a measure of pastoral activities that fit that of any other parish in the archdiocese of Bamenda, it was then accepted that the quasi parish be canonically erected into a parish.

The Parish has three mission stations: St. Augustine’s Mubang, St. Luke’s Ntasen and the main mission of St. John the Baptist, Foncha Street. According to a recent census the parish has 3035 Christians; 471 men, 658 very active women, 1143 youth and 763 infants, all drawn from 586 families. This youngest Parish in the archdiocese is located on a hill which can more or less be referred to as a holy, spiritual or better still sacred hill. This is because of the presence of the Mill hill Missionary Formation House; the Aspirancy of the Congregation of the sisters of St. Ann; the Focolare House and the La Verna Spiritual Centre of the Tertiary Sisters of St. Francis.

Speaking to L’Effort Camerounais the Pioneer Parish Priest shared what challenges he faced as Rector of St. John the Baptist’s Quasi Parish. Hear him: “I have been in Catholic Education for most of my priestly ministry as Manger of Schools, Chaplain and Principal of Colleges, Formator in the Seminary and Education Secretary before coming to St. John’s since almost two years ago. It was about time that I got back fully to what every priest is ordained for-pastoral work. When I became Rector of St. John’s in August 2013, I had to face the challenge of dusting up my notes on the Provincial Pastoral Plan of the Ecclesiastical Province of Bamenda to find out what it means to follow the new way of being Church which is what guides all pastoral work in our Local Church today”.

Asked what difference this transition from a Quasi to a full-fledged Parish will make to him in particular and to the parishioners in general Fr. John Ambe said: “In Mathematics, we know that a whole is better than a part. Quasi means not full. So being a full parish is already better that one which is not full. From now onwards, I shall be considered and called a Parish Priest and not the Rector of a Quasi Parish. As far as the parishioners are concerned they will be happy that their parish is functioning in a full capacity and not on a trial basis any longer.”

Some Christians also shared their experience:

Excerpts from a pioneer: Pa Tayong Joseph Anyere: One of the first church wardens: The pioneer usher of this St. John Mission was a certain Sous Prefet whose name I cannot still remember. I don’t even know too if he is still alive. But all I can say is that he was the very first usher of the church. Later on Pa Muma and I and others joined him. For no particular reason, only the men opted to be ushers. This was in those days when we still had Mass celebrated in one of the Classrooms of the St. John primary school. I feel so delighted to be witness to what this church that started in a classroom has today become. When it was in the classroom very many people never dreamt it was going to become what it is now. I want to say that I have very high impressions about it and I hope that in the years ahead, it will become even bigger than what it is today. Personally this transition from a Quasi Parish to a full-fledged parish makes a great difference considering that most of us, you know my peers who started did not know it will come to this and even if they knew, they did not stay alive to witness it. I feel very happy this day finally came. At least I now have story to tell.

Nginjeh Odette epse Tim: Member of Choir of Angels: Being a Christian at St. John’s makes me feel like always belonging. The fact that I got to grow deeper in faith through childhood till present in St. John’s means a lot to me. I received doctrine from the sacrament of Penance to Matrimony in this mission station. In effect I was born and bred in this Parish and I watched it being born from the time Masses were said in the primary school hall in the days of Fr. Boekema (Joe white man) as primary kids used to distinguish him from Fr. Joeseph Mbiydzenyuy (Joe Blackman); the foundation stone being laid and the church being constructed and so on. I just feel privileged to be counted amongst those who can say something about this newest parish in the Archdiocese.      

Martin Ambe: Member of Parish Finance Committee: The aspect of being a Christian in St. John Mission Station does not create any difference from being a Christian elsewhere. If there are differences, such can only be the social aspect of the society. In St. John as in other mission stations there are devoted Christians and lazed ones. But actually, differences exist between a parish and a quasi-parish. As quasi parish, one still has the feeling that the parish is not mature in all aspects be they spiritual or financial. As a parish, we are a parish forever.

Jaika Chantal: Chorister of Angels’ Choir: Being a Christian at St. John’s Mission Station has never stopped being an honour to me even as far back as the days when this mission station was still part of All Saints’ Parish, Bayelle. My being a member of this mission station means a lot to me because I have worshipped and served here since my adolescent days. Not long ago, when St. John’s Mission Station became a quasi-parish, I was so elated. Now that it has been erected to a parish, I am but thankful to God Almighty for his bountiful love shown through this marvellous blessing which was once a mere fantasy.