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13
Dec
2015

Maria Assumpta Cathedral

Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri

Owerri

 info@owarch.org.ng  +2348033306210 

Maria Assumpta Cathedral
• The Catholic Church arrived Owerri & established as a mission in June 1912.
• First Mass at Ulakwo by Fr. Feral & Bro. Joseph.
• 1937 the first indigenous Priest of Owerri, Msgr. Joseph Nwanegbo of Ubomiri was ordained.
• 1948 Owerri became a separate Vicariate from Onitsha
• April 18,1950 she became a diocese with Most Rev.Joseph B.Whelan, CSSp, First Bishop (till 1970)
The Diocese
• Bishop Whelan appointed Msgr.Ignatius Okoroanyanwu to look after the vacant See of Owerri from January-September 1970 after the expulsion of expatriate missionaries by Nigerian Government.
• Bishop Mark O.Unegbu was appointed by Pope Paul VI to succeed him.
• 1993,Bishop M.Unegbu retired, His Holiness Pope John Paul II appointed Bishop Anthony J.V.Obinna, to succeed him. • Raised to Archdiocese and Metropolitan See in March 26,1994 with Most Rev.Anthony J.V. Obinna appointed the first Archbishop and head of the new Ecclesiastical Province.
Nigerian Priests 318
Priests Abroad 66
Religious Priests 55
Women Religious 239
Missionary Sisters 4
Nigerian Brothers 5
Major Seminarians 194• Catholic population :1,049,213,
138 Parishes
25 Chaplaincies
5 Special Jurisdictions
• Two Major Seminaries: Seat of Wisdom Seminary Owerri
Claretian Institute of Philosophy, Maryland Nekede.
• 75 Secondary Schools & Colleges, 150 Nursery/Primary Schools and other institutions of Higher learning.


Owerri

Villa Assumpta, Box 85 Owerri, Owerri, Nigeria