Pope Francis Hails Nigeria’s Bigard Memorial Major Seminary for “invaluable service to the Church, society”

“In a particular way, recognizing the ongoing challenges in Nigeria, I encourage you to be the heralds of the Lord's great mercy, working for reconciliation among all your brothers and sisters, helping to ease the burden of the poor and those who in need, and adopting as your own God's style of closeness, compassion, and tender love,” the Holy Father said.

He assured the leadership of Bigard Memorial Major Seminary of his “spiritual closeness as you give thanks for the many ways in which Almighty God has blessed the Seminary over these 100 years.”

“With gratitude for the tireless efforts of our mentors, past and present, in forming Priests to serve the Church in Nigeria and beyond, I invoke upon all of you an abundance of the Lord's gifts, and I send my blessing as a pledge of joy and peace in Christ, the Good Shepherd,” the Holy Father implored.

Bigard Memorial Major Seminary in Enugu was founded in Onitsha in 1922 and officially opened in 1924. It was moved to the current location in Southeastern Nigeria in 1951. 

It was named after benefactors Stephanie and Jeanne Bigard, French mother and daughter, foundresses of the Pontifical Society of St. Peter the Apostle, who donated the funds for the main building.

In 1982, St. Pope John Paul II visited Bigard Memorial Major Seminary, the first Nigerian Seminary to receive such a guest. 

In another goodwill message, Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, the Pro-Prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Evangelization, has lauded Bigard Memorial Major Seminary for “enriching the Church and society, both in Nigeria and abroad, with spiritual guidance, academic excellence, pastoral fruitfulness, and cultural engagement.”

Cardinal Tagle said, “Seminary formation goes beyond intellectual development. It aims to cultivate the heart, the sacred space where a true encounter with Jesus occurs. I urge those entrusted with formation to ensure that the Seminary becomes a sanctuary of deep conversion and intimate encounters with the heart of Christ.”

“By fostering an environment where the heart is nurtured with ardent faith in Christ and unwavering love for his Church, Bigard Memorial Seminary becomes not only a center of learning, but also a cradle for profound spiritual growth,” he said.

The Vatican-based Filipino Cardinal, who started his Episcopal Ministry in December 2001 as the Bishop of Imus in the Philippines said.

He urged the leadership of the Nigerian Seminary to continue ensuring that Seminarians grow in faith and love for the Church, producing “not only scholars but also saints and compassionate shepherds.”

“As you look forward to the future, I encourage you to uphold and build upon the great legacy that you have inherited from your forebears,” the Catholic Church leader, who was elevated Cardinal in November 2012 further said. 

Meanwhile, in his speech during the November 21 event, the Apostolic Nuncio in Nigeria lauded the Nigerian Major Seminary for giving the Church personnel. 

“This seminary, through its illustrious history, has provided Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops, and thousands of Priests for service in Nigeria and throughout the world. It is very much part of the Universal Church, and for that reason, it gives me great joy to be here,” Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty said.

The Irish-born Vatican diplomat added, “We commemorate 100 years of Bigard, not necessarily to look back but to look forward.”

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On his part, the President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, described the centenary celebrations as “a landmark in the annals of the Bigard Memorial Seminary.”

“It is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes,” Archbishop Ugorji said, referring to Psalm 118.

The Local Ordinary of Nigeria’s Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri added, “Like the mustard seed, Bigard Memorial Seminary had a humble beginning, but over the years, it has grown, flourished, and flowered in the production of eminent Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops, Priests, and hosts of faithful in various walks of life.”

“May Bigard continue to grow and flourish as a house of formation of holy, seasoned, and dedicated Priests,” he implored.