“IT’S OKAY TO GRIEF BUT WE MUST GRIEF WITH HOPE….” Fr Martin Nwueze

Those were the words of Fr Martin Nwueze, the homilist at the Requiem Mass presided over by Rev. Fr Peter Obatan yesterday, March 27^th, 2019. The Mass was organised by the Parish Community of the Holy Family Catholic Church, FESTAC town, Lagos, in honour of Late Rev. Fr Emmanuel Chukwunonso Onyemeh, OMV, who was their parishioner all through his thirty-eight (38) years on earth. Fr Nwueze started by the expression of grief and pains in his heart over the demise of a brother, a friend, a consoler, a priest after God’s heart, in the person of Rev. Fr Nonso Onyemeh, OMV. Indeed, Fr Onyemeh remained a great lost to everyone. Speaking further, the homilist stated that death is not the end of the world, that what happened to Fr Nonso was not the end of it all but a beginning of a new phase in our journey towards God. He pictured Fr Nonso as a great voice, a voice that spoke of God on behalf of His people, a voice that communicated justice, love and peace that has been silent by death. Reflecting on the readings (Wis.3:1-9; John 17:24-26), Fr Martin said, the souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God, that no torment shall ever touch them as the Lord Jesus said in the Gospel according to John (17:24-26), “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me, so that they may always see the glory you have given me…” indeed, Fr Nonso has gone to join his Master, the Lord. The homilists took us through memory lane recounting the life of Late Fr Nonso is his biography, which led the congregation into a moment of sober reflection. Nevertheless, Fr Martin said that it is okay to grief but we must grief with hope that our brother is with the Lord. Fr Nwueze stated that we gathered as a community of believers to grief with hope and to ask God to receive the soul of our brother who had worked for Him. He ended the homily by inviting all to keep the smile always in Christ Jesus using the signature of Fr Onyemeh, OMV.

The celebration ended with tributes rendered in honour of Late Fr Emmanuel Nonso Onyemeh, OMV, by his family, choristers, friends and well wishers at the event. Those in attendance were Diocesan and OMV Priests, Male and Female Religious from different Religious Congregations and about 3,000 lay faithful.

May the soul of Fr Nonso Onyemeh and all the faithful departed continue to rest in peace!!!