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| Deacon Lawrence Oparaji |
MADISON — Bishop Donald J. Hying will ordain Deacon Lawrence Oparaji to the priesthood for the Diocese of Madison on Saturday, Feb. 22, at a 10:30 a.m. Mass in the Bishop O’Donnell Chapel at Holy Name Heights, 702 S. High Point Rd.
Deacon Lawrence is the son of Kenneth and Calista Oparaji of Angwan Fadama, Orozo, FCT, in Nigeria.They are members of St. Andrew Kagwa Parish, Orozo Abuja.
Deacon Lawrence’s home parish in the Diocese of Madison is St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, Madison.
He attended grade school in the Model Learning Center/Jikwoyi Phase II, and high school in the Federal government College/Keffi, Nasarawa.
His college studies were taken at the Dominican Institute Samonda Ibadan, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy and Religious Studies.
He studied at the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity, St. Paul, Minn., where he earned a Master of Divinity degree.
His intern experience took place at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Madison. His deacon placements were at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, Madison, and Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Parish, Sun Prairie.
His clinical pastoral experience was taken at Lakeview Hospital, Stillwater, Minn.
His first Mass of Thanksgiving will take place at St Thomas Aquinas Church, Madison, on Sunday, Feb. 23, at 1 p.m.
In reflecting on his ordination, Deacon Lawrence said, “I am humbled by the mere thought that God calls us to share in His Love according to our individual vocations. Just the mere thought that my human hands will be anointed and given a mandate to go out forgive sins, make Christ present in the Eucharist, and anoint the sick is just a great gift that I am thankful for.
“I pray (and ask you to please join me in praying) that I may not be a priest who speaks about Christ but one who truly strives daily to be Christ to everyone, to lay down my life, my plans, and whatever else gets in the way of loving and serving. To journey and to be with God’s people every step of the way be it in good, or bad times, sunny or rainy days. To love and serve them in truth, faith, and love.”
To view a livestream of the ordination, go to https://madisondiocese.org/event