GRATITUDE FOR 2024 AND HAPPY NEW YEAR 2025: Happy New Year to you all! My heart is filled with gratitude for the blessings and mercies of God throughout the past year. I thank you all for the moral, spiritual, and financial support you have given to Jesuit Memorial College in her quest to provide 
transformative and quality education for the Phoenixes. Thank you for the different roles you played in making things happen in this citadel of learning and character formation. We cannot take for granted the graces and joy we all shared during the graduation ceremony of the Class of 2024, pre-resumption, resumption, Mass of the Holy Spirit, Induction of the Class of 2030 and midstream students of the Class of 2027, safe-guarding workshops, Sixth Annual Inter-House Sports Competition, 60 Angels Memorial Mass, drama, music, and dance, Christmas Carols, Kairos Retreats, and Christmas Celebrations to mention but a few memorable events. In all these events, God was laboring through time and space to meet us with His love and grace. We thank all Parents’ Association branches of the college for joining us to remember our beloved 60 Angels in the Masses, Prayers, Hospital Visitation and other charity events that you organized in your various cities. As our college Song echoes: “From the Ashes, the Phoenix has risen, and we bear with us hope reborn.” I wish you God’s profound blessings this season and always and I wish you a prosperous new year filled with God’s favors and surrounded by God’s protection. Best wishes for 2025!
GRATITUDE FOR SHOWER OF CHARITY: On Sunday, December 8, 2025, 44 Phoenixes (members of the Legion of Mary) visited the physically challenged children at the Compassionate Centre in Port Harcourt (run by the Religious Sisters of Charity). They were accompanied by the Chaplain, Fr Uchechukwu Oguike, S.J. and some members of staff. Educational materials, toiletries, and food items were donated to the Compassionate Centre. We thank parents and staff who supported the Chaplaincy with donations. We are grateful for the part you play in making the world a better place and in the holistic formation of our students in conscience, competency, compassion, and commitment to the needy.
60 ANGELS MEMORIAL DAY: December 10, 2024 was our 60 Angels Memorial Day. We will never forget our cherished 60 Angels and Mr. Roland Godfrey Cookey-Gam, the beloved husband of one of our board members, Mrs. Aleruchi Cookey-Gam. At JMC, we remembered them and other victims who left us through a national tragedy during the Memorial Mass, in which the Principal, Fr. Alex Irechukwu, S.J. presided. Other JMC Parents’ Association branches in various cities also remembered them at different Memorial Masses.
In the evening of December 10, 2024, our talented Phoenixes performed a drama, Drums of War, written by Rasaki Ojo Bakare. The Phoenixes also performed a choreographed dance. The Sixty Angels Symphony Orchestral (SASO) put up a spiritual and emotional performance of Henry Monk’s Abide with me, Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9–Ode to Joy, and Johann Pachelbel’s Canon in honour of our beloved 60 Angels. Subsequently, there was a prayer service and a candle-light procession.
May the 60 Angels, Mr. Roland Godfrey Cookey-Gam, and other victims who died 19 years ago rest in perfect peace; and may their deaths never be in vain. December 10, 2025 will be the 20th memorial of the national tragedy. With our mother school Loyola Jesuit College, we hope the “Never Again” theme will have a greater national ripple effect, including a visit to the Nigerian Senate and prayers at the site of the tragedy in Port Harcourt. We thank all staff, students, and parents who helped to make the 60 Angels Memorial Day of 2024 an impactful day.
DEMISE OF A PARENT: MR. EMMANUEL DICK: It is with deep sorrow but with strong Christian hope that we announce the demise of Mr Emmanuel Dick, the beloved father of Samuel Emmanuel-Dick (Class of 2029—JS 2A). Mr Emmanuel Dick passed on to glory in the morning hours of Thursday, 31st October, 2024 at BMH, Port Harcourt after a brief illness. It was the wish of the family of Mr. Emmanuel Dick to hold back the news till the first term examinations were over. After the examinations, Samuel returned home to be with his mother, Mrs. Barine Emmanuel-Dick, and he has been informed. During this time of grief, we extend our deepest condolences to Samuel Emmanuel-Dick, Mrs. Barine Emmanuel-Dick, and the entire family. We recognize that the loss of a loved one is a difficult and emotional experience, and our thoughts and prayers are with them as they navigate through this period of mourning. With her consent, you can reach Mrs. Barine Emmanuel-Dick via this phone number: 08035703803. May Mr. Emmanuel Dick rest in peace.
- CHARITY AMADI LAID TO REST: Our indefatigable Farm Manager and pioneer staff, who died on November 21, 2024, was laid to rest on December 3, 2024 at her family home in Aluu, Port Harcourt. May she rest in perfect peace, and may the Lord continue to strengthen her son Chibuikem, and her siblings Owhonda Amadi and Ihuoma Amadi. Parents’ Association branches and individuals interested in supporting the tertiary education of the son of late Ms. Charity Amadi can reach me at president@jesuitmemorial.org .
END OF TERM DEPARTURES: We thank God for the safe return of our Phoenixes on December 14, 2024 to their respective families. Students as well as the student leaders who stayed back for the Kairos 16 Retreat and Kairos 17 Retreat returned home on December 18, 2024. Special thanks to JMC staff and the Nigeria Police Force for the good coordination of the departure of students.
KAIROS RETREAT: The 16th Kairos Community of JMC (K-16) had its Kairos Retreat at the JMC campus with a team of JMC Staff from December 14, 2023 through December 18, 2024. The K-16 Retreat was overseen by the Chaplain of Gonzaga Jesuit College (GJC), Okija, Fr. Paul Umoh, S.J. At the same time, the 17th Kairos Community of JMC (K-17) had its Kairos Retreat at the Pastoral Centre, Igwurita with the JMC Chaplain, Fr. Uchechukwu Oguike, S.J. and a team of JMC staff. The Kairos Retreat is a powerful experience for the Phoenixes. It offers an opportunity to live uniquely in God’s time and to discover and experience God’s profound love, grace, and providence. We thank Fr. Umoh, S.J., Fr. Oguike, S.J., and the JMC Chaplaincy team for a well prepared and coordinated Kairos Retreat. We also thank parents who supported the K-16 and K-17 with their generous donations. I beseech parents of SS2 (Class of 2026) Phoenixes who are yet to support the school to make their donations to JMC/Chapel GT Bank 0160741387. Kairos Retreats are powerful spiritual experiences that play key roles in the holistic and integral formation of the Phoenixes. Your spiritual support, moral support, and financial support of Kairos Retreats mean a lot to the Management and Boards of JMC.
JMC STAFF CHRISTMAS PARTY: After a long calendar year of resilience, consistency, and hard work, the staff of JMC ended the year with a general staff meeting followed by a Christmas Party. During the staff Christmas party, we relaxed a bit with dances, Christmas Carol, Saxophone and organ music, jokes/comedy, a Christmas meal, and exchange of gifts. We thank the JMC staff for their hard work throughout the year and their commitment to excellence.
PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION CHRISTMAS PARTIES: Thanks to all the Parents’ Association branches who organized Christmas celebrations in their respective branches. These celebrations created a spirit of love and togetherness among the Phoenixes and Parents of the Phoenixes.
DECEMBER MARRIAGES/WEDDINGS FOR JMC STAFF: In the last month of last month a number of staff began the joy of married life. On December 19, 2024, Kelvin Ntah (JMC staff) and Medlyn Pepple had their traditional marriage at Bonny Island, Rivers State. On December 21, 2024, Frederick Sanya (JMC staff) and Oluchi Opara (former JMC staff) had their wedding ceremony at Holy Rosary Chaplaincy CIWA, Port Harcourt, while Felix Mbamara (JMC staff) and Happiness Richard had their wedding/traditional marriage ceremony in Onelga, Rivers State. We wish all couples a happy married life.
GRATITUDE AND JOY OF A NEW BEGINNING: Finally, as we begin the year, the month of January is a reminder that we should reflect in remembrance and gratitude and look forward with hope to possibilities. As we know, January gets its name from Januarius—a Roman god of beginnings with two faces looking in two opposite directions. One looks back, while the other looks forward. We believe in a mightier Being who transcends time. In God, through whom we live, move, and have our being (Acts 17:28), let us find time to contemplate, with gratitude, joy, and hope, on the past, present, and future.
AD MAJOREM DEI GLORIAM
(FOR THE GREATER GLORY OF GOD)