by Barry de Silva
Fr Anselm Okeke is the Wauchope Parish Priest. He was ordained by Bishop Greg Homeming on 29 January 2018, and has served at parishes in Ballina, Coffs Harbour, and Tweed Heads. Catholic Life met with Fr Anselm to discuss his childhood in Nigeria, his first placement as a parish priest in Wauchope, and his famous jollof rice.
How do you like your coffee, Fr Anselm?
I enjoy a flat white.
Bishop Greg describes you as “a good man with a sense of humour who is very enthusiastic.” How has humour and enthusiasm helped your ministry?
I think it helps people relax. I want parishioners to know that faith and joy go together. I often say that if we are not happy at church, it’s hard to have a sense of heaven. Our sense of heaven begins here on earth, so I don’t like people coming to Mass looking like they’re going to see a dentist; I like them to be happy!
What was it like growing up in Nigeria?
I grew up in a place called Aguleri in Anambra state, in the southeastern region of Nigeria. The family home was almost directly opposite the parish church, which is now a Cathedral. Many of my childhood memories are centred on the church — my parents would send us there constantly, rather than out to the streets. I went to primary school nearby and later moved to the city to finish primary and then high school.
Was faith a central part of your family’s life?
Yes. My whole family was baptised in the parish church opposite our house, and faith was central to our family life. Living so close to the church meant we were always involved in parish activities.
What first attracted you to the priesthood?
I never had a single moment of feeling called. From childhood I heard the priest and the whole Mass from our house and loved the way they sang. I would go into my room and try to imitate their voices. That love for the liturgy and the life of the Church slowly drew me towards the priesthood.
“I don’t like people coming to Mass looking like they’re going to see a dentist; I like them to be happy!”
What eventually led you to Australia?
I was training as a missionary with the Claretian missionaries for six years, and I always wanted to serve where there was need. After attending World Youth Day in Cologne in 2005, I started exploring life as a missionary overseas. A friend had a pamphlet for a diocese in Australia, which led me to apply. I first joined a religious community in Wagga Wagga, and eventually I was accepted by the Diocese of Lismore in 2014. I see all of this as divine providence rather than my own plan.
You’ve served in different corners of our diocese. What stands out to you from those roles?
I served as a deacon at Tweed Heads, where the people were very generous and helped prepare me for ordination. After that I moved to Coffs Harbour with Fr Peter Padsungay, in a very multicultural parish. There I helped start a multicultural Mass on Pentecost, which has continued. Later I moved with Fr Peter to Ballina, where I spent about five years and grew very close to the community. Now I’m a parish priest at Wauchope.
It seemed you had a good relationship with Fr Peter at the Ballina parish?
Working with Fr Peter was a blessing. He gave me the freedom to explore ideas and do my best for the community. I often say Ballina is one of the places in the diocese where I can always go and know I’ll have a place to sleep — that’s how at home I feel there.
Now you have your first placement as a parish priest at Wauchope. How has it been so far?
Wauchope is a growing parish with a lot of vitality as more people move into the area. The whole community has been very hospitable and welcoming. I’m especially grateful for our primary school, St Joseph’s, which I like to call the best in the diocese! Getting the children involved — like at our recent Christmas Mass with carols and nativity — has been a great joy and a strong link between parish and families.
“Wauchope is a growing parish with a lot of vitality as more people move into the area. The whole community has been very hospitable and welcoming.”
Away from the priesthood what do you enjoy doing?
I enjoy cooking. Often, I just go into the kitchen without a fixed plan and something good still comes out! I also love watching soccer, especially my team Chelsea.
I hear you have a signature dish?
I have a strong affection for Nigerian jollof rice. I cooked it for a celebration in Ballina and have been slowly getting more people trying it. I usually serve it with chicken or eggs.
Is there a book, movie, or album that has impacted you?
The Sound of Music has had a big impact on me. I can watch it again and again. It tells a beautiful story about vocation and how we might plan one path for ourselves, but God’s plan ultimately prevails. I also love classical and choral music, especially Handel’s Messiah and works by Joseph Haydn. In terms of reading, I have enjoyed the autobiographies by Fulton Sheen and Martin Luther King Jr.
Finally, is there a scriptural story that has inspired you?
John 3:16 is particularly important to me. I see it as a summary of the whole Gospel and of why we do what we do. It reminds us that everything begins with God’s love, fully revealed in Jesus Christ, even when people struggle to understand or accept that love.
