St. Therese Parish hosts visiting archbishop

TWO BISHOPS AND FATHER ABUH Bishop Richard F. Stika is flanked by Archbishop Dr. Augustine Obiora Akubeze and Father Julius Abuh during a gathering in Bishop Stika’s office. Photo by Bill Brewer

TWO BISHOPS AND FATHER ABUH Bishop Richard F. Stika is flanked by Archbishop Dr. Augustine Obiora Akubeze and Father Julius Abuh during a gathering in Bishop Stika’s office. Photo by Bill Brewer

St. Therese Church in Clinton has served as host to a visiting archbishop of the Church, who celebrated Mass with Father Julius Abuh and the parishioners of St. Therese.

The Most Rev. Dr. Augustine Obiora Akubeze, metropolitan archbishop of Benin Diocese and vice president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, was ordained a priest Oct. 3, 1987, at St. Paul’s Cathedral, Issele-Uku in Nigeria. He served in the chancery as chancellor and secretary of the diocese while doing his priestly work in several diocesan parishes.

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI appointed him as the first bishop of Uromi Diocese and he was installed as archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Benin City in April 2011.

Archbishop Akubeze visited St. Therese in October at the request of Father Abuh, who also is from Nigeria.

“Father Julius invited me … and I said I would come and see. I’ve come and I’ve seen your warmness. I looked at the bulletin and saw how you really welcomed me to your parish. I’m very grateful. I ask God to bless all of you. We have been friends, Father Julius and myself, for quite some time and when he says you are warm people I think so,” Archbishop Akubeze said.