Against the backdrop of a protracted socio-political crisis in the North West regiion of Cameroon, the newly ordained Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Bamenda has framed his mission not in rank, but in surrender, gratitude and responsibility.
Bishop John Berinyuy Tata just shortly after the ordination rights
In his address during the Episcopal Ordination on Thursday 19 March 20206 at the Saint Joseph Cathedral, Mankon, Bishop John Berinyuy Tata set the tone with a theological reading of his own identity, presenting his life as an offering shaped entirely by divine providence.
“I do not stand here by any merit of my own... I stand here solely by the mysterious providence of a God who calls the weak, sends the willing and sustains the will.” he said.
Drawing from the meaning of his names, he described his vocation as a “tapestry of gratitude,” adding that his life “is meant to be a living Deo gratias, a continuous breathing thanksgiving offered for the sake of His Church.” That emphasis on gratitude extended into a broader pastoral vision. In a region marked by violence and division, Bishop John Berinyuy called for the Church to become an instrument of healing, urging the faithful to receive the anticipated papal visit “as a messenger of peace, a messenger of reconciliation, a messenger of hope… the only weapons capable of healing our wounds and our nation.”
Earlier, the principal consecrator, His Grace Andrew Nkea, situated the ordination within the Church’s apostolic tradition, stressing that episcopal office is neither earned nor politically determined.
“No one deserves or merits to be a bishop... Men are called… by the call of God and the choice of the Apostolic See.” he stated emphasising that such appointments transcend ethnic, regional or personal considerations, insisting that “there is nothing like regional balancing in the choice of bishops.”
Archbishop Andrew Nkea also clarified the functional necessity of the auxiliary office, citing the pastoral pressures within Bamenda, including its vast territory, growing Catholic population and his own responsibilities within the universal Church. The appointment, he noted, was a direct response to these needs:
“I personally requested the Holy Father to kindly give me an auxiliary bishop. He heard my cry, and he answered our request.”
Beyond institutional explanation, the Archbishop delivered a stark reminder of the cost of episcopal ministry.
“The office to which God has called you is an office of service,” he told the ordinand, warning against the illusion of status.
“You will daily drain yourself of life so that the people of God may be fed.” He pointed to he stated. Bishop John Berinyuy’s past act of offering himself in exchange for kidnapped priests as a lived example of pastoral sacrifice, describing it as a sign of imitation of Christ.
Archbishop Nkea urged the new bishop to resist pressures that could draw him into division, stating that “it is unthinkable… that a bishop can be a promoter of war, of hatred, of division.” Instead, he charged him to “bring hope to the hopeless” and to keep communities united.
Bishop John Berinyuy echoed this line, pledging collaboration and pastoral closeness.
“My life is no longer my own,” he said, committing himself to serve in communion with his Archbishop and the wider Church. His closing appeal was direct and personal “Pray for me… that I may truly become a shepherd after the heart of Christ.”
The ordination, held on the Solemnity of Saint Joseph, carried symbolic weight for the local Church. It not only marked the installation of the third auxiliary bishop in Bamenda, but also reinforced a pastoral direction centred on humility, sacrifice and reconciliation.
In the Catholic tradition, an episcopal ordination is the sacramental rite through which a priest is elevated to the fullness of Holy Orders and becomes a bishop, a successor of the apostles. Through the laying on of hands and the consecratory prayer, he receives the grace and authority to teach, sanctify and govern the Church. He is entrusted with key symbols of his office: the mitre, representing his call to holiness; the crozier, signifying his role as shepherd; and the episcopal ring, a sign of fidelity to the Church. Together, these express his mandate to serve, guide and remain in communion with the universal Church under the leadership of the Pope.
The celebration drew a massive crowd of faithful who filled and overflowed the Cathedral precinct, joined by nearly twenty bishops from across Cameroon in a strong show of ecclesial unity. Bishop John Tata’s Nso family turned out in visible numbers, adding a deeply personal note to the solemn rite as songs, prayers and cultural expression blended with liturgical form. As the ceremony reached its close, heavy rains swept across Mankon, forcing an abrupt end to proceedings, yet the downpour did little to dampen the spirit of a day marked by faith, solidarity and a renewed sense of mission for the Church in Bamenda.
By Bakah Derick for Hilltopvoices Web
Tel: +237 694 71 85 77