The recently appointed Chaplain of State and
Private Universities and Institutions of Higher learning has been commissioned
into office. Rev Fr Martin Forgwe was commissioned on Sunday during a Sunday
Mass at the St Augustine Catholic Church in Mbelem Nkwen by the Chancellor of
the Bamenda Archdiocese Rev Fr Bonaventure Ndong representing the Archbishop.
According to the Chancellor, the small Mission
Station of Mbelem has been raised to a University Chaplaincy with the
responsibility to serve as a center for all activities related to students in
tertiary educational institutions in the Archdiocese. Rev Fr Bonaventure Ndong
described the community of Mbelem as lucky to have been made a University
chaplaincy reason why they must collaborate with the new chaplain to build the
chaplaincy with the understanding that the structure will be for everyone.
While encouraging students to create cells in their different institutions which
will act as contact points with the chaplaincy, the chancellor explained that
the Chaplaincy does not replace the individual institutional chaplaincies.
The Parish Priest of Futru-Parish Rev Fr
Hippolyte Wirnkar T. under which Mbelem Mission station is found and The Fon of
Nkwen HRM Azehfor III speaking earlier welcomed the Chaplain with the promise
to give him all the needed support.
While noting that there are problems in a
university environment which end up with unpleasant consequences, the Fon of
Nkwen encouraged parents to make sure their children attend church as a way of managing
their spiritual and moral lives.
With focus on the biblical call of Samuel for
God’s work, the Parish Priest presented the new chaplain as a Samuel called to
save God’s children in Universities in Bamenda. He also used his homily to
announce that the erection of a University Chaplaincy in Mbelem makes the
Mission Station partly autonomous as a priest will now be resident there and
finances managed internally.
According to Rev Fr Forgwe “Every appointment
comes with some level of excitement irrespective of the challenges there in. As
you know the Archdiocese gives every priest the opportunity to try new skills
in different functions even as parish priest or any other function he fines
necessary. It feels good to be taking up this new challenge and with the
support of God and the Community we will do our best.”
Speaking in church earlier, the Chaplain
likened his welcome to the resurrection to Jesus while promised to work with
the community insisting that they must work as a team with no child neglect at
family level for better services to God.
Prior to his appointment as University
Chaplain in the Archdiocese of Bamenda, Rev Fr Martin Forgwe was working in
Baba I as Currier after working in several places out of the country. He hails
from the Metta land in Momo Division of the North West Region.