HOLY GHOST PARISH, ABEDA

Ugba Deanery

P. O. Box 657, Katsina-Ala Benue State, Nigeria

Parish Priest:               Fr ANKWAGH Justin

Phone No:

E-mail:

Parish Catechist:         Mr UKURA Simon

Phone No:                   08078251376

What is now Holy Ghost Parish Abeda was part of All Saints Parish, Tsenge-Ugba between 1972 – 1984. During this period, the area which made up of the present Abeda Parish was under Anyiin zone.

Fr. Grooves of the Holy Ghost Congregation came to Abeda, requested for land and started building the parish. The central Church which is Holy Ghost Abeda was one of the most viable churches in the area at that time, was established in 1966.  27th October 1984 remains memorable as it marked the arrival of Fr. Grooves CSSp officially to Abeda Catholic Church to assume duties as the parish priest. Late Most Rev. Dr. Donald Murray the then Bishop of Makurdi diocese elevated the zone to an autonomous parish.

The area covered by the parish at the time of creation include: Gaambe-Tiev 1 district, Gbeji in Ukum LGA, Gaambe-Tiev II and Saghev in Guma LGA.

In order to ease evangelism, the parish was demarcated into 4 zones: Abeda, Anyiin, Rivers, and Southern zones. The parish passed through various priests and also witnessed a tremendous development, spiritually, educationally and in health care services.

The parish, during the period under review continued to multiply in the population of practicing Catholics and this saw the creation of Anyiin parish from Abeda, and St. Gabriel’s Quasi Parish Tsavnum of Saghev in Guma Local Government Area in 2013. The parish now has ten (10) zones. With forty-eight (48) churches including the parish headquarter, Abeda. It also has five (5) catechists and fifty-five (55) voluntary catechists.