*celebrates 25 years of priesthood with free medical outreach
From Christian Chime, Onitsha
The Chancellor of the Catholic Diocese of Nnewi, Very Rev Fr(Dr) Hyginus Aghaulor has warned against what he saw as the growing commercialization of prophecies by some Christian leaders, noting that the calling into priesthood is not for money making or a popularity contest, but for salvation of souls.
Rev Fr Aghaulor who was interacting with journalists on the involvement of some priests in politics, during a thanksgiving service in commemoration of his 25th anniversary of priesthood ordination at Azia in Ihiala council of Anambra State, acknowledged that man by nature is a political animal, but cautioned that priests should not be partisan because their parishioners belong to different political parties, hence the priest should be father to all and sundry always.
Rev Fr Aghaulor, also the secretary of the Diocese, is said to have contributed immensely to the growth and development of the Church, humanity, especially the parishioners and the nation through his approach of making people discover their individual God-given talents.
While fielding questions from journalists at the free medical outreach to commemorate the occasion, Fr Aghaulor said God has been so good to him, noting that some priests often complain of one thing or the other but that he has nothing to complain about than thanking God always.
He said the scholarship and the medical outreach schemes he runs were part of his own way of giving back to the society, other than prayers and giving sacrament. He noted that he told his friends who wanted to give him expensive gifts for his priesthood anniversary to convert same to the medical and scholarship empowerment programs for the less privileged.
“I decided to do this because I know there are very many people who can not continue their education not because they are not bright enough but because they are handicapped financially, the same is applicable to many indigent people who are gambling with their health just because they can not buy cards in the hospital not to talk about the Medicare bill.
“We decided to give hope to hopeless because we know that all is not lost, most of the drugs that are administered to the people were imported from USA. I thank God for doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other professionals in the medical world who decided to partner with us on this program aimed at alleviating the suffering of downtrodden”., he revealed.
Aghaulor is widely read and travelled and fluent in English, Igbo, Latin, French, Italian and German languages. He is a media/public relations expert who packages, monitors and consults diverse areas of management
He is described as an all-rounder who teaches, guides, moderates, coaches, supervises and edits. His admirers say he is always willing and ready to assist, listen, teach and help.
The parish priest of Mary The Queen Catholic Church, Azia in Ihiala Council area of Anambra state, Rev Fr Ugochukwu Solomon Chukwuma, poured encomiums on him at the flag off free medical outreach as part of weeklong activities to mark his twenty-five years anniversary of priesthood, adding that because of the charity, he was used the avenue of his priesthood anniversary thanksgiving to help the poor and needy.
A resident doctor at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Awka, who led the medical team, Sis(Dr) Asompta Mary Ikenna noted that most beneficiaries presented mainly malaria, hypertension, malnutrition, eye problems, diabetics, atritics, and upper respiratory infection. She urged regular medical checks to be able to nip any untoward development early.
A beneficiary, Pa Boniface Onyejekwe, 99years old and native of Abam village in Azia commended Aghaulor, admitting he had never experienced any free quality medical treatment until now.