This year, New Mexico area priest Father Charles Ugochukwu is celebrating 25 years since being ordained. Ugochukwu has become a staple of the community and reflected on his time as a priest in an interview.
When asked about why he became a priest, he said that he looked up to priests in his hometown back in Nigeria and always wanted to be a priest growing up. In the end, he said, it's all about serving God the best way that he can.
Over the course of 25 years, his journey brought him to New Mexico. The New Mexico archbishop connected with his bishop in Nigeria, looking for devoted priests to serve in Santa Fe. Now, he's been here for over nine years.
Father Charles Ugochukqu
| Provided
Ugochukwu went to seminary school for theological studies, graduating in June of 1996, and was ordained as a priest in August of the same year.
He spoke about what it means to be a priest and what is important to him as a man of god. He implored others to learn about the sacraments and wanted people in the community to know that he is always available.
At the moment, Ugochukwu serves over 2,000 families as a priest. He says that there are many challenges that come along with serving that many people, including the lack of sufficient time to do so. However, he knows that his work is important and that he does it in the service of Christ. He said, "We try our best."
As for future plans? Ugochukwu stressed the importance of bringing young people back to church. He said that the level of youth involvement in the church is trending downward, but he has a plan to help bring them back. He said that the best thing he can do is work with family units and connect with young people in that way.