Yellowknife (Dec 24/04) - In a land virtually barren of Roman Catholic preachers, the ordination of a new deacon is an important event, said Diocese of the Mackenzie Bishop Denis Croteau.

For Matthew Ihuoma, it was a day he'll never forget.

"This is a very significant day in my life," he said shortly after being ordained a Roman Catholic deacon at St. Patrick's Parish, Sunday. "I've been training for the priesthood for 11 years."

At the youthful age of 29, Ihuoma will now return home to St. Paul's University in Ottawa to complete his theology studies. In May, he will be back in the NWT, this time to be ordained a priest and accept the responsibility for Inuvik's famous Iglu Church.

"I look forward to many years ahead living with the people in the North," he said.

Although his southern colleagues joke about devoting one's life to serving God in a "deep freeze," Ihuoma is not daunted, preferring to see himself as a continuation of Northern history.

"I'm not coming to transform this place," Ihuoma said. "I'm coming as a missionary, just like the last 150 years."

"I hope to accomplish whatever God wants me to do," he said. "Whatever God wants to accomplish through me I will be very much disposed."

Stepping into a Nigerian seminary at the age of 18, Ihuoma's path to the North has not been without challenges.

"As a teenager, I didn't want to be a priest," he explained.

After attending a Catholic high school in his hometown of Ntigha, the now-deacon's family had expected him to become an engineer. It was not until after graduation, he said, that he began to study the Bible more and more, feeling his true calling was a life devoted to God.

"To convince my dad would not be easy. I don't come from a culture where you just wake up and decide to do this," he said, noting that in his background, important decisions are communal and involve all members of the family.

As expected, his mother and father, both Catholics, denied the request.

"So I asked God to help me convince my parents," he said.

Shortly thereafter, divine intervention, or a well-worded argument, helped convince the family matriarch that his conscience and motives were pure. Mom then took on the task of winning over dad.

Work with sick and destitute

In 1993, Ihuoma was accepted into the Oblates of St. Joseph. He would spend the next six years obtaining his bachelor's degree in philosophy, a requirement for priesthood, and working with the sick and destitute in Ghana. "This challenged me so much," he said.

Until he decided serving the poor and downtrodden was not for him.

"It was not what I was seeking."

Upon his return to secular life was a stint with the Defense of Life International (DLI), educating young Africans about abstinence, before he found himself executive assistant to one of the leaders of the ruling political party in Nigeria. It was a test to cope with people for whom money and politics were their world view, he said.

"It was a good experience to use my faith background to influence some important decisions," he said.

Moral and sexual decadence were at the highest level and money was being squandered.

"It wasn't a place I felt I should be, but it was an eye-opener," he said.

But once again, it was time to move on.

After nine months of being witness to depravity, he was back with DLI, this time in Jamaica. But his politician boss still calls him to this day, however, requesting special prayers.

It was in Jamaica where Ihuoma heard of the Diocese of the Mackenzie and its need for men of the cloth.

"In the North we are very short on priests," said Croteau, who performed Ihuoma's ordination and will be his spiritual leader.

The Mackenzie diocese is home to 38 Catholic missions, but only nine priests work in the area Croteau said. Most of whom are over 70 years old.

After a thorough check of Ihuoma's exemplary references, Croteau invited the young man to complete his studies in Canada and come to work in the North.

"He's a young addition with youthful enthusiasm," said Croteau."And he will be able to help the people build a big community."

Croteau and Ihuoma will perform Christmas mass at St. Patrick's Parish, the first time in the bishop's 18-year tenure.

"That is quite different and will be very special for the community," said St. Patrick's parish priest Joe Daley.

Celibacy and obedience

Challenges still exist for Ihuoma. Part of the ordination process is the vow to remain celibate and obey his bishop.

"It's not going to be without struggle," said the 29-year-old deacon. "There's no magic in it. I am still Matthew the human being. I must still grapple with my problems," he said.

"I ask God to give me strength when needed."

The decision to devote his life to God and forego marriage is, for him, a return to his communal background.

"Being celibate helps you to focus on others," he said.

It's this cultural upbringing and communal philosophy he hopes will inspire the young population of the North.

"My model of the church and the way I look at it is the church as a family," he said. "I want young people to feel welcome when they come to the church."

So far, this youth-centred focus has worked.

Ihuoma now leads a successful faith-based group for students at Ottawa's Carleton University.

"Young people like me are asking for meaning in life," he said, noting a resurgence in youth participation in church-based activities after a 30-year decline. "I believe that is what young people want, they seek direction. They want to know evil is evil and good is good."

With God at his side, Ihuoma hopes his straight-forward and energetic style of ministering will help to provide some of that direction.