Curriculum Vitae
REV FR JULIUS O. ABUH, PhD
Rev. Fr. Julius O. Abuh is a native of Ejule in Ofu Local Government area of Kogi State. He was born at the Grimard hospital, Anyigba, Kogi State, into the family of Mr. Alfred N. Abuh and Mrs. Martha Abuh. Fr. Abuh had his early education at St. Martin’s Primary school, Ejule, 1973 – 1979 and Government Secondary School, Dekina, 1979 – 1984. In 1984, Rev. Fr. Julius was admitted into St. Augustine Major Seminary, Jos, by the late Bishop Ephraim S. Obot in preparation for the Catholic priesthood. In 1989, while at the seminary, he obtained a Diploma in Religious Studies from the University Of Ibadan, Oyo State. In 1991, he graduated from the seminary and was ordained a Deacon on the 29th of June on the Solemnity of SS Peter Paul and Paul by Bishop Ephraim S. Obot. Rev. Fr. Julius Abuh was ordained a Priest on July 18, 1992.
Rev. Father Julius Abuh has since his ordination 26 years ago dedicated his life to the service of the Catholic Church. He worked as an Associate Priest at SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Egume, in 1992 and St. Joseph Catholic Church, Anyigba, in 1993. He was later appointed Parish Priest at Holy Cross Catholic Church, Dekina, from 1994 to 1996. During this time, he served in the diocesan Curia with the Bishop and his collaborators as a member of various committees and commissions in the diocese, some of which included the Diocesan Pastoral Council, Ecumenical/Religious Dialogue Committee, Diocesan Justice and Peace Commission, Liturgical Commission and Diocesan Catechetical Commission for Evangelizers (Catechists).
In August 1996, Rev. Father Julius was given the opportunity to leave for studies in Rome by the Bishop E. S. Obot. Thus, Fr. Abuh left the Holy Cross Parish, Dekina, for the Angelicum University, Rome, . Fr. Julius consolidated his theological education with a Licentiate in Sacred Theology from Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas in Rome in 1998 and a Doctorate degree in Sacred Theology, February 9th, 2001. His Doctoral Thesis was “Ex Umbris et Imaginibus in veritatem: The Universal Call to Holiness in the Life and Writings of John Henry Newman.” John Henry Newman was an Oratorian Priest, he lived between 21 February 1801 – 11 August 1890. He was a poet and theologian, but first an Anglican priest and later a Catholic priest and Cardinal. John Henry Newman was an important and controversial figure in the religious history of England in the 19th century. His writings are still as relevant today as they were in the mid-1800s.
While in Rome and especially during the summer holidays, Father Julius had the privilege of experiencing different parish certain in different dioceses throughout Italy, England, Germany, Switzerland, France, Spain, Malta, Gibraltar and in the United States of America. While in the Diocese of Rockville Centre in the United States of America he had the opportunity to participate in a “Virtus Seminar” organized by the Office for the Protection of Children and Young People in the Church of St. Matthew, Dix Hills, New York. Upon his return home in July 2001, he served briefly for six months as a parish priest at the Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Imane, as a Parish Priest and was later sent by the late Bishop Ephraim S. Obot to the Provincial Senior Seminary in Makurdi as a formator and spiritual director. He taught Spiritual Theology, Mariology, and Introduction to Psychology as well as Counseling Psychology.
After ten years in the Provincial Major Seminary, Bishop Ephraim S. Obot requested that, Rev. Fr. Julius be sent to participate in a Program for postulators organized by Vatican in the Sacred Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome, from January to March 2010 to February 2011. On completion of these studies from the Vatican, Bishop Anthony Adaji gave him his blessing to proceed on a sabbatical leave. With Father Abuh’s desire to increase his pastoral experience after so many years of academics, he embarked on ministering in the Diocese of Knoxville, USA, thanks to Bishop Stika, the Local Ordinary.
His first assignment upon arrival was a priest in residence at St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut, Tennessee. On March 15, 2012, Bishop Stika appointed him Parochial Administrator and subsequently Pastor of St. Therese Church in Clinton, Tennessee. Concurrently, he was appointed by Bishop Stika to work at the Diocesan Chancery with him as Vice Chancellor of Special Projects for the Diocese Knoxville. In 2013 he was additionally assigned to be Parochial Administrator and later Pastor at St. Joseph Parish, Norris, Tennessee. With effect from July First, 2018 Rev. Father Julius’ new home will be St. Joseph the Worker parish in Madisonville, Tennessee where he has been appointed as Pastor by Bishop Stika.
In addition to his pastoral work as Parish Priest, Rev. Father Julius has held several leadership positions at national, provincial and diocesan levels some of which included the Head of Department of Spiritual Directors, STAMS, Makurdi from 2002 to 2009, Chairman, Diocesan Vocations Committee from 2006 to 2008, President, National Association of Spiritual Directors of Catholic Major Seminaries and Male Houses of Formation in Nigeria from 2008 – 2011, and Fourth Degree Knight Of Columbus, Myrtle Beach, S.C. sub council. Currently, he is the Chaplain of the Knights Of Columbus 3500 Assembly.
When he is not on pastoral duties, Rev. Fr. Julius enjoys his quiet times reading books, especially biographies of Saints and listening to classical and country music. His recreational hobbies include watching soccer, tennis and a newfound passion for American Football. Father Okai speaks Igala, English, Spanish and Italian fluently. In addition, he has a passable knowledge of German, Greek and Latin.