faculty FOCUS

FATHER NONSO OHANAKA Chaplain

Father Nonso Ohanaka joined our faculty as Chaplain of Pope John Paul II Preparatory School in the summer of 2022, and he quickly ingratiated himself with our community as he was seen joining the cross country team for a run around campus, cheering for the Knights on the sidelines of many athletic events, and working with Campus Ministry to deepen the experiences and opportunities students, faculty, and parents have to explore their faith life on campus.

Father Ohanaka grew up as the eldest of five children. He has always been Catholic, and faith played a big part in his life growing up. He was born in Nigeria, and he and his family moved to Nashville when he was five years old. He attended middle school at a boarding school in Nigeria and returned to Nashville after his sophomore year of high school. He attended Stratford STEM Magnet for his junior year and graduated from MNPS Middle College High School. Fr. Ohanaka attended Austin Peay for a year as a physics major before starting the seminary application process with the Diocese of Nashville. Fr. Ohanaka graduated from the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio in 2018 with a Bachelor of Philosophy degree. He then earned a Master of Divinity degree from Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology in St. Meinrad, Indiana in 2022. Fr. Nonso Ohanaka was ordained on May 28, 2022 at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Nashville.

Will you share your experience with your calling to the priesthood?

The priesthood was something I had considered before I moved back to the United States.

I was fascinated by the Mass and the role of the priest. This initial interest grew when I returned to Nigeria in middle school, where there were many more Catholics than I was used to seeing. While there, I gained a deeper appreciation for the liturgy and brought that zeal with me when I returned to the States. In fact, the call was part of the reason I didn’t finish high school in Nigeria.

In my sophomore year, my father called me and asked if I was still interested in the priesthood and where I felt called to serve. From my perspective, Nigeria had an abundance of priests, while faith seemed to be an afterthought for most people I had met in the States, so I felt called to be a missionary of sorts. This led me to return to the States a little earlier than I had planned.

I had wanted to go to seminary after high school, but my parents wanted me to have a backup plan in case that didn’t work out. So I ended up at Austin Peay. But God was still calling me, and my heart was restless. After talking with a spiritual director, I began the application process the summer after my freshman year. My family was very supportive through all of this.

What was your top priority during your first year as the Pope Prep Chaplain?

Before I received the official call telling me what my first priestly assignment would be, Bishop told me that I would be assigned to one of the high schools and a parish as a secondary assignment.

He emphasized that my primary assignment was to be present at the school, and if my parish assignment ever got in the way of that, to let him know and he would talk to my pastor. This mission to be present was my goal. The priesthood can be mysterious, so I try to show the human side of the priesthood, to show that living out your faith doesn’t mean you can’t be real or authentic to yourself. I hope to break down the stereotype of holiness so that all students know that they can live a holy life.

What were some of the highlights of this first year serving the Pope Prep community? What do you enjoy most about our community?

I have enjoyed getting to know the students and meeting the parents. One of the biggest highlights is watching the students grow in their faith and asking questions. It is encouraging when students notice a small change in the Mass and ask me why afterwards. It has also been a joy to see the students grow in their level of participation in Mass. One moment I remember was when a section of the Chinese class agreed to sing “10,000 Reasons” in Chinese at Mass. By the time we got to the last verse, all of the students and teachers were singing along.

What is your ministry’s vision for our students, faculty, staff, and parents?

I will borrow the words of the past three Holy Fathers as well as St. Catherine of Sienna: “The world is offering you comfort. You were not made for comfort, you were made for greatness.” (Pope Benedict XVI) “Do not bury your talents, the gifts that God has given you! Do not be afraid to dream of great things!”

(Pope Francis) “Let yourselves be taken over by the light of Christ, and spread that light wherever you are.” (St. Pope John Paul II) “Be who God made you to be and you will set the world on fire.”

(St. Catherine of Sienna)