By Obianuju Azukaego
The Catholic Diocese of Ekwulobia, Anambra State, has established four new parishes and appointed four priests as Episcopal Vicars for different regions of the diocese, as part of efforts to strengthen pastoral administration and deepen evangelisation at the grassroots.
The announcements were made by the Chief Shepherd of the Diocese, His Eminence Peter Ebere Cardinal Okpaleke, during the second Plenary Meeting of the Diocesan Presbyterium for 2026, held on Sept. 2, at St. Joseph Cathedral, Ekwulobia.
The newly established parishes are St. Jerome Parish, Ndiokpaleze, carved out of St. Paul Parish, Ogboji, with Rev. Fr. Johnbosco Amaogu as its pioneer Parish Priest; St. Peter Parish, Igboukwu, carved out of St. Martin Parish, Igboukwu, with Rev. Fr. Damian Okeke as pioneer Parish Priest.
Others are St. Paulinus Parish, Ora-Eri, and St. Benedict Parish, Ora-Eri, both carved out of St. Mary Parish, Ora-Eri. Rev. Fr. Fredrick Mary Nwafor and Rev. Fr. Patrick Chimezie Okeke were respectively appointed as the pioneer Parish Priests of the two new parishes.
Cardinal Okpaleke congratulated the mother parishes for their contributions to the establishment of the new parish communities and offered prayers for the growth and success of the newly created parishes. He expressed optimism that the development would strengthen pastoral activities, promote grassroots evangelisation and foster deeper growth in faith, hope and love among the faithful.
In a related development, the cardinal announced the appointment of four priests as Episcopal Vicars for the various regions of the Diocese. They are Rev. Fr. Jude Mbanefo for Achina Region; Rev. Fr. Theodore Ekwem for Akpu Region; Rev. Fr. Charles Umeoji for Igboukwu Region; and Rev. Fr. John Umeojiakor for Ekwulobia Region. Cardinal Okpaleke further appointed Rev. Fr. Theodore Ekwem as the new Rector of St. Dominic Savio Seminary, Akpu.
Other appointments announced at the meeting included Rev. Fr. Kizito Umennadi as Full-time Director of Maranatha Multimedia, CADEK; Rev. Fr. Francis Ude as Education Secretary of the Catholic Diocese of Ekwulobia; and Rev. Fr. Matthew Onyejimbe as Director of the Justice, Development, Peace and Caritas Commission of the Catholic Diocese of Ekwulobia (JDPC-CADEK).
The plenary meeting also featured the pastoral placement of priests to various parishes and pastoral assignments across the Diocese ahead of the 2026/2027 pastoral year.
Obianuju Azukaego is of the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation, Anambra State
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