Five years of a ‘wonderful journey’ in priestly ministry

By Josh Low

Ordained a priest by Archbishop Julian on 15 September 2017 at St Mary’s Cathedral, Hobart, Fr Paschal Okpon last month celebrated the fifth anniversary of his priestly ordination.

Currently the Assistant Parish Priest at the Cathedral, Fr Paschal said the past five years have been a wonderful journey, in which he has personally experienced the compassion and mercy of God.

“What I’ve learned in the last five years is what every good Christian should know, just to trust God and trust Him in anything, no matter the case,” he said.

“When I look back, I see how wonderfully He has used me, a weak person.

“I wouldn’t have imagined the things I did in the past five years were even possible, but I see how powerful His hand is in everything,” he said.

The sacramental priesthood, Fr Paschal explained, is a life of sacrifice, but one which he treasures deeply.

“It is a life where you completely abandon yourself in the hands of God to use you, and to use you and bring love to His own people through the sacraments we celebrate in the Church.”

Among the highlights of his priestly ministry, Fr Paschal said he cherishes every moment he celebrates the sacraments and ministers to people.

“I was travelling to Africa in 2020 and remember travelling on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.

“Leaving Australia Tuesday night, I was wondering how I was going to celebrate Mass. I had a small Mass kit in my carry on with ashes included.

“So, I celebrated Mass during the flight when it would have been Wednesday and mixed the ashes and put them on my forehead.”

After noticing that he was celebrating Mass, several Catholics on the flight came up to Fr Paschal and asked to receive ashes on their forehead.

“Could you believe that I was now standing up giving people the ashes inside the plane during the flight?

“I thought that was the end, but when we landed in Nigeria and were passing through the immigration check, some of the immigration officers asked me how I had ashes on my forehead after a long-haul flight.

“I showed my Roman collar and explained that I was a Catholic priest.

“Before I knew it there were 30 to 40 people lining up to receive ashes – the people who worked in the airport who were Catholic but didn’t have the opportunity to go to Ash Wednesday Mass,” he said.

“To be able to do that openly, express my faith and exercise my priestly ministry in such an unusual environment; it was just beautiful.”

For anyone who is considering a vocation to the priesthood, Fr Paschal emphasised the importance of putting Jesus at the centre of the call.

“Sometimes we are afraid about so many things, of how we are going to study, how we’re going to approach people, speak in front of people or how to live in the pastoral duties and things that we do as priests.

“But when you allow God to take charge of that, to be at the centre of your core, if it is His will, everything will fall into place.”