African Thanksgiving Mass in Columbia

God never abandons the righteous. By your perseverance, by your faithfulness in prayer, by your constancy in doing good, by your patience in suffering, you will gain your soul.”

Father Charles Nweze

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Wise men, women and children arrived in God’s house and gave him homage.

Their hymns and offerings were taken up into a thundering cloud of praise.

“It’s a beautiful thing when we come together from north and south, east and west, with the altar of Christ in the middle, to celebrate the essence of our Christian Catholic life,” said Father Patrick Adejoh, chaplain of the Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans Hospital in Columbia, presider at this year’s African Thanksgiving Mass in that city.

“As Africans of faith, this is our gift to our communities, to our new home,” said Fr. Adejoh, a missionary priest from the Diocese of Idah, Nigeria.

The African Thanksgiving Mass was offered this year in Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Columbia.

Hymns and sung responses incorporated languages and styles of the massive and diverse African continent.

Many of the about 250 people present wore clothes typical of their or their ancestors’ homeland.

Exultant drumbeats echoed off the walls and soaring ceiling.

“We gather as children of Africa, in our new homeland to offer our prayers, our praises to God Almighty,” said Fr. Adejoh. “We gather to share out gifts of faith and culture, diverse and rich.

“We gather to offer prayers as Catholics united in our love for Christ and our love for the Church,” he said.

“Only God remains”

The readings for the 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time prioritized perseverance and prudent preparation for the Parousia, which is the Second Coming of Jesus.

“As the liturgical year draws to a close, the Church invites us to focus our hearts on what makes us friends of Jesus,” said Father Charles Nweze, homilist for the Mass.

“Jesus reminds us that things we often admire — wealth, power, institutions, achievements, physical beauty, social status — are only temporary,” proclaimed Fr. Nweze, a missionary priest from Nigeria who ministers to people in hospitals and nursing homes in Columbia.

“Everything earthly is fragile,” he said. “Only God remains!”

Fr. Nweze pointed out that Jesus is not trying to frighten his followers when he speaks of the trials and persecutions that are to come before he returns in glory. He just wants them to keep their minds and hearts in the right place.

“When we focus on the temporal, we lose peace,” said Fr. Nweze. “But when we focus on God, we gain stability and happiness.”

Wars, natural disasters and persecutions can shake people’s faith, particularly when they touch close to home.

“Let us be reassured by Jesus’s words not to be afraid,” said Fr. Nweze. “Rather, we shall see these things as an opportunity to be a witness to Christ.”

He said each person’s trials, such as sickness, injustice, hardship or betrayal, become openings for grace, courage and testimony.

“God never abandons the righteous,” the priest stated. “By your perseverance, by your faithfulness in prayer, by your constancy in doing good, by your patience in suffering, you will gain your soul.”

Echoing St. Paul’s Second Letter to the Thessalonians, Fr. Nweze reiterated that Christians are called to be active, hardworking, responsible and committed.

“Our perseverance is not passive waiting, but active faith,” the priest stated.

“Mercy on your people”

Joining Fr. Adejoh and Fr. Nweze at the altar were:

• Father Roberto Ike, a missionary priest from the Diocese of Okigwe, Nigeria, who is pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish and dean of missionary priests in this diocese;
• Father Ignitius Nimwesiga, a missionary priest of the Diocese of Mbarrara, Uganda, a chaplain at Fr. Tolton Regional Catholic High School in Columbia and part-time associate pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, both in Columbia;
• Father Pierre Paul Ananai Ayao Dessekpli from Togo, who is studying at the University of Missouri and ministering at St. Thomas More Newman Center Parish in Columbia; and
• Father Ernest Dike, a missionary priest from the Diocese of Orlu, Nigeria, pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Montgomery City and St. Patrick Parish in Jonesburg.

Accompanied by piano, organ and various types of drums and other percussion instruments, the choir directed by Cyril Ohiemu led the singing of songs in various African languages.

Catholics representing African nations announced the Prayers of the Faithful in English and in Swahili, Igala, Ghana, Igbo, Cameroon, Eritrea, Yoruba or Hausa.

They included prayers for the pope, bishops and priests; for the protection of life and human dignity in African countries; for people who are sick, especially those who are terminally ill; for the growth of the Catholic Church on the African continent; and for all African leaders and the alleviation of economic hardships across Africa.

Prayers were also included for the poor, refugees and immigrants displaced by conflict in all parts of Africa; for young people in Africa and an increase in Christian virtues; and for the entire African community in and around Columbia.

In the same languages, the choir and people responded, “Hear our humble prayer, mercy on your people, Lord.”

Brilliant sunlight through the stained-glass washed across the church as young and old came forward to make their offering to God before the altar at the Offertory.

When Fr. Adejoh elevated the Most Blessed Sacrament during the Eucharistic Prayer, the choir and people sang, “O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.”

Christ at the center

Fr. Nweze said the African Thanksgiving Mass was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate community and diversity and “make Christ the center of whatever we do.”

“Just as it was with the Apostles on Pentecost, no language barrier should be an excuse in knowing our blessed Lord,” he said.

Fr. Adejoh pointed out that the wars and natural disasters Jesus warned his disciples about have never stopped.

“On the continent of Africa, these things have been happening and still are happening,” he stated. “From Nigeria to Eritrea, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Cameroon, from Kenya to the ends of Africa.

“We have a lot of blessings, but we have these signs of what is to come,” he said. “Let us offer our prayers this afternoon for that continent that is our homeland, and for this land, our home.”

He thanked all the people who attended the Mass and those who put hard work into preparing for it.

“I know the choir practiced for months and months and months,” he said.

The joyful recessional music continued long after the final blessing.

The people gathered for a group photo in the church, followed by fellowship and African cuisine in the parish hall.

Our Lady of Lourdes parishioner Maureen Kariuki said she felt blessed and grateful to be part of such a vibrant community.

“The African Catholic Thanksgiving Mass was absolutely beautiful!” she stated. “It was such a joy to celebrate our faith in different languages and experience the richness of our traditions.”

She said the music, prayer and sense of unity were amazing, and the food served afterward was delicious.

“Sharing a meal and getting to know one another made the day even more special,” she said.