By Katie Vasquez
On a spring day, you might see Deacon Callistus Ibeh enjoying a bike ride.
After nine years of formation, Deacon Ibeh is taking on his next journey: becoming a priest. It’s a path he started at just eight-years-old in Nigeria.
“I guess it is a desire that was built into me, by God, obviously, but also through my family,” he told Currents News. “I was raised in a very faithful family. My grandfather, actually, was a catechist. and my mom got her faith, obviously, through him,” said Deacon Ibeh.
In his hometown, faith was the center of his life with the entire community coming together for the Lord.
“There’s nothing as beautiful as you wake up on Sunday and everybody knows what day it is. It’s Sunday, you got to go to church,” he explained. “And everybody just goes to church and comes back, and so my life kind of revolved around the church and school and also my community growing up. “
Deacon Ibeh lived in a rectory in his home country, which he believes helped in his discernment.
“That actually opened the way for me because I was able to see the inner life of the priest, you know, not just on the altar, but also what he’s done with the Mass. What does he do after mass?” he said..
Over the years, he says his vocation never wavered because he knew this is where he belonged.
“The Lord continues to show me different ways, you know, little things to show me that yes, He wants me here,” the told Currents News. “And I just have to keep trusting him.”
Deacon Ibeh finished his diaconate assignment at Queen of Angels Church in Sunnyside, Queens. He doesn’t know where he will be assigned as a priest but he hopes to bring more people back to the pews, so they can have the same passion for Christ as he does.
“There’s nothing like knowing that you have God right next to you, right? Just who you can always talk to as a friend and who you can always approach at any time,” he said.