Steve Uzoechi 
The honour of becoming a ‘Chaplain of his Holiness’ does not come easy; not like a walk in the park, but an attainment marked by devotion, sacrifice and dedicated service to God and humanity. It becomes even more; a call to a lifetime of ecclesiastical responsibility in the Church. The title “Monsignor” as they are called is only bestowed on a priest who has distinguished himself through exceptional service to the church and God. It is a title granted only by the Pope. So when Reverend Monsignor Celestine Kakie Anyanwu was endorsed by the Pope for elevation to the Papal Chaplaincy, it was a cause for jubilant and gratitude to God, as friends, family, kinsmen, parishioners, brother priests and bishops alike joined in the celebration of his new status. Their joy and goodwill for him were vividly and eloquently expressed last Saturday, as Rev. Fr. Anyanwu was led through the ceremony of the Monsignori investiture at the Maria Assumpta Cathedral, Owerri, Imo State.
As associates and kinsmen travelled from far and near to stand by him on the very auspicious occasion, there were choir groups, dance troupes and men of goodwill from different walks of life who gathered in their numbers to share the joy of Monsignor Celestine Kakie Anyanwu. To say the least, the excitement in the air was electric, as Monsignor Anyanwu emerged from the investiture ceremony to a waiting crowd of well-wishers. For many close relatives, the euphoria of the ceremony, presented them with the occasion to gratefully reflect on the life and times of Monsignor Anyanwu and his journey to fulfilling his ecclesiastical and apostolic mandate.
Monsignor Anyanwu was born at Cala- bar, on a Christmas Day to the family of Mr. Gregory Kakie Anyanwu and Ezinne Jose- phine Anyanwu of Umuokirika Ekwereazu in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State. He attended the St. Patrick Catholic Primary School, Umuokirika Ekwereazu from 1958 to 1965. After his primary education in 1965, young Celestine Anyanwu wrote the entrance ex- amination to Aboh Mbaise Secondary School and the St. Columba’s Secondary School, Amaimo in Ikeduru Local Government Area of the state. Anyanwu, from childhood, led a guided life. So as God would have it and as the good altar boy he was, he was recommended by Fr. Patrick Cleary, the Assistant Priest of his home parish to live with Fr. John Cahill, the Principal of St. Columba’s College, Amaimo, one of the two schools he attended for his secondary education.
At Amaimo, young Celestine Anyanwu was privileged to serve Bishop Brendan Whelan, the first Bishop of Owerri Diocese and the Bishop who administered confirmation to him on June 18, 1963. At the time, Bishop Whelan had relocated from Assumpta Cathedral Owerri, to the Amaimo Parish for safety, because of the vagaries of the Nigeria-Biafra civil war. Recalling one of the painful memories in his journey to priesthood, Monsignor Anyanwu narrated the heartbreaking repatriation of expatriate missionaries, who had been mentors and spiritual leaders to many, immediately after the war.
He said: “The 30-month war ended on January 15, 1970. General Odumegwu Ojukwu had fled to Ivory Coast and General Philip Effiong had surrendered to the Nigerian Army. The Nigerian soldiers were in the Amaimo community but did not loot or harass any- body in the church compound largely because of the presence of Bishop Brendan Whelan, Fr. Declan Dorr (Bishop’s Secretary) and Fr. William Maher (Editor of the Church journal, ‘Leader’). “By January 21, 1970, the Bishop and his priests were invited by the Nigerian government to Port Harcourt for questioning. It was a harrowing experience and of course a horrible and painful sight to see our beloved, humble and caring shepherd leave St. Columba’s Rectory and the Diocese he had pastored since 1948 for Ireland.
They were painfully repatriated. Coming out from a 30-month war, the impact of their repatriation on the Church at the time was strong, but we survived.” In pursuit of his priestly education, Monsi- gnor Anyanwu attended Umuowa/Okpala Seminaries from 1970 to 1974. For Philosophy he attended Bigard Memorial Seminary Enugu and St. Joseph’s Seminary, Ikot Ekpene from 1975 to 1978. And from 1979 to 1983, he went back to Bigard Memorial Seminary for his Theology, graduating with the Bachelor of Divinity (BD). For further studies, Monsignor Anyanwu proceeded to Fordham to the Jesuit University of the Bronx, in New York, USA, for his Master’s Degree in Religious Education with focus on Pastoral Counseling, from 1996 to 1998. From 1999 to 2002, he was at the St. John’s University for another Master Degree in Theology with concentration on Systematic Theology.
In the course of his work in the Lord’s Vineyard, Monsignor Anyanwu had served as Assistant Parish Priest at St- Charles Church, Enyiogugu Mbaise; St. Michael’s Parish, Attah Ikeduru, and as Parish Priest at Stella Maris Parish, Orodo; St. Anthony’s Parish, Inyishi, Ikeduru, before moving to become Associate Pastor at St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother, East Elmhurst, New York. Thereafter he became the Director of Religious Programme, St. Gabriel’s Church, New York; the Weekend Minister at St. Francis of Assisi Church, Astoria Queens. Monsignor Anyanwu then returned to Nigeria to become the Parish Priest of Holy Family Parish, Izombe from 2009 to 2020. Presently, he is the Parish Priest of Sacred Heart Parish, Umuapu from where he was elevated to a Monsignor. As he mounted the rostrum last Saturday for his new priestly role as Monsignor, not a few persons used the occasion to bare their minds on the person of Monsignor Celestine Anyanwu, his humanity and spiritual depth.
Expressing his delight, the visibly elated cleric, who danced to the guests’ podium at the Odenigbo pavilion, was surrounded by kinsmen who put up a great appearance conveying in clear terms, the premium they place on the elevation of their son to the status of a Monsignor. Anyanwu noted that, “no fewer than four priests were ushered into the role of a Monsignor today, and as for me, the investiture is an act of kindness from God, as the ascension to the role of Monsignor is strictly at the discretion of the Pope.” He however, acknowledged that recommendation to the Pope was made by the Diocese, even as he was encouraged and edified by the goodwill of brother priests.
On what the elevation meant for him: “I’m full of joy and thanksgiving to God Almighty, even as I acknowledge my home Diocese and my wonderful brothers in priesthood for their goodwill and blessings. The elevation to the role of a Monsignor comes with responsibilities as the people look to you with expectations. To say the least, it is a call to service and deeper commitment to the church, in the service of God and humanity.” For Chief I.T. Nwaoha, the elevation of Rev. Anyanwu to the rank of Monsignor was well deserved, in recognition of his hard work and dedicated service in the Lord’s Vineyard. He continued: “You have immensely touched lives, built bridges, made peace, mended difficult situations in the course of your service to Christendom and humanity, thereby writing your name in gold wherever you have gone.
We therefore felicitate with you in remembrance of those happy moments of quality service.” In a similar tone, Prof. Gabriel Ifeanyi of the University of Nigeria Nsukka had this to say of Monsignor Anyanwu: “You have been a committed priest and zealous defender of the Catholic faith since we knew you. You are always eager to proclaim the gospel within and outside the shores of this country, and render sacrifice whenever it matters, for the sake of God and His Church. “With your investiture as Monsignor, may God embellish your virtues and grant you associated gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as other graces needed to excel far beyond expectations in your new call to service, for the greater glory of God.”
