An Encounter with a Priest who Stole Fire From the Gods

*Very Rev. Fr. BonaChristus Umeogu

By ROMMY IGBOANUGO-IMAH

There is some sort of spiritual revolution currently sweeping across the Catholic faith in Nigeria. This revolution is the fruit of the labours of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal which brought to the church in Nigeria, a new Pentecostal experience that has now grown in leaps and bounds.

When the Renewal gained ground in Nigeria, Catholics were reported to be gathering in prayer groups to pray for the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit, which they received with obvious charismatic gifts such as speaking in tongues, prophecy, healing and so forth, an experience, which was called “baptism in the Holy Spirit”. That experience is rather spreading across the church especially in the South East like harmattan fire.

And this new wave seems to be an attestation to the wise saying of Pope Paul VI in 1975 that “There is no true evangelization if the name, the teaching, the life, the promises, the kingdom and the mystery of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God are not proclaimed.”

While this writer patiently waited to meet with Very Rev. Fr. BonaChristus Umeogu in his office at Awka, a young Catholic priest walked in, ostensibly coming to the prayer ground for the first time. He sat down and was attracted by the heaps of books before him. Buried in the heaps of books are publications by Rev. Fr. (Prof.) BonaChristus Uchenna Umeogu, founder of

the Communio Sanctorum Prayer Ministry International, Umunya, Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State.

In the heaps of books are mainly publications on Philosophy and Theology. This is not surprising going by the fact that Rev. Fr. (Prof.) Umeogu is a leading light in the study of philosophy in Nigeria and beyond, and a priest of the Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha.

Moved by the richness of the books he saw in his office, the visiting young priest (who equally passed through four years of Philosophy and another four years of Theology in the Seminary, where Catholic priests undergo their formation) said: “This man is a genius; and it is amazing how he combines his primary responsibilities as a priest of God with writing of highly intellectual and academic books. We seem not to know who this man is. But his type is seldom found in a given generation. For me, Fr. BonaChristus is a blessing to our generation.”

Described in philosophy circles as a 'philosopher par excellence' and a ‘god of philosophical sobriety, ‘Rev. Fr. (Prof.) BonaChristus Umeogu once served as the Head of Department of Philosophy of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State.

Communio Sanctorum (Communion of the Saints) Ministry was established over a decade ago by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit operating through Rev. Fr. (Prof.) BonaChristus Umeogu, and is meant to cater for the spiritual and physical well being of God's people. It's an adoration cum prayer ministry aimed at bringing people to commune with the saints so as to bring down God’s blessings on mankind.

And true to type, the prayer ministry has been bringing down God’s blessings on mankind going by the number of people -Christians and non-Christians alike that throng the prayer venues in Awka and Umunya every Wednesday,Thursday and Friday in search of God’s unmerited blessings and favours.

Going by testimonies and testimonials of devotees of the prayer ministry, Fr. Bona (as he is popularly known) has been committed to battling the spiritual and physical emancipation of men and women under the bondage and hostage of demonic forces represented by unseen principalities and powers.

But who is Rev. Fr. (Prof.) BonaChristus Uchenna Umeogu?

An encounter with this renowned man of God reveals a lot about a man that is endowed with humility, wisdom and knowledge of what life is all about. He is indeed a rare mix of natural wisdom and encyclopedic knowledge, a priest of great intelligentsia and extraordinary cerebral prowess but with total commitment to and dependence in God.

Described as being simply and truly an encyclopedia of knowledge, a thesaurus of esoteric wisdom that is hidden away from mere mortals, and a dictionary of practical methodologies, Very Rev. Fr. BonaChristus Umeogu is a guru who knows his spiritual onions, and hardly says what he cannot do, or does what he cannot defend.

In his existential tribute to the indefatigable Fr. Umeogu, Man in Christ, Obiajulu Mulumba, a licensed philosopher and metaphysicist prologued thus: “Behold a genius and a pedagogue, a legend, who ‘stole’ fire from the gods, sees philosophy education from the lens of experience, the experience of reason.”

He further noted, “BonaChristus is charged by the over-powering power, the preponderant power of a being of whom nothing greater than can be conceived with the responsibility of rekindling the ancient flame of wisdom in Igboland. Thus, he can be said to have stolen fire from the gods like Prometheus, the ancient legend.

“His occupation of the spiritual porch becomes a source of strength in handling secular matters and placing them where they belong. He has a mood for each thing he desires to do. The moods select themselves automatically as time specifies. This is as a result of many years of self-discipline and formation.”

Apart from being a Catholic Priest, Very Rev. Fr. (Prof.) BonaChristus Umeogu is also an academic, lecturing at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Nigeria. The Communio Sanctorum Ministry was founded by him as a Catholic ministry within the University chaplaincy, though it has now grown beyond the University and has become a full ministry within the Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha, Nigeria.

He has also conceived the idea of bridging Igbo-African cultures with modern-day realities through the establishment of an Igbo-African University. Towards the realisation of this, and in support of the Ministry, he has authored so many books including Igbo University, University of Jesus Christ among numerous others.

It is widely believed that there is hardly any area of human endeavour that borders on Igbo life and philosophies which Fr. Umeogu has not dealt on under the umbrella of Igbo University. “His conception of Igbo Mahadum suggests that Igbo people have inexhaustible world of knowledge which can only be interpreted in terms of their native philosophies,” Obiajulu wrote.

Called Muo na Madu by his followers, the charismatic priest has touched so many lives through his programmes in both Awka, Umunya and of course, the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. In his adoration ministry, he has continued to bridge the gap between man’s spiritual and physical planes. There are verifiable proofs and testimonies to the fact that the heavenly and earthly are reconciled in these two prayer grounds.

At both the prayer meetings at Awka and Umunya, there were testimonies from adherents who testified to the miracles of blessings, healings and deliverances they received from God through Rev. Fr. BonaChristus Umeogu. In fact, one of them testified to having urinated kidney stone following prayers he received at Communio Sanctorium Prayer Ministry. This was after unsuccessful medical trips to numerous hospitals in Nigeria.

Obiajulu Mulumba further explains: “The Communio Sanctorum Ministry has shattered the pillars of darkness of existential unbeliefs manifested by the reign of satan, wisdom of satan, with its preponderant influence over and against the modern man, overtly evident in modern fashion parades, alternative sex habit (life styles), satanic lyrics or symbols in liturgical music and others, spiritual experiences offered by the occult, and others too numerous to mention.

“Very Rev, Fr. BonaChristus is now a sentinel around and before the Blessed Sacrament. He prays, praises, intercedes and obtains from the father greater growth in the Christian way of life. He employs himself in reparation for the sins of mankind and intercedes for peace in the world. Personal holiness, through his participation in the sacraments, is his goal.”

The Unubi, Nnewi born priest is described as a torch-bearer for the Igbo nation, an image maker for the continent of Africa, a god in human form, repositionist of the moribund image of Ndigbo in the world. He is a man with many sided parts, variegated qualities of immortal and mortal.

Recently, the Ojenamuo had a thanksgiving service at the St. Theresa Catholic Church, Umunya for his elevation to the status of a Professor of Philosophy of the very reputable Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. The avalanche of goodwill messages that attended the thanksgiving service is a testimony of how exactly Fr. BonaChristus Umeogu is valued, cherished and appreciated across Nigeria.

Very Rev. Fr. Dr. BonaChristus Umeogu enjoys putting smiles on people’s faces, by encouraging them to discover their hidden and untapped talents as they get close to their God, through praises, worship and adoration that bring down unlimited blessings upon mankind.