The 19th priestly ordination anniversary
Message from Fr. Nukta, the Parish Priest of St. Peter’s Parish
– Babanusa (Sudan)
on the occasion of the 19th priestly ordination anniversary
“The greatest love a person can have for his friends is to
give his life for them” (Jn. 15:13)
I greet all of you with great joy and affection.
Nineteen years ago ( April 30th , 1995) I was ordained to the priesthood of Jesus Christ by His Lordship Daniel Adwok Marco Kur, auxiliary
Bishop of Khartoum, for the Diocese of El Obeid
- Sudan.
When I reflect on the past nineteen years of priesthood, I realize how short
time this has been.
From then to now I have tried to follow the Holy Spirit,
wherever He may have led me. After pastoral practice as assistant parish priest
in El Fasher at St. Mary help of Christians' Parish in north Darfour state
(1995), and in El Nuhod at St. George’s Parish
in Western Kordofan state (1996), I was
appointed parish priest of St. Peter’s Parish in Babanusa, western Kordofan
province (1997). In 2001, after one year course at the AMECEA Pastoral
Institute in Kenya,
I took charge of the Diocesan Pastoral, Liturgical and catechetical (PALICA)
Office as Pastoral Coordinator. In 2008, I was sent to Rome
for studying Social Communication, at Pontifical
Gregorian University
in Rome at end
I Obtained License in Communication. After the study I had a twelve months
Internship with the Office of Radio & Television, Archdiocese of Hartford
CT, USA. Since March 2011, I again took charge of the Diocesan PALICA Center of
El Obeid, and lastly I’m assigned (stored) as a parish
priest of St. Peter - Babanusa, since August 2013. I asked myself “Is this
where the Holy Spirit really wants me to be or a mankind?!” Still praying, waiting, and looking for an
answer.
These 19 years have been the best of my life. They
have been the most challenging as well, but the best. Everything I have
done these years has been nice: confession, funerals, family visits, sick
call, Holy Communion at Mass. I LOVE what I do everyday.
Some days are more tiresome than others; some days are more rewarding than
others. Nonetheless, I love being a priest. I’m constantly amazed and
moved by the sanctity of those people I meet in the church, at Mass, and
especially in the confessional. The people I meet make me want to be not
only a better priest, but a better man.
They have been years of mistakes too. None of us are
perfect. Projects fail; phone calls are
missed, bad conduct, negligence … etc but the Lord makes up for my
failings. I’ve grown accustomed to saying I’m sorry. I think that’s
a good thing in any vocation. I
will apologize when I know I haven’t been the best I can be. I now
prepare myself to enter into my 20th year of priesthood. While
I know the Lord will keep giving me fresh experiences and fresh encounters with
the people and most importantly with Himself.
Negative experience I encounter in these 19 years among the
clergy or the religious is “Envy”. Envy is resenting another person’s good
fortune or joy. resent others who have more money, talent, strength, beauty,
friends, and so on, than you do (Material envy), or resenting others who
progress in holiness, preferring that they stay at or below your level instead
of being joyful and happy that they’re doing what they’re supposed to be doing
(spiritual envy). I pray always to
continue my priestly life with a meek and kind heart.
Many people have helped me to reach the Lord’s altar. Loving father,
give special blessing to my late parents, professors, benefactors and all those
who have assisted me. Today, I remember in special way two persons: Bishop Antonio
Menegazzo, former Apostolic Administrator of El-Obeid diocese, who has been
to me more than administrator, a loving father. and Fr. Salvatore Morrone, a comboni
missionary , former parish priest of El fasher , who have assisted me in my
first year of priesthood , he treated me with much care and love .
Looking back over these past years I see what God has done
through me, to me, and for me. I’m so immensely grateful for this life,
for this gift. I didn’t choose this life, God called me to it. But
I know I can’t go wrong if I’m doing his will. I pray everyday that I
have the strength to carry on, to continue to do His will, to continue to love
His people as much as I can.
Fr. Gabriel Nukta
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