“It was there, in the heart of campus life, that my vocation was renewed and clarified. Through the sacraments, the vibrant faith community and the pastoral leadership and mentorship I received, I experienced a deep sense of belonging and spiritual nourishment,” he said.

Raised in a devout Catholic home, some of his earliest memories include pretending to celebrate Mass with his family. When he became an altar server at the age of 9, he began to feel the stirrings of the call to the priesthood.

“The call was never dramatic, but steady and persistent. It grew through prayer, service in the church and a growing desire to give my life wholly to Christ,” Deacon Akpan said.

He looks forward to celebrating the Eucharist and the sacrament of reconciliation once he is ordained.

“The Eucharist has always been at the center of my vocation, and the thought of offering the holy sacrifice of the Mass with God’s people fills me with gratitude and awe,” he said.