Co
SINGLE
ISSUE NUMBER 52 • PARK RIVER, NORTH DAKOTA
WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 2014
From Nigeria to Pisek, ND
Bis
p of Catholic Diocese of Awka in Nigeria celebrates Mass at Pisek church
=
By Allison Olimb
of The Press
PISEK, N.D. -- On Wednesday, June 25,
priests from around the area joined the bishop
of the Catholic Diocese of Awka in Nigeria, the
Most Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor, to celebrate
Mass at St. John Nepomucene of Pisek.
Ezeokafor was the bishop of the late Fr.
Samuel Ezeibekwe of the Tri-parishes of St. John
Nepomucene of Pisek, St, Joseph's of Lankin and
Sts. Peter and Paul of Bechyne.
Ezeibekwe passed away in March of last year.
Ezeokafor said that he was so thankful for the
people of the parish for being so good to
Ezeibekwe.
He explained that Ezeibekwe spoke about how
he had so much love for the community and of
how beautiful the church was, so Ezeokafor want-
ed to meet and visit with the parishioners who
meant so much to him.
Ezeibekwe was born on April 2, 1947, in
Anambra State, Nigeria. He studied for the priest-
hood and was ordained on June 30, 1979, for the
Diocese of Awka, Nigeria. In 1991, He came to
the United States to pursue advanced degrees in
religious studies and systematic theology. He be-
gan serving with the Diocese of Fargo in 1998
and had been serving as pastor at the Tri-
parishes of St. John Nepomucene of Pisek, St.
Joseph's of Lankin & Sts. Peter & Paul of
Bechyne until his death on March 10, 2013.
Fr. Prasad Marneni currently serves as pas-
tor for the parishes.
Photo: Larry Biri
Above: Bishop Paulinus Ezeokafor of the
Catholic Diocese of Awka in Nigeria (cen-
ter) celebrates Mass at St. John Nepo-
mucene of Pisek on Wednesday, June 25.
He was joined by priests from around the
area including Fr. Joseph Okogba from
Drayton (Left) who originally came to the
area from Nigeria and Fr. Leonard
Loegering (Right) who served the Pisek
parish from 1981 to 1991.
and favorites on the schedule:
July 4 fes/ivities planned out for Park River
By Emily Laaveg
of The Press
PARK RIVER, N.D. -- Park
River and the surrounding area
have quite a bit planned in cele-
bration of independence for both
America and our neighbors to the
north, Canada. The festivities
kicked off, at 8:30 on July 1, with
the annual the Canada Day parade
in Park River.
On July 3, at 6:00 pm, the
alumni banquet for Park River
High School will be held at the
Park River Area School. After-
wards, from 9:00 pm to 1:00 am,
there will be the street dance in
downtown Park River featuring
"Yesterday's Habit".
Then, on July 4, the Fun
Aggies to gather in Park River July 3
PARK RIVER, N.D. --As the nation observes
its 238th Independence Day graduates of Walsh
County Ag School and Park River Area High
School gather for the annual reunion and class
events.
The informal Aggie Alumni dinner begins at
6 p.m. Thursday, July 3 at the PRAHS gym. All
alumni and friends and faculty are welcome.
Advance tickets are $15 available at Ye Olde
Run/Walk fundraiser for the bike
path will be kicking off the day
with registration at 7:30 at the old
Elementary school with the
Run/Walk beginning at 8:00.
Along with that a pancake and
sausage breakfast will be held at
Kensington Place from 8:00 to
10:00. The event, new to the
schedule, is a fundraiser for the
Park River Area Cheer Team
At 10:30, the Kiddie Parade
hosted by Sunshine Kids Daycare
Center will begin at Briggs Avenue
4dl
Oo,m, p N 5
Park River native murdered,
two arrested within the week
By Emily Laaveg According to court documents
of The Press
GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- Tues-
day morning, at approximately 1:45
am, Grand Forks policemen ar-
rived at an apartment building at
2021 S. 17th St. in Grand Forks to
answer a firearm-related distur-
bance call. Upon arrival, they found
the body of 24-year-old, Jose Luis
Alphonso Lopez, better known to
friends and family as Joe or Joeluis.
According to Grand Forks Police
Department, Lopez who had been
shot three times, was then rushed to
ARm Hospital where he died short-
ly thereafter. Since his death, the
community and his family and
friends have been reeling with the
shock of having someone they love
taken so horribly from them.
pertaining to the case, witnesses said
that two men broke into Lopez's
apartment. After that there was a
struggle between the intruders and
Lopez, which ended with the in-
truders leaving and Lopez being
shot.
Friends and family who have said
that he was injured in the noble act
of protecting his family have dubbed
Lopez a hero.
A 2009 graduate of Park River
High School, Lopez studied at
Northland Community and Tech-
nical College and worked at Motor
Coach Industries. He was living in
Grand Forks with his pregnant
Obituaries
,.%ee p)ae 2
PRA to hold special facility meeting
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The Crow
A Minute with the Mayor
8,ee, lp,age , 5
Berntson Elected NDMTA VP
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