Bamenda Archdiocese Celebrates 100 Years of Evangelization

Senator Achidi Achu, Head of State's Representative prominent at peak celebrations and closing of year of evangelization.

It was a special event and His Holiness Pope Francis dispatched Fernando Cardinal Filoni, Prefect of the Congregation for Evangelization of Peoples to grace the celebrations at St Joseph's Piazza, Bamenda on May 29, 2014. It was a moment for Catholic faithful's, who took time off to sound off about the growth of the church in the Bamenda Archdiocese, 100 years after the Sacred Heart Missionaries of St Quintin of the Belgian province planted the first mission station at Fujua-Kom, Boyo division in 1913.

In effect, His Eminence Christian Cardinal Tumi launched the centenary year in Fundong a year ago and peak celebrations and the closing event in Bamenda counted the blessings of the church. It was against this back drop that the Archbishop of Bamenda, His Grace CorneliusFontem Esua sounded off that the church is vibrant and excels in new evangelization. He revealed that the church enjoys excellent relations with the civil administration, political leadership, other Christian churches, Muslims and adherents of traditional African religions. It was confirmed when Mezam SDO, Nguele Nguele Felix delivered the message of the Head of State, stressing his joy of sharing the joy of the Christians of the Archdiocese of Bamenda with a lot to show for evangelization of people by the church and its pioneer Archbishop, Paul Verdzekov of blessed memory. The message was officially presented to Archbishop Cornelius Fontem Esua by the Representative of

the Head of State, Senator Simon Achidi Achu. That Apart, the Archbishop said the centenary was rare moment of grace and thanksgiving for the gift of the Archdiocese of Bamenda which has been prominent in the integral development of the human being. In the short and long of it, it has been 100 years of the church that is very involved in the education, health, care, socio-economic development and justice and peace issues. Leadership of the Bamenda Archdiocese are believers that evangelization would be incomplete if it did not take account of unceasing interplay of the gospel and of Man's concrete life, both personal and social.

Around with the fraternal blessings of Pope Francis, the Cardinal Prefect, saluted the Archdiocese for the church that has taken firm root with the key message of the centenary inspiring faithful to excel as co-workers with God. The Cardinal Prefect encouraged faithful to rise to expectation in their commitment to build the church and continue to be missionary witnesses while the President of Cameroon's Episcopal Conference, His Grace Samuel Kleda cheered the work of Missionaries and the Bamenda Archdiocese for work that enriches the universal church. It was also a rare moment for the visiting Cardinal Prefect, Fernando Filoni to lead special prayers of love towards the Ministers of the church and the Rev Sister that were recently kidnapped in the Far North Region.

The celebrations were summed up in a torch light procession blessings of the centenary monument and piazza, meeting of the Cardinal Prefect with the Bishops of Cameroon, Diaconate and Prisetly ordinations, centenary awards, exchange of gifts and goodwill messages with some22 Cardinals, Archbishops and Bishops at the helm.