by Neba-Fuh
Reverend Father Paul Verdzekov, Archbishop Emeritus of Bamenda has moved
on to the life beyond. As the many Christians he molded congregate to
mourn his departure, there is no better way of celebrating his life
than upholding his legacy.
It will be a bit assuming to 'portray'
a man I was hardly physically close to, except when I received holy
communion from him or when he extended his thumb to my forehead during
the ritual of confirmation. The only livelines between Father Paul and
the thousands of Christians he husbanded were his personality,
activities and his methodical sermons.
In all these spheres, Father Paul Verdzekov communed with the flock under his charge with exemplary assiduity and humility.
The closest I got to know about the Archbishop, who preferred to be addressed Father Paul, was foremost from my parents and then from a book titled " Archbishop Paul Verdzekov, A man of Faith and Integrity" by Rev Father Cheo Gregory Ngwa(one of two books offered to me with compliments by the author and big brother-Fr Greg).
In both sources there is one glaring uncompromising character I learned about the man -Fr Paul ,which dwarfs his other attributes and which in my opinion embodies the tenets of Christlike virtues Christianity sought to uphold- integrity
We hold no judgement 'barometer' for Father Paul's life on earth, for judgement is beyond our realm, but if the biblical quotations that "...by their fruits, you will know them" or "...the least you do unto my brothers, you do it unto me" or "The Beatitudes", are worthy yardsticks to celebrate Father Paul's life, then we are not out of bounds.
Christian faith without integrity is phony. In his almost forty years as a shepherd of a group of God's flock, Father Paul strove for utmost integrity in his leadership. He led by example, categorically condemning the excesses of some of the children he had adopted into priesthood, most of whom prefer the callously carnal maxim of ' follow my words , not my deeds'.
In his researched and documented sermons to his congregation,Father Paul was the first to remind priests of their commitment to their vocation. He highlighted the responsibilities of a true Christian.
He spearheaded the plight of the oppressed, launched organizations against torture, communed with the prisoners of the Bamenda Central Prison, celebrated mass with agents of the oppressor- the military, condemned the excesses of the regime, castigated election rigging and comforted his people during political trials. He mediated in village boundary conflicts in his diocese. He was a fervent human rights activist and a peacemaker.
Another way Father Paul expressed his integrity was his humility. He once said: "As you know, there is no school where Bishops are trained. You do ask, yourself to become a priest, but as for becoming Bishop, it is other people who decide. You are just surprised when you are asked to take on that task. So I do not know if I have any particular leadership skills, it is left for other people to judge that." (Interview-L'Effort Camerounais)
His preferred prefix 'Fr' or driving himself in a Volkswagen 'Beattle" to visit one of the Catholic schools in his Diocese is not enough to categorize his humility except you listened to his thoughts and observed his lifestyle as a whole. Fr Paul call into the sacred vocation of the priesthood was during an era when nothing inferior to the desire to serve God was primarily the motive. He belongs to a group of contemporaries like Fr Aloysius Wanki, Fr Mesue, Fr James Toba, Fr Atang, Fr Ivo Ndi Chia, Fr Christian Tumi, Fr Pius Awa etc who received the relay baton of evangelism from the Mill Hill fathers in Southern Cameroons. Priests of that era were not caught by the distractions of today's world that have engulfed the clergy of this generation. It does not mean that some of our old generation priests never stumbled. Far from that. Some did and when it happened, it was more of an exception than the normal.
Even though Father Paul's priesthood has positively affected the lives of most Christians in the archdiocese of Bamenda, many of them hardly knew that he was a holder of PhD degree. His reluctance to highlight his academic achievement reflected his humility and incessant conviction that his most important achievement was his call to the priesthood.
Father Paul wasn't an arrogant PhD. He never used any forum to showcase his newly achieved academic prowess especially during an era when few of them were privileged to have reached that point in academics. Instead, he put his knowledge to the service of his people, presenting what is arguably the best delivered and documented sermons, compared to his contemporaries. He exhibited academic integrity- always researching on his sermons, tailoring it to suit the audience as much as possible; and moreover, never shying away from the truth of the doctrine,he was called up to preach
Much has been said of his magnetic memory-very retentive of persons and names he had encountered, and whose detailed description of people,places and events always marvelled his close collaborators and readers of his works. He was a devoted writer, until he took his last breath. He was a close friend and admirer of Late Prof Bernard Fonlon( Southern Cameroons venerated academic guru) , whom he credited for introducing him to his call, after Jesus Christ.
Father Paul's attachment to details has been the reason for his success in numerous church projects he accomplished at the stewardship of the Bamenda archdiocese. He bequeathed a vibrant archdiocese to his predecessor. A hardworking man of God par excellence.
To say Father Paul never stepped on the toes of anyone will be simplistic and bias. As a human, I'm pretty sure he did, inadvertently or not. Sometimes, as a manager, his decisions might have generated sobs and bad feelings. Most often, his disciplinary measures might have been heartbreaking, especially when he had to tell a seminarian who had put in seven or more years at the seminary that his wasn't a calling- just the same way Prof Fonlon, his contemporary was told many years ago.
As we celebrate the life of Fr Paul, let us find the bright prints of his life and emulate. His integrity was manifested in his vocation, intellect, humility and hard work. He was a genuine voice for the poor and oppressed, never compromising the truth with that which was popular. He was a principled disciple of God.
In all these spheres, Father Paul Verdzekov communed with the flock under his charge with exemplary assiduity and humility.
The closest I got to know about the Archbishop, who preferred to be addressed Father Paul, was foremost from my parents and then from a book titled " Archbishop Paul Verdzekov, A man of Faith and Integrity" by Rev Father Cheo Gregory Ngwa(one of two books offered to me with compliments by the author and big brother-Fr Greg).
In both sources there is one glaring uncompromising character I learned about the man -Fr Paul ,which dwarfs his other attributes and which in my opinion embodies the tenets of Christlike virtues Christianity sought to uphold- integrity
We hold no judgement 'barometer' for Father Paul's life on earth, for judgement is beyond our realm, but if the biblical quotations that "...by their fruits, you will know them" or "...the least you do unto my brothers, you do it unto me" or "The Beatitudes", are worthy yardsticks to celebrate Father Paul's life, then we are not out of bounds.
Christian faith without integrity is phony. In his almost forty years as a shepherd of a group of God's flock, Father Paul strove for utmost integrity in his leadership. He led by example, categorically condemning the excesses of some of the children he had adopted into priesthood, most of whom prefer the callously carnal maxim of ' follow my words , not my deeds'.
In his researched and documented sermons to his congregation,Father Paul was the first to remind priests of their commitment to their vocation. He highlighted the responsibilities of a true Christian.
He spearheaded the plight of the oppressed, launched organizations against torture, communed with the prisoners of the Bamenda Central Prison, celebrated mass with agents of the oppressor- the military, condemned the excesses of the regime, castigated election rigging and comforted his people during political trials. He mediated in village boundary conflicts in his diocese. He was a fervent human rights activist and a peacemaker.
Another way Father Paul expressed his integrity was his humility. He once said: "As you know, there is no school where Bishops are trained. You do ask, yourself to become a priest, but as for becoming Bishop, it is other people who decide. You are just surprised when you are asked to take on that task. So I do not know if I have any particular leadership skills, it is left for other people to judge that." (Interview-L'Effort Camerounais)
His preferred prefix 'Fr' or driving himself in a Volkswagen 'Beattle" to visit one of the Catholic schools in his Diocese is not enough to categorize his humility except you listened to his thoughts and observed his lifestyle as a whole. Fr Paul call into the sacred vocation of the priesthood was during an era when nothing inferior to the desire to serve God was primarily the motive. He belongs to a group of contemporaries like Fr Aloysius Wanki, Fr Mesue, Fr James Toba, Fr Atang, Fr Ivo Ndi Chia, Fr Christian Tumi, Fr Pius Awa etc who received the relay baton of evangelism from the Mill Hill fathers in Southern Cameroons. Priests of that era were not caught by the distractions of today's world that have engulfed the clergy of this generation. It does not mean that some of our old generation priests never stumbled. Far from that. Some did and when it happened, it was more of an exception than the normal.
Even though Father Paul's priesthood has positively affected the lives of most Christians in the archdiocese of Bamenda, many of them hardly knew that he was a holder of PhD degree. His reluctance to highlight his academic achievement reflected his humility and incessant conviction that his most important achievement was his call to the priesthood.
In an interview granted to L'effort, he was asked about his certificates; this is what he said:
'I prefer not to discuss that. In my opinion there is nothing greater than being able to celebrate Christ’s presence in a mass or being able to grant forgiveness in the name of God. There is nothing better a bishop can give his priest. That said, when I was in Rome, I studied at the Propaganda Fide Urban College where I obtained a degree in theology. Then I was sent to the Gregorian University, where I studied social sciences and obtained a Ph.D.(Interview- L'Effort Camerounais)
Father Paul wasn't an arrogant PhD. He never used any forum to showcase his newly achieved academic prowess especially during an era when few of them were privileged to have reached that point in academics. Instead, he put his knowledge to the service of his people, presenting what is arguably the best delivered and documented sermons, compared to his contemporaries. He exhibited academic integrity- always researching on his sermons, tailoring it to suit the audience as much as possible; and moreover, never shying away from the truth of the doctrine,he was called up to preach
Much has been said of his magnetic memory-very retentive of persons and names he had encountered, and whose detailed description of people,places and events always marvelled his close collaborators and readers of his works. He was a devoted writer, until he took his last breath. He was a close friend and admirer of Late Prof Bernard Fonlon( Southern Cameroons venerated academic guru) , whom he credited for introducing him to his call, after Jesus Christ.
Father Paul's attachment to details has been the reason for his success in numerous church projects he accomplished at the stewardship of the Bamenda archdiocese. He bequeathed a vibrant archdiocese to his predecessor. A hardworking man of God par excellence.
To say Father Paul never stepped on the toes of anyone will be simplistic and bias. As a human, I'm pretty sure he did, inadvertently or not. Sometimes, as a manager, his decisions might have generated sobs and bad feelings. Most often, his disciplinary measures might have been heartbreaking, especially when he had to tell a seminarian who had put in seven or more years at the seminary that his wasn't a calling- just the same way Prof Fonlon, his contemporary was told many years ago.
As we celebrate the life of Fr Paul, let us find the bright prints of his life and emulate. His integrity was manifested in his vocation, intellect, humility and hard work. He was a genuine voice for the poor and oppressed, never compromising the truth with that which was popular. He was a principled disciple of God.
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