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Parish Catechists: Mr. Ambrose Onah 07034737219,xx Mr. Mmachukwu Anthony 08035057149xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxAnnouncer: Mrs. Irene Ngozi Onukwugha 08034175402xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxSunday Masses in the Cathedral – 6:30am, 8:00am (English), 9:30am xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Sunday Masses in Ave Maria Chapel – 7:00am, 8:30am xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxConfessions: Saturday – 4:30pm (Ave Maria Chapel) and after every weekday mass. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxSick Calls: Contact 0803 417 5402 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxSunday Evening: Rosary/ Benediction/Vespers (In the Cathedral) 5:45pm.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Donate for the ongoing parish projects...

Maria Assumpta Cathedral Parish

Catholic Archiodese of Owerri, Imo State Nigeria

Meet Our Clergy

Most. Rev. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji

Archbishop Owerri Archdiocese

Rev. Fr. Dr. Martin Edward Ohajunwa

Cathedral Administrator

Rev.Fr. Christopher Nwakpu

Assistant Administrator

Administrator's Desk.

Dear Parishoners,

Welcome to our website https://assumptaowarch.blogspot.com. This website will serve as a virtual front door, welcoming both old and newcomers alike and providing a snapshot of our parish.

Also, we believe that our website will significantly impact our ability to connect with each other and spread important messages.

It will be offering an online platform to share our church's story, post updates on upcoming events and provide downloadable resources for spiritual growth.

Special Features of our website include the following:

Parish Contact Form

Announcements

Upcoming events

Weekly activities

Projects/Donations

Downloadable Sunday Reflections

Thank you and may God bless you.

Rev. Fr. Dr. Martin Edward Ohajunwa
Cathedral Administrator

Parish Calendar.

VISIT TO THE SPIRITUAL YEAR
3rd Week of February
Parishioners / Sodalities are expected to bring items for the visit
ACCOUNT NO: 0004309755. Access Bank.

CATHEDRATICUM
March
ACCOUNT NO: 0004309755. Access Bank.

PASTORAL VISIT
3rd Week of August
ACCOUNT NO. 1228605938. Zenith Bank.

PROJECT SUNDAY
1st Sunday of every month
ACCOUNT NO: 0004309755. Access Bank. 1100077414 Chikum Microfinance Bank.

WORLD MISSION SUNDAY
ACCOUNT NO. 1243179148 Access Bank

HARVEST AND BAZAAR
2nd Week of November
ACCOUNT NO. 1228605938. Zenith Bank.

Announcements

ANNOUNCEMENTS 29-3-26

1.The Cathedral Administrator and the Associates, on behalf of the Archbishop, Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, wish to thank all our parishioners and friends of Assumpta Cathedral for a successful outing towards the 2026 Cathedraticum. Your generous donations and attendance are highly appreciated. May God bless and reward you abundantly.

2.The CWO Devotional Mass will now be held on Saturday,11th of April,2026. It will now be a combined Mass with the CMO at Ave Maria Chapel by 7am.

3.We welcome you to the HOLY WEEK. It is a solemn week of prayer, penance and reflection on the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. Holy week activities are as follows:

Weekday Masses: Monday --Morning and afternoon; Tuesday --Morning and afternoon; Wednesday --Morning only.

Tuesday 31st--Parish Retreat/Penitential Service by 4.30pm at Ave Maria.

Wednesday 1st --Chrism Mass by 9am in the Cathedral.

Thursday 2nd-Morning prayers (Liturgy of the Hours) at 7am in Ave Maria Station.

Mass of the Lord's Supper by 6pm in the Cathedral.

Friday 3rd-Morning Prayer (Liturgy of the Hours) by 7am in Ave Maria Station.

Stations of the Cross 3pm beginning from Obiri Odenigbo. To be followed by the Good Friday Services (Veneration of the Cross).

Saturday 4th --Morning Prayer (Liturgy of the Hours) by 7am in Ave Maria Station.

Holy Saturday Vigil Mass at 7pm in the Cathedral.

Easter Sunday – In the Cathedral- 7am and 9.30am; Ave Maria Station – 8am

4.May we remind our Parishioners of their financial obligations, towards the payment of our Annual Church Dues (ACD) for the year 2026.Women #200, Men #300,Youth and Mary League Girls' #100. Kindly visit the Catechists' office and make your payment for the year.

5.The Mother's Day Celebration Committee will hold their meeting on Monday,30th of March,2026, at Obiri Odenigbo by 3.30pm. please note that attendance is mandatory to all members.

6. BANNS OF MARRIAGE

2nd Publication:

Obihara Micheal Nnadozie--Umuovum, Umuekwuka Ulakwo

Ibezim Uche Florence Okoro --Okwara/Amorji Nkwerre.

Phillip Obinna Peter Duru---Umuduruejime, Idime Ochicha

Juliet Onyinyechi Ikpeoha---Umuokeriri, Ihitte Mbaise.

Projects

About us.

MARIA ASSUMPTA CATHEDRAL PARISH INFORMATION

Established: 15th August, 1976

No. of Stations: 4

Inauguration: 15th August, 1976

Dedication: 29th November, 1980

Pioneer Administrator: Msgr. Alphonsus Aghaizu

Present Administrator: Rev. Fr. Martin Edward Ohajunwa

Chairman, PPC: Barr. Richard Nwaulu

Chairman, PFC: Mrs. Ndidi Nwagbuo

President CMO: Dr. Alphonsus Ukozor

President CWO: Lady Rita Uwaforo

President CYON: Uboh Enyinnaya

President Mary League: Miss. Gift Onosuru

Pioneer Catechist: Mr. Odor

Present Catechists: Mr. Ambrose Onah Mr. Mmachukwu Anthony

Announcer: Mrs. Irene Onukwugha

Catechizer: Mr. Ambrose Onah

Sunday Masses: In the Cathedral – 6:30am, 8:00am (English), 9:30am

Ave Maria Chapel – 7:00am, 8:30am

Weekday Masses: Monday: 6am and 12noon

At Ave Maria Chapel: Tuesday: 6am, 12noon and 6pm Wednesday: 6am and 6pm Thursday: 6am, 12noon and 6pm Friday: 6am, 12noon and 6pm Saturday: 7pm.

Confessions: Saturday – 4:30pm (Ave Maria Chapel) And after every weekday mass.

Sunday Evening: Rosary/ Benediction/Vespers (In the Cathedral) 5:45pm.

Sick Calls: Contact 0803 417 5402

Sunday Reflection

Palm Sunday

Behold Your King!

We are reliving the experience of many generations. The royal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. The historic moment when the Son of God declared his Kingship over the people of Jerusalem and, as such, to all humanity. It marks the dawn of a new generation of believers and discipleship. But, like many other things, it is marked by metaphors, challenges, controversies, and inspiration.

The liturgy this weekend begins with the story of the royal entry. However, the apogee of the celebration is the passion story of Jesus’ death. From that chorus of royalty and acceptance to a scream of crucifixion by the same crowd of people, a stunning paradox confronts us. Jerusalem signifies for us the triumph and tragedy of the Son of God. It signals the tempo and course the world will always be identified with for the rest of history. If the royal entry reminds us of Jesus’ kingship, what does his crucifixion teach us? For all ages, it remains the darkness of humanity that seeks the light of God to illumine its very actions, often compounded by half-truths, prejudice, hatred, wickedness, and structural ignorance.

Jesus will not deny his identity as Son of God. Jesus affirms his kingship of a kingdom that is not of this world. The religious and political structure that felt challenged by his positions and teachings find him uncompromising. The best they could do was to lay false allegations upon him and, in conspiracy, nailed him to death. Possibly, they had thought that his death would render all his claims null. If that death did not bring it to an end, what then do we make of Jesus’ claims? Our celebration of his royal entry will then be a celebration of his identity and the claims of his kingship over us and the world to come. We then embark on a journey that transcends this earthly abode.

Jerusalem signified for the Jews the royal city of David, the city of God and the place of peace. Jerusalem welcomes its King. In this city of David, a history of triumph and tragedy configures to transform it from a human city to a new metaphor. In the human city, it was a place of the tragic death of the prophets of God, and then, Jesus, the Son of God. Truth was always a casualty because of human prejudice and egoism. Truth was made insignificant because it confronted the people of the time with their ugly side. The might of the valor pushed on with arrogance to hold claim to falsehood and held this city hostage from all sides. The religious also became caught up in its own human design. However, in the new city of Jerusalem, truth triumphs over falsehood; royalty comes with humility, and death brings new life to all believers. In this new metaphor, Jesus' royal entry did not end in his death. It rather marks the beginning of a new life for humanity that had been condemned because of its sinfulness. Thus, Jesus, the new Adam, creates a new city of Jerusalem.

It is from this insight that we can begin to appreciate the experience of the Suffering Servant in the Deutro-Isaiah. The short passage (Is. 50:4-7) which we read this weekend draws our attention to hope in suffering. The meaning of suffering is found in what it is meant to achieve in our lives. The Suffering Servant is willing to offer up all of his insults, beatings, rejection, and pains of affliction because there is something beyond human suffering. It was leading to mercy upon the human family. Pope Francis has urged us to set an agenda that takes our world today away from its present hostage of globalization of exclusivity to a globalization of mercy. The pains of the Suffering Servant are meant to bring human redemption. This touchy prose plays out more concretely in the passion and death of the Son of God.

The passion and death of Jesus is the self-emptying of the Son of God. The kenosis Paul writes of Jesus pronounces more concretely the Suffering Servant, the humble and obedient servant, and Son. Jesus empties himself of all majesty and royalty to achieve a purpose in human redemption through a route in contrast to the human ego. For this, he rose to a name which is “above every name, and at the name of Jesus every knee shall bend.” Jesus becomes the one to be adored because the Lord God, his Father, rewards him for his suffering and obedience unto death on the cross. Hence, this week ushers us into that most sacred week when we relive the tragic drama of our redemption. Truly, Jesus becomes the King for all of humankind through a route of self-emptying.

To appreciate this self-emptying is the element of servant leadership, which involves sacrifice. Jesus sacrificed to make humanity whole. We are called to make sacrifices for others. This is what humanity needs more than anything. Sacrifice aids us to see the humanity that is broken by our structural exclusivity to only think of ourselves when a great part of humanity is in pain, misery, and suffering. If our leaders can be more sensitive to the sufferings of the people they govern or persons under their care, they can make a radical change. The cost of living is going beyond what many can afford. The restiveness in some of our communities is calling for urgent attention. The atrocities of religious persecution and ethnic cleansing in different parts of Nigeria. The present unrest in Gaza, war in Ukraine and Iran remind us of a great task before those who are leaders. God speaks to us in human misery, infirmity, and need. God speaks to us by his royal entry to assume a new understanding of service and leadership. To the extent we are ready to sacrifice for the good of others, it is to that extent that we begin to sustain the songs of the royal entry of Jesus to Jerusalem. This new Jerusalem can be our hearts, homes and communities seeking the joy of peace and redemption, but we must safeguard it from the infestation of arrogance, selfishness, modern conspiracy against the truth and the meaning of Christ’s suffering, passion, and death.

Let us pray: Lord, this royal entry of our Savior reminds us of the meaning of leadership and service. Help us to lead by example in every sphere of responsibility. May we be united in suffering and work for peace and redemption of all peoples especially those seeking your intervention. Amen!

Excerpts from “Visible Pathways” by Rev Fr Dr Martin Edward Ohajunwa

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