History Of St. Rita

St. Rita’s Catholic Church is located in Unity Estate Mararaba, which was then part of the larger Nimco Estate, Mararaba-Gurku, Nasarawa State. Formerly an outstation of St. John of the Cross Parish, Mararaba, the Church started in October, 2002 through the instrumentality of Bro. John Egbebor Awori , the then Catechist of the mother Parish and with the blessing of the then Parish Priest and current Prior Provincial of the Augustinian Order in Nigeria, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Kangyep (OSA).

First Service

Having made the acquaintance of some members of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Group and a few Catholic faithful, and with the permission of the then Parish Priest, Catechist John Awori, on Sunday, 13th October, 2002, conducted the first Church service in the premises of one Mr. Michael Onunkwor, whom till date continues to be one of the worshippers in the Church.

First Mass

The service was attended by seventeen (17) adults and five (5) children. The adults were mostly members of the Catholic Charismatic renewal Group from the then St. John’s Parish Mararaba. For five weeks the Sunday services, all conducted by Catechist Awori, were held in Mr. Onunkwor’s House. Thereafter, on November 24, 2002, the first Holy Mass by the Church was celebrated by Fr. Hyacinth Kangyep in the same premises. Nineteen (19) communicants received the Holy Communion during that Historic Mass.

Naming the Church

The name, St. Rita, was arrived at through a democratic process. In the course of the first Holy Mass, the Parish Priest had put the question as to what was to be the name of the fledgling Church, to which a member whose name was Rita immediately responded: St. Rita, to the applause of all present. The Church thereafter became known as St. Rita’s Catholic Church, Nimco Estate, Mararaba on 24th November, 2002.

Erection of a Temporary Place of Worship

Six weeks after the commencement of the Church, one of the pioneer members of the young Church, who later became the first Church Council Chairman, Mr. Greg Orhungul, availed the Church of his piece of land, which was centrally located, for the construction of a temporary place of worship, pending when the Church would acquire its own land.

Movement to the Permanent Site:

With the great support and guidance of the Augustinians, the Church, which was now increasing in population, In 2008, acquired ten (10) plots of land in recently Christened Unity Estate, part of the larger Nimco Estate, along Old Karu Road, Mararaba and built another temporary structure. The movement to the new site took place with great fanfare on Palm Sunday in 2008, with a procession of the congregation from the old site to the new site.

Strategic Plan, 2010-2015

In 2010, members of the Church developed and adopted a five-year strategic plan to guide its spiritual and physical development (attached). The Plan encapsulated its Vision and Mission Statements as well as its Core Values. After a SWOT Analysis, it identified six (6) Strategic Objectives and related activities with timelines to achieve these objectives. Some of these objectives have, to date, been achieved.

Priest’s Residence

The Strategic Plan put the timeline for the building of the Priest’s residence at between January 2012 and January 2013. However, with the announcement of making the Church an independent mission, it was reasoned that this be front-loaded. The ground breaking and foundation laying ceremony was thus conducted amidst great pomp and circumstance by the Parish Priest, Father Emmanuel Patrick, on Sunday, December 12, 2010.

Church Building

The Strategic Plan also put the timeline for building the permanent Church Building at between October 2010 and February 2015. However, with the channelling of resources to the building of the more urgent Priest’s residence, action on this has been stalled. The current Church building is a temporary structure, which, in the meantime, can be said to be serving its purpose.

 Parish Priests till Date

The Church has enjoyed the unequalled leadership of five Parish Priests, supported by a team of Priests, who served the church when it was an outstation of St. John’s Parish Mararaba. The names of the Parish Priests are:

Fr. Hyacinth Kangyep (OSA)

Fr. Emmanuel Oramah (OSA)

Fr. Peter Medugu (OSA)

Fr. John Okoro (OSA)

Fr. Emmanuel Patrick (OSA)

Creation of St. Rita Independent Mission

On 11th February, 2012, His Lordship, Most Rev. Dr. Matthew Ishaya Audu, during the closing Mass of the first Diocesan Synod announced the creation of St. Rita Catholic Church, Unity Estate, Mararaba as an independent Mission. He then appointed Rev. Fr. Stanley Aroh as the pioneer Parish Priest.

Although St. Rita Mission was supposed to take off on Thursday 1st March, 2012, it was delayed by two days due to some logistic issues. it finally took off on 3rd of March, 2012 with the arrival of the Parish priest designate with all the challenges associated with pioneering and setting up structures. He served for seven years.

He was succeeded by Rev. Fr. Jude Maigari on 15th August, 2019. He has been serving till date. However, after working alone for seven months a new assistant was appointed to work with him. The newly appointed assistant Rev. Fr. Jeremiah Bature was appointed on the 1st of February, 2020. The two have been working harmoniously until date. their collaboration has brought about spiritual and physical growth in the parish.

SUBSATANTIVE PARISH PRIEST

1. Rev. Fr. Stanley Aroh 1st parish priest From 2012 – 2019

2. Rev. Fr. Jude Maigari 2nd Parish priest From 2019 – till date