L'Effort Camerounais (English Version): St. Thomas Aquinas’ Major Seminary, Bambui-Bamenda now has new Rector

Interviewed by Jude Abanseka

According to decree No 3906/11 of August 14, 2011, from the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, Rome, the Congregation Prefect, representing the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has appointed the Very Rev. Fr. Ignatius Salah Waindim, the new Rector of St. Thomas Aquinas’ Major Seminary, STAMS, Bambui, Bamenda. The 7th Rector of STAMS takes over from Mgr. Agapitus Nfon, who was since Friday April 8, 2011 appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Bamenda. L'Effort Camerounais had a chat with Rev. Fr. Ignatius Waindim, who until his appointment was Chancellor of Bamenda Archdiocese. Read on:

Father, how did you receive the news you have been appointed Rector of St. Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary Bambui?

We all knew there was the need for a new Rector at the Major Seminary in Bambui when the Auxiliary Bishop of Bamenda was appointed from there. The Bishops of the Ecclesiastical Province of Bamenda had to look for a new Rector. They consulted among themselves and my name featured among the likely candidates for that office. The necessary investigations were made; the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples approved of the choice and issued the decree of appointment on August 14, 2011. I was notified about this appointment on Saturday, September 10, 2011 and in humble and filial obedience to the decision of the Church, I accepted the appointment.

Do you think you are up to the task?
I have no special personal endowments that would make me think that I am, humanly speaking, up to the task. No one takes this honour upon himself, but when the Church deems it necessary she picks on one of her sons and entrusts him with a duty and a responsibility, knowing that the Lord, who calls at every moment, will always be close by to lend the necessary assistance in the fulfilment of the mission in question. In fact, in the letter addressed to me from Rome, the Prefect states, among other things: "Nurturing the hope that you will be able to meet the expectations placed upon you, this Dicastery, from this very moment, entrusts your new mission to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and assures you of its pastoral care." As Scriptures say, "If the Lord does not build the house, in vain do the builders labour. If the Lord does not watch over the city, in vain do its watchmen keep vigil." I depend wholeheartedly on the grace of God and on the intercession of our Blessed Mother.

So what are the criteria for appointing a priest as Rector of a major seminary?
There are certainly many criteria, but the first is that the person should be a priest duly formed and validly ordained. Maybe speaking specifically about what is required of the entire Formation Team in the Seminary would answer your question in a more appropriate way. In his Post Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Pastores Dabo Vobis, Blessed Pope John Paul II says among other things: "The task of formation of candidates for the priesthood requires not only a certain preparation of those to whom this work is entrusted, one that is professional, pedagogical, spiritual, human and theological, but also a spirit of communion and of cooperating together to carry out the programme, so that the unity of the pastoral action of the seminary is always maintained under the rector's leadership. The body of formation personnel should witness to a truly evangelical lifestyle and total dedication to the Lord. It should enjoy stability, and its members, as a rule, should live in the seminary community. They should be intimately joined to the Bishop, who is the first one responsible for the formation of the priests" (PDV, 66).

Are there some changes you will like to introduce or are you just going to maintain the status quo?
I have no changes to bring. In fact no one ever introduces changes on seminary formation in an arbitrary manner. The Church has a well laid out programme of formation of her priests and every Seminary works in very close collaboration with the appropriate Congregations and Decasteries in Rome. There are clear directives with regard to what should be done, and that is why a priest trained in any truly Catholic Seminary can operate and function anywhere in the world.

Father, what is your take on the thought that once appointed Rector the chances of being appointed Bishop in later years become very high?

Forget it! That is pure speculation and wishful thinking. I am not saying that it has not happened and cannot happen. But being a Rector is not ipso facto being placed on the road to becoming a Bishop. Bishops are appointed by the Church according to need; and there are many former Rectors of Seminaries who never aspired to become Bishops and who remain good, dedicated, faithful and holy priests. To everyone is given his portion and that is where one is required to give maximum output.

Has a new Chancellor for Bamenda Archdiocese been appointed yet?
Not as I speak to you. However, the Archbishop will decide which priest to appoint as his new Chancellor.

When do you officially take up duty in STAMS?
As Rector of STAMS I have already taken up my duty and I am already going about the work entrusted to me.

Biography

Rev. Fr. Ignatius Salah Waindim is the third child in a family of seven. He was born in Nkambe on July 20, 1961. He attended St. Anthony's Catholic School Njinikom from 1967 to June 1974, at the end of which he continued to Bishop Rogan College Small Soppo Buea where he did his secondary and high school studies. He then proceeded to St. Thomas Aquinas' Major Seminary, Bambui from September 1981 to June 1988. The Right Reverend Cornelius Fontem Esua, then Bishop of Kumbo, ordained him Deacon on October 31, 1987, and on April 6, 1988, the then Archbishop of Bamenda, Most Reverend Paul Verdzekov, ordained him priest for Bamenda Archdiocese.

Since he was ordained, he has had several pastoral appointments- Curate of St. Joseph's Parish, Bafut from August 1988 to August 1990. He served in the Diocese of Portsmouth from June - September 1993. He was Vicar General concomitant with teaching in the Seminary, from November 1, 2000 to January 23, 2006. He was a Member of the Archdiocesan College of Consultors from February 6, 2006 to February 6, 2011. From August 16, 2006 till date, Chancellor and Archbishop's Secretary concomitant with teaching in the Seminary. He was also an Ex-officio Member of the Archdiocesan Presbyteral Council. He was Secretary General of the Bamenda Provincial Episcopal Conference, BAPEC, from August 1999 to August 2009. He has been teaching in St. Thomas Aquinas' Major Seminary, Bambui, from October 10, 1994 till date.