St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Agbor, has held a grand reception in honor of one of its parishioners, Rev. Fr. Benedict Chukwuebuka Ifechukwude Mozia, following his ordination into the Catholic priesthood.
Rev. Fr. Mozia, a parishioner of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Agbor, was ordained a Catholic priest by His Lordship, Most Rev. Michael Odogwu Elue, the Catholic Bishop of Issele-Uku Diocese, on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at St. Paul’s Cathedral, Issele-Uku, Delta State.
The grand reception, held on Sunday, August 23, 2026, was hosted under the leadership of the Parish Priest, Very Rev. Fr. Paschal Nduka, and attracted priests, parishioners, family members, friends, and well-wishers.
The celebration featured prayers, goodwill messages, songs, and expressions of gratitude to God for the gift of a new priest to the Church.
As part of the celebration, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church presented Rev. Fr. Benedict Chukwuebuka Ifechukwude Mozia with a car gift to support him in his pastoral duties and enable him to carry out his priestly responsibilities effectively.
The presentation of the vehicle was greeted with excitement and applause from parishioners and guests, who described the gesture as an expression of love, appreciation, and support for the newly ordained priest.
Speaking as Chairman of the occasion, Chief (Barr.) J.O. Ojobu expressed his appreciation to the parishioners of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Agbor, for their outstanding contributions toward the successful organization of the celebration.
Chief Ojobu commended the parishioners for their collective efforts, describing their contributions to the event as awesome and a demonstration of love and commitment to the Church and the newly ordained priest.
He noted that the gathering was a joyful occasion because the long-awaited dream of seeing their son and parishioner, Mozia, ordained a Catholic priest had finally become a reality.
Chief Ojobu congratulated Rev. Fr. Benedict Chukwuebuka Ifechukwude Mozia on his ordination and urged him to remain steadfast in his faith and commitment to God’s service.
He encouraged the new priest to continue to keep faith in God, stressing that faith would sustain and guide him throughout his priestly journey.
He also prayed that God would grant Rev. Fr. Mozia the wisdom, strength, and grace required to serve faithfully and successfully in the vineyard of the Lord.
Speaking during a media chat, the newly ordained priest expressed profound gratitude to God for the opportunity to begin his priestly ministry after 17 years of formation.
Introducing himself, he said: “I am Reverend Father Benedict Chukwuebuka Mozia, by the grace of God. Before now, I was known as Reverend Benedict Chukwuebuka Mozia, but it has pleased the Lord to elevate me to His altar, so I’m Reverend Father Benedict Chukwuebuka Mozia.”
Describing how he felt about becoming a priest, Rev. Fr. Mozia said the occasion was an awe-filled day which he could hardly put into words.
“It is an awe-filled day, actually. I cannot express how I feel in words, but I think God alone knows my heart. God alone knows the depth of my gratitude today. It is a thing of joy, a thing of fulfillment, a thing of accomplishment,” he stated.
He, however, explained that he would rather describe the achievement as a blessing from God than a personal accomplishment.
“I wouldn’t call it an accomplishment, but it is a blessing from the Lord because God has been there from the beginning. It has not been an easy struggle, right from the minor seminary. Seventeen years, by God’s grace, and today we are gathered to celebrate the blessings of God in our lives,” he said.
Speaking on what inspired his missionary journey, the new priest said his motivations had evolved over the years, eventually becoming centered on the care of souls and service to humanity.
He said his motivation was “the care for souls, the care for people, the joy of being of help to those who are in their lowest states, and the joy of helping those who cannot help themselves because they are either challenged physically or struggling spiritually.”
Rev. Fr. Mozia recalled that he initially became interested in the Church after watching his younger brother serve as a Mass server. He later became a Mass server himself and was attracted to the beautiful vestments worn during liturgical celebrations.
According to him, while those things initially attracted him to the ministry, his motivations became more mature and purified as he progressed through his formation.
Advising young people who are pursuing their aspirations, Rev. Fr. Mozia urged them to remain focused, trust God, and continue to work hard.
“My advice for every upcoming, not just priests, but every young person who is in training, who is aspiring toward something, is: just continue, focus, trust God, do your best, and leave the rest for Him,” he said.
“God will always reward hard work, and He will always bless our little efforts, through Christ our Lord,” he added.
Asked whether he considered himself fulfilled after 17 years of pursuing his vocation, Rev. Fr. Mozia responded: “I’m fulfilled, I will say. I mean, chasing something for the past 17 years and eventually getting it, one would say he is fulfilled. I think I’m fulfilled.”
The father of the newly ordained priest, Mr. Anthony Nkem Mozia, expressed deep gratitude to God for allowing him to remain alive to witness the ordination and celebration of his son.
According to him, “The occasion was one he had long anticipated.”
“In fact, a day like this, I’ve been expecting it in my life, and God has done it for me. I’m alive to witness this occasion, so I’m ever very grateful to God for all He has been doing for me, though the road is rough,” he said.
Mr. Mozia appreciated his family members, friends, and well-wishers who came to celebrate with him and support him on the special occasion.
He used the occasion to call for greater love and unity among people while also urging parents to pay attention to the upbringing of their children.
“My message is God’s love for one another. Let us love each other. And again, children these days, let us try as much as possible to bring them up in the way they should be,” he said.
Speaking about his children, he said he raised them by the grace of God and was grateful that they had listened to his counsel and remained respectful.
“I brought them up not by magic but by the grace of God. I talked to them, and they heard me and respected me. So I’m very, very grateful to them. They made me proud wherever they are,” he said.
Mr. Mozia disclosed that he has three children—two boys and a girl—and expressed gratitude that God chose one of them for the priesthood.
“I have three, two boys and a girl, but God decided to choose this one, and I’m very, very grateful,” he added.
The mother of the newly ordained priest, Mrs. Stella-Maris Mozia, also expressed overwhelming joy and gratitude to God for the ordination of her son.
She said words could hardly describe her feelings after witnessing the occasion.
“I don’t even have words to express my joy because it wasn’t easy. And I’ve been alive to witness it, together with the ups and downs, where God made it possible. So I’m so grateful to God. I’m very happy,” she said.
Mrs. Mozia, who disclosed that Rev. Fr. Benedict is her first son, recalled that some people had questioned the decision to allow their first son to become a priest.
She, however, said she never regretted the decision, stressing that children ultimately belong to God.
“My fellow women, at times when someone like him is my first son, people were complaining, ‘How can you give your first son to be a priest?’ But God is God. God is the one that gives us. If He wants to take, we don’t question Him. So let Him take,” she stated.
According to her, the joy of giving a child to God cannot be adequately explained, urging parents to learn to surrender their children to God’s service.
“You don’t know the blessings, the joy—the joy if you can see my heart, you know the joy, the amount of joy that is in it today. So we should please give to God. Learn how to give to God,” she said.
In his closing remarks at the ordination reception, the Chairman of the Planning Committee, Dr. Dominic Marior Uduh, expressed his gratitude to God and all those who contributed to the success of the historic celebration.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Uduh said he was humbled and considered it a privilege to deliver the closing remarks at what he described as a momentous and historic ordination reception in honor of “our son, brother, and now fresh or brand-new Priest of the Most High God, Reverend Father Benedict Chukwuebuka Ifechukwude Mozia.”
On behalf of the Ordination Reception Committee, he gave all glory, praise, honor, and thanksgiving to God Almighty for His faithfulness in making the celebration a reality.
Dr. Uduh also sought the indulgence of the gathering to pay tribute to the late Very Rev. Fr. Stephen Chukwuduebi Chukwuma, whom he acknowledged for believing in members of the committee and supporting their efforts.
He further commended the Parish Priest, Very Rev. Fr. Paschal Nduka, for the confidence he reposed in the committee by giving it the mandate to organize the reception.
According to him, the Parish Priest provided fatherly guidance to the committee whenever necessary, adding that his leadership and support contributed significantly to the success of the event.
Turning to the newly ordained priest, Dr. Uduh congratulated Rev. Fr. Benedict Chukwuebuka Ifechukwude Mozia and thanked him for the sacrifices he made in leaving the secular world to answer God’s call to the priesthood.
He described the priestly vocation as a configuration to Christ, the Eternal High Priest, and prayed that Rev. Fr. Mozia would remain faithful to his calling.
Dr. Uduh also expressed profound appreciation to the parents, immediate and extended family members, sponsors, and benefactors of Rev. Fr. Benedict C.I. Mozia for their “human capital investment” in him and for offering what he described as a “priceless and precious gift” to the Church.
He extended the committee’s appreciation to all donors and individuals who contributed their time, talents, and treasures toward the successful organization of the ordination reception.
“May your efforts and labors not go unrewarded,” he prayed.
The Planning Committee Chairman also appreciated the Chairman and members of the Parish Pastoral Council for considering the committee worthy of organizing the ordination reception.
Dr. Uduh concluded by thanking everyone who graced the occasion and praying for God’s continued blessings upon them.
“To all who graced this occasion, you will be like the tree by the seashore that produces in due season and out of season, as you will never lack. May God grant us all journey mercies to our various destinations. Amen,” he said.
