The Catholic Church in Eastern Nigeria marked a historic milestone this week, celebrating 140 years of Catholicism in the region with a solemn Mass at the Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity’s Field in Onitsha.
The event drew clergy, religious, and lay faithful from across the province, with the Mass presided over by the Papal Nuncio to Nigeria, Archbishop Michael Crotty. He was joined by Francis Cardinal Arinze and several bishops and priests, who reflected on the enduring legacy of the early missionaries whose sacrifices established the Church in Eastern Nigeria.
Among those honoured were Rev. Fr. Joseph Lutz, Bishop Joseph Ignatius Shanahan, and Archbishop Charles Heerey, pioneers whose devotion laid the foundation for the flourishing Catholic community.
The celebration also highlighted the contributions of successive leaders of the Onitsha Archdiocese, including Francis Cardinal Arinze, Archbishops Stephen Ezeanya and Albert Obiefuna, and the current Archbishop Valerian Okeke. Their leadership has been credited with strengthening education, healthcare, and social development in the region.
Speaking at the event, former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi commended the Church’s role as Nigeria’s largest provider of social services after the government. He noted that Catholic schools and hospitals continue to transform lives, and shared how his own Catholic education instilled in him lifelong values of discipline, integrity, and service.
Obi extended his congratulations to Archbishop Okeke, the clergy, religious, and lay faithful of the Archdiocese, praying for continued blessings on their work.
