Muslim Convert Ordained Catholic Priest.
The Catholic Bishop of Jalingo Diocese in Nigeria, Most Rev Dr Charles M. Hammawa has ordained Rev Moses Idris, a convert from Islam and Five others as priests for the Catholic Diocese of Jalingo at Our Lady Queen of Peace Cathedral, Jalingo on 25th February, 2022.
The ordination was attended by the muslim parents of Fr Idris who initially objected to his becoming a Christian and moreso a catholic priest.
Narrating how his journey to his journey to Christendom happened, Fr Idris said,
“the story of my vocation started from my vocation into Catholicism which began in December 2004. At age of fourteen, I was hawking bread and I went to sell bread to children in Sunday school. That day, I made good sales; as a result, the Church became a business centre for me… I continued going to the Church because I fell in love with Catholic worship especially the liturgical hymns and so I later became a Catechumen.”
After becoming a cathecumen, he joined the Catholic Charismatic prayer group, the Altar Boys Association, the Legion of Mary, and Choir. At this early stage, the young Idris started facing persecutions and receiving threats. As a result his then Parish Priest, Fr Kieran Danfulani, took him away from his home town (Mararraba) and enrolled him into Sacred Heart Minor Seminary, Jauro- Yinu, Jalingo. While in the Minor Seminary, Fr Idris showed determination and amid many challenges he graduated in 2012.
Rev Fr Moses applied to be trained as a priest in the Catholic Diocese of Jalingo and was offered admission into Bishop Timothy Cotter Memorial Seminary, Bare in Numan, Adamawa State where he had his Spiritual Year programme. He later proceeded to St. Augustine’s Major Seminary philosophical studies from 2012 to 2016. He had his Pastoral Year experience in Bishop Patrick Sheehan Memorial College, Wukari from 2016 to 2017. He later went back to St Augustine’s Major and studied theology from 2017 to 2021.
He was ordained a deacon on 18 July 2021 by Bishop Charles Hammawa, and to the glory of God he was ordained a priest on 25th Febuary, 2021 alongside five others.
The ordination was attended by a mammoth crowd that came to witness and share in the joy of the epoch making event.
