THE INAUGURATION MASS OF THE ACADEMIC AND FORMATIVE YEAR 2025 / 2026
With heart filled with gratitude, the entire seminarians of Nkong-Bodol the "Village of hope" on the 15th October 2025 gathered around the Eucharistic Table to officially begin the 2025/2026 Academic and formative year. The Eucharistic celebration was a moment of Renewal, Thanksgiving and Divine Commissioning for all the Formators and Seminarians as they journey together in faith and formation.
The Holy Mass was equally marked with investiture and clothing ceremony of some seminarians and admission to the Sacred Order. During the rite of investiture, the candidates were catechechized on why the Church recommends seminarians to wear soutans and other clerical habits. Inspired with Exodus 28 : 2, 40, 43b, and Canon 284 which states that‘‘the Lord God gave this command to his servant Moses ; You shall make sacred vestements for Aaron your brother, which will give him glory and beauty. For Aaron’s son you shall make a tunics and saches….’’ and as the ‘‘Holy Church recommends that clerics are to wear suitable ecclesiastical dress in accordance with the norms established by the Conference of Bishop and legitimate local custom. Faithful to this tradition and following the testimony of the Holy Scripture, the Father Bishop invited the seminarians to always wears their habits because it’s a symbol of their belonging to the Mother Church.
After the investiture and clothing ceremony, the Bishop proceeded with the rite of admission to the Sacred Order which is generally received at the beginning of theological formation or on the eve of diaconate ordination translates and reflects the official engagement of candidates to Sacred Order which permit them to acquire the necessary competence during their formation to priesthood. The ceremony articulated in three different stages : Calling of the candidates by the Rector of the Major Seminary, the dialogue with the Father Bishop at the end of which he accepts the candidates vocation project and kiss of peace involves only the 27 theology one students.
In his homily, the Metropolitain Archbishop of Douala inspired with the gospel of the day, invited the Formators and Seminarians to live the true religion of heart which consist in loving totally like God who loves both the poor and the rich, the righteous and the sinners. Loving our neighbors like ourselves disposes us to do good, to give a listening ear to people, to welcome and to give freely without waiting for anything in return. Before concluding his homily, His lordship exhorted his auditors to imitate Saint Therese of Avila who through humility, simplicity and contemplation united with her Creator. In thanksgiving and joy, the day’s celebrations was concluded with a group photograph, the commemoration of the feast of Saint Theresa of Avila and a fraternal meal with the Archbishop.
