MALUMFASHI DEANERY CATHEDRATICUM HELD AT ST. VINCENT FERRER PARISH.
3/24/2026
The Cathedraticum of Malumfashi Deanery was solemnly celebrated on 24th March, 2026, at St. Vincent Ferrer Parish.
The liturgical celebration began at 9:00am with a solemn procession led by His Lordship, Most Rev. Dr. Gerald Mamman Musa, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Katsina. He was accompanied by the Dean of Malumfashi Deanery, Very Rev. Fr. Pius Duniya, alongside Very Rev. Fr. Cyril Ibeh and other priests of the deanery, including Very Rev. Fr. Kelvin Obineche, Rev. Fr. Musa Bulus, Rev. Fr. Samaila Peter Maicibi, Rev. Fr. Solomon Shidi, Rev. Fr. Noel Kayit, Rev. Fr. Izuala, among others. Catechists, lay readers, and altar servers also formed part of the procession, adding to the solemnity of the celebration.
At the beginning of the Mass, the Dean, Very Rev. Fr. Pius Duniya, warmly welcomed the Bishop, priests, religious, and lay faithful who gathered from various parishes across the deanery to participate in this significant diocesan event.
The Liturgy of the Word featured the First Reading from Numbers 21:4–9 and the Responsorial Psalm from Psalm 102 with the response: “O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come unto you.” The Gospel, proclaimed by Rev. Fr. Solomon Shidi, was taken from John 8:21–30.
In his homily, Bishop Gerald Mamman Musa delivered a deeply reflective message centered on faith and repentance. Drawing from the First Reading, he spoke about the people of Israel who rebelled against God and murmured in the wilderness. As a consequence, fiery serpents were sent among them, but when they repented, God instructed Moses to raise a bronze serpent so that anyone who looked upon it would be healed.
The Bishop emphasized that it was not the bronze serpent itself that brought healing, but the faith of the people in God. He reminded the faithful that, like the Israelites, we often fall away from God and lose sight of His glory through disobedience and sin. However, the path to healing and restoration lies in turning back to God with faith.
He urged the congregation to “look up” to God in moments of weakness and struggle, stressing that true salvation comes from God alone. His message was a call to renewed trust, deeper faith, and sincere repentance, especially in this Lenten season.
Speaking on the significance of the Cathedraticum, the Bishop explained that it is not merely an annual financial contribution but a symbol of unity and communion within the Church. He noted that such contributions support the Church’s mission, including pastoral work and social development projects such as schools and hospitals.
The Mass continued with the offertory procession and the consecration of the Holy Eucharist. The faithful exchanged the sign of peace and received Holy Communion with reverence.
This was followed by the thanksgiving procession, during which parishes, societies, organizations, schools, and hospitals came forward to offer their thanksgiving and support for the mission of the Church.
At the end of the celebration, the Dean, Very Rev. Fr. Pius Duniya, delivered a vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to the Bishop, priests, religious, and all the faithful for their presence and contributions. He also prayed for God’s protection upon everyone as they returned to their various destinations.
In his concluding remarks, Bishop Gerald Mamman Musa thanked all who contributed to the success of the celebration, especially those who traveled from far and near. He commended the generosity and sacrifices of the parishes.
The celebration concluded with the final blessing at 1:30pm, followed by group photographs, bringing the Cathedraticum of Malumfashi Deanery to a joyful and memorable close.
