The Catholic Diocese of Warri has announced the death of Very Rev. Fr. Anthony Mario Ozele, Episcopal Vicar of the Ughelli Pastoral Region and Parish Priest of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Ughelli.
Fr. Ozele, who was aged 60, died in the early hours of Tuesday, September 15, 2026, following an illness, according to a notification issued by the Diocese.
The announcement was contained in a statement signed by the Diocesan Chancellor, Rev. Fr. Jude Nwabuokei, and addressed to all priests, religious and lay faithful of the Catholic Diocese of Warri.
The Diocese described the deceased priest as a highly revered, cherished and devoted servant of God who bore his illness with exemplary faith and courage.
“It is with profound sorrow and total submission to the will of God that I announce to you, by the directive of our Chief Shepherd, Most Rev. Anthony Ovayero Ewherido, the passing unto glory of our highly revered, cherished and devoted priest, Very Rev. Fr. Anthony Mario Ozele,” the statement read.
The notification added that Fr. Ozele was called to eternal rest after bearing his illness with “exemplary faith and courageous resignation to the will of God his Creator.”
Until his death, the late priest served as Episcopal Vicar of the Ughelli Pastoral Region and Parish Priest of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Ughelli.
His leadership and pastoral service in the Ughelli Catholic community had previously been documented by the Diocese, which identified him as the Dean of Ughelli Deanery and Parish Priest of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church.
The Diocese urged its members to remember the deceased priest, his immediate family and the Church in their prayers.
“We commend his soul to the mercy of God and implore you to keep him, the Diocese, and his immediate family in your prayers,” the statement said.
It further announced that funeral arrangements would be communicated in due course.
Fr. Ozele was ordained a Catholic priest on December 12, 1992, according to records published by the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria. He had served the Diocese in various pastoral and administrative capacities, including roles in evangelisation and parish ministry.
The Catholic Diocese of Warri prayed that God would grant eternal rest to the soul of the late priest.
“May his priestly soul, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen,” the notification concluded.
