Port Harcourt, March 7, 2025  

In a reaffirmation of its heritage as an epicentre of Catholic intellectualism and spiritual depth, the Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA), Port Harcourt, has once again demonstrated its unrelenting commitment to holistic education. Against the solemn backdrop of Lent and on the feast of the Holy Martyrs, Perpetua and Felicity, the institution hosted a deeply immersive Lenten retreat, a moment of soul-searching, spiritual recalibration, and ecclesiastical fortification.  

CIWA, whose motto Semper Agens, Semper Quietus—Always Active, Always Quiet—remains a lodestar for theological and allied disciplinary inquiry, structured the retreat in a manner that mirrored the wisdom of St. Francis de Sales: “Every vocation must find its own path to holiness.” With this in mind, the retreat unfolded in a tripartite manner, catering distinctly to students, non-academic staff, and the academic faculty, ensuring that each cadre encountered God within the rhythms of their respective callings.  

The students in Obehie Campus, steered by Fr. Francis Lucky, a licentiate scholar in the Department of Spiritual Theology, were led through an intricate spiritual journey tailored to the unique struggles of intellectual pursuit within the halls of academia.  The Postgraduate  Students in Port Harcourt Campus had Fr. William Ozuluonye, a priest of Awka Diocese and researcher in Communication Department as their retreat moderator. The non-academic staff, often the unsung custodians of institutional stability, were guided by Fr. William Peter Cletus Abai, a priest of the Diocese of  Kanfachan and a Master's student  Communication Studies Department, who animated their retreat with profound insights on faith in the workplace. Meanwhile, the academic staff, immersed in the contemplative depths of theological engagement, found themselves under the tutelage of Very Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Okogwa of the Diocese of Uromi, a revered authority in Catholic Social Doctrine. With the theme “Humbling Working with Christ”, anchored on Pope St. John Paul II’s *Laborem Exercens, the retreat examined the intersection between labour and divine vocation, urging scholars to perceive their work as an extension of the sacred.  Work, he said, though a difficult good, is  a vocation of service to God and humanity. 

The spiritual exercise reached its crescendo in an atmosphere thick with prayer, punctuated by prolonged meditation, a penitential service, Euchariastic  Adoration, the Stations of the Cross, and the Holy Mass. At the sharing moment, the Rector, Very Rev. Fr. Prof. Jude Abidemi Asanbe, made a remark  that echoed beyond the walls of CIWA, affirming that “the fruits of this retreat will continue to manifest in the life and apostolates of the retreatants.” His words echoed with an urgency that underscored the transformative power of authentic spiritual reflection.  

Yet, as one spiritual engagement concluded, the intellectual machinery of CIWA surged forward. Final-year students are now bracing for the rigors of Pre-Field Defenses and while other students gravitate  toward Industrial Training (I.T.) Report presentations, particularly  those in Mass Communication, reinforcing the institute’s unyielding academic standards.  

Meanwhile, the anticipation is palpable as CIWA prepares to coalesce with the University of Calabar for the 2025 Convocation Ceremonies, even as meticulous groundwork is being laid for one of the institution’s most awaited annual events—Theology Week, slated for April 7–11, 2025. This year’s theme, “Theology, Artificial Intelligence, and Human Hope,” is poised to spark high-calibre discourse on the intricate dance between cutting-edge technology and theological anthropology. The conclave will once again assemble an ensemble of distinguished scholars, theologians, and thought leaders from within and beyond Africa, converging in an intellectual symphony that CIWA has perfected over the years.  

As has become tradition, the grand finale will be nothing short of a cultural mosaic, showcasing the vast and vibrant heritage of West Africa through an exhibition of traditional attires, cuisines, and artistic expressions. To be absent from this event is not just to miss a gathering but to forgo an experience of rare intellectual and cultural synthesis.  

CIWA, ever the beacon of scholarship and sanctity, continues to stand at the intersection where the town meets the gown, and the gown ascends towards the crown.