I am the second son and the last born of the seven children born to my parents, Mr. Innocent Ihemedu (91 years old) and Mrs. Cecilia Ihemedu (85 years old). My parents and siblings live in Nigeria.

I have always believed that a life that does not touch another life in a positive way is a wasted life. This value set, of making a humane difference in the lives of others, came from my parents. Early in life, they taught my siblings and me that for many the hope of “being and becoming” a valued community member depends on the ability to respond. For father, imparting knowledge is one crucial way to unlock the doors of opportunities. This is what motivated him to pursue a career in education and teaching and to encourage his children when they chose to follow likewise. Except for mother who worked at home, everyone in my family is a career educator of some sort. It is the same underlying philosophy of touching hearts and changing lives, that moved me to discern a path that joins the human spiritual ministry through a vocation in the Catholic priesthood with a pursuit of further service through counselor education and counseling psychology.

My Dear Friends,

I have been a priest in Torrington for seven years, five as your pastor. My predecessor, Father Tiano, was your pastor for seven years. For twelve years, there has been a sense of some stability. Father Tiano, of course, arrived in the midst of a storm. Beginning in 2006, after the three priests left Torrington, Father Tiano, Father Romans and Father Lavorgna took over, with Father Gustavo Lopez remaining behind to help with the Spanish speaking community. Eventually, Father Romans left and Father Carlson came in. Then Father Carlson and Father Lavorgna went from four priests to three.

My Dear Friends,

As most of you heard last week, I have been reassigned. Next Monday, August 20th, I begin my new assignment as pastor at St. Katherine Drexel Parish in New Britain. It consists of the two former parishes, St. Maurice and St. Jerome. I arrived in Torrington on August 1st, 2011, as an assistant to Father Tiano. Two years later, in July 2013, I was named administrator, soon to be followed by pastor in 2014. In those five years, the cluster went through many changes, the most destabilizing change being the closing of two parishes, and the merging of the four Torrington Catholic churches into St. John Paul the Great Parish.

My Dear Friends,

In today’s Gospel, Jesus says that He is the Bread of Life. It is a continuation from last week’s Gospel when Jesus fed the five thousand with the loaves and fish. It is also in preparation for the continuation of the important chapter six of the Gospel of John where Jesus will flesh out His comment on being the Bread of Life. The importance of chapter six cannot be minimized or disregarded. Jesus speaks plainly to His disciples and those who are following Him. “What can you do?” they ask Him. Moses gave them manna, but Jesus responds that is was not Moses, but rather His Father who gives them true bread from heaven.