It was as far back as 1973 that St. Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary, STAMS, Bambui was founded in English speaking Cameroon. Exactly 41 years after, another historic event has taken place in the Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province, precisely in Batchuo Ntai, Mamfe Diocese, with the launching of a second major seminary, St. John Paul II Major Seminary, SAJOPAMS, Batchuo Ntai.
On Saturday, October 25, 2014, Memorial of St. John Paul II, the seminary’s patron saint, all roads led to Batchuo Ntai for the official inauguration of SAJOPAMS and to raise funds to construct it. The twin event began with a Eucharistic Sacrifice with Douala Emeritus Archbishop, His Eminence Christian Cardinal Tumi, as chief celebrant and Mgr. Francis Lysinge and the five Bishops of Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province and over hundred priests as concelebrants.
In his homily, Archbishop Cornelius Fontem Esua of Bamenda Archdiocese said when STAMS was created it was thought it would never admit more than 120 candidates, but the number has more than doubled thus justifying the creation of a second provincial major seminary.
He noted that when the Holy See authorised that SOJAPAMS should be created, it was advised it should be for Philosophy while STAMS gradually becomes a seminary only for Theology. From now on therefore, he said, candidates for the priesthood in the Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province will do their formation successively in the two major seminaries. This way, the Archbishop continued, the unity of priests in the province will be preserved.
Addressing the pioneer students, Archbishop Esua told them that the clerical dresses they had just received symbolise the new state of life they are beginning and they should live up to its demands. He called on them to have a single mind and purpose and take their formation seriously. He told them to be focused and not allow themselves to be distracted by the world around them. He also enjoined them to make SAJOPAMS a place of reference in the image of its Patron Saint.
“Pope John Paul II was a man of faith, a man of vision, a great pastor who invited all the faithful not to be afraid to open wide the door of their hearts to Christ.”
He told the congregation that the inauguration was an occasion for them to re-affirm their faith in Jesus Christ and to renew their commitment to the Church founded by Christ on Peter, the Rock. He told them to thank God for their Christian faith. He thanked the Christians for their support to STAMS for the past 41 years and appealed to them to double their efforts since the two seminaries will have separate budgets.
Immediately after the homily, the Secretary General of the Bamenda Provincial Episcopal Conference, Rev. Fr. Zephyrinus Mbuh, read out the bull creating of SAJOPAMS Batchuo Ntai.
The fundraising started immediately after the final blessing. The chief launcher, business guru, senator and ruler of Bathuo Ntai, Chief Tabe Tando started off with FCFA 20 million. Before making his donation, he defined who a priest should be and urged the pioneer seminarians to model their lives to that of St. John Paul II.
Many people also contributed huge sums. The chief celebrant and pioneer STAMS Rector Christian Cardinal Tumi contributed FCFA 1.5 Million. Even before he died, Senator Francis Nkwain had donated FCFA 500, 000. In all, it was a resounding success and work is said to have begun at the permanent site two days after the fundraising.
Talking to L’Effort Camerounais after the occasion, the Bishop of Mamfe Mgr. Andrew Nkea said he received the founding of this major seminary in his diocese with a lot of gratitude and joy. “It is a big blessing for our people that priests are being trained among us. We are going to benefit from it in two principal ways. First, the seminary is a house of prayer as prayers are said in the morning, afternoon and evening and the prayers will be circulating and helping our diocese. Second, seminarians always go around for pastoral work among the people of different communities and this will help in the formation and development of basic Christian communities.”
Some indigenes of Batchuo Ntai, Catholics and non Catholics, expressed joy because of the founding of the Major Seminary in their village which, they believe, is going to speed up its development. They were particularly thankful to their Chief and the Catholic Church for also opening the school of Agriculture and Natural Sciences of the Catholic University of Cameroon, CATUC, Bamenda in their village. They noted that many people will now come, live and work among them thus providing a ready market for the food crops they produce.
Brief History The story of the small village of Batchuo Ntai in Manyu Division, South West Region, has changed for good. The name “Batchuo Ntai” literally translated as “You have arrived at the rock” is derived from an imposing rock which one can perceive from any angle. Today Batchuo Ntai is indeed a rock especially in the spiritual or better still, Catholic sense of the word.
The story of the village’s imminent new look began with the erection of Mamfe Diocese16 years ago. To meet growing demands as the harvest became rich and the labourers became few, the pioneer Bishop, Mgr. Francis Lysinge, founded a Spiritual Centre in Batchuo Ntai for the formation of aspirants to the priesthood.
It is was still in the same vein that when the bishops of the Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province saw the need for a second major seminary in the province that providence once again choose Batchuo Ntai. The Spiritual Centre thus metamorphosed to what is today a major seminary, though it is only a temporary site.
St. John Paul II Major Seminary SAJOPAMS Batchuo Ntai opened its doors in September 2014 to 63 pioneer students from 6 dioceses; Bamenda, Buea, Mamfe, Kumbo, Bafoussam and Obala.
The seminary’s permanent campus will be constructed on a virgin 10 hectares which the Chief of Batchuo Ntai, Nfor Tabe Tando, and his subjects have generously and unconditionally donated to the Catholic Church.
