By Tami Schneider
October 26 dawned clear and sunny, bringing light to the multiple celebrations in Murray, KY. A large number of parishioners and visitors came together to celebrate mass on the parish lawn for the 75th anniversary of St. Leo’s Parish, Priesthood Sunday and the Rite of Candidacy for Uwem Enoh.
Uwem is a native of Nigeria, a country on the West Coast of Africa. After high school, he worked for some time in the family mill factory and as a secretarial assistant in a local hospital. He then entered St. Joseph’s Theological College in South Africa, where he completed his undergraduate degree in December of 2002. Uwem came to the United States in October of 2004 to discern with the Glenmary Fathers. After two years with Glenmary, he felt called to a diocesan vocation. Before entering the seminary with the Diocese of Owensboro, Uwem was involved in parish work in Murray for almost a year. He is now in his third year of theology at St. Meinrad Seminary.
It is a tradition in our diocese to celebrate the Rite of Candidacy at the seminarian’s home parish, which gives the candidate a sense of support and belonging. At the same time, as Uwem proclaimed “present” and “I do” in front of the congregation, he also offered the parish a witness of generosity and obedience to the call of Christ. Because of the time he spent in the Murray community, he came to consider St. Leo’s his home parish.
During his homily, Fr. Mike Williams, current Pastor of St. Leo’s, praised the community for giving birth to four priestly vocations: Fr. Darrell Venters, Fr. Mike Clark, Fr. Ken Mikulcik and Uwem Enoh, whom they had adopted as an orphan with open arms. He praised the Diocese and Bishop McRaith for their loving and welcoming spirit and their support of priestly vocations.
After two hours of the Word, the Eucharist, song, prayer, sharing, thanksgiving and sunshine, the community shared a hot dog and chili dinner in the parish hall. There parishioners and visitors saw colorful poster board displays of the three priestly sons of the parish and of Uwem, who, through the Rite of Candidacy, is now one step closer to holy orders.
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