September 24, 2025

By Deacon Kevin Mastellon
Contributing Writer

The sport for Father Jude Nnadibuagha in Nigeria was soccer. At school, after school, during school breaks, he learned his basic soccer skills – skills like dribbling, passing, shooting and trapping a ball with your body. He refined his skill throughout his youth.

His favorite game was soccer, but as a young man, he aspired to become a lawyer.

Father Nnadibuagha was the third of six boys in the Nnadibuagha family. His parents, Ernest and Eunice Nnadibuagha, rounded out the family with two girls.

“Fortunately, I went to a first Mass of a priest near my village. I became excited about becoming a priest.” At age 21, that Mass “changed my whole life plan,” he said.

The future priest joined the Carmelites and became a novice in his home country. Later, Father Nnadibuagha would study theology in Rome before heading home. His complete vocation story was detailed in the North Country Catholic August 12, 2020.

Back in Nigeria but before ordination, Father Nnadibuagha communicated with a couple of dioceses in the United States and eventually was interviewed here. He travelled around this diocese with the director of Vocations then, Father Douglas Lucia, pastor in Waddington. Father Nnadibuagha’s desire to affiliate with this diocese was eventually accepted. Following more studies in seminary in the US, he was ordained a deacon and was assigned for a year to Lowville. His ordination as a priest of the Diocese of Ogdensburg followed on August 1, 2020. He returned to Lowville as a priest. Subsequent assignments were in Ogdensburg, Plattsburgh and now Watertown.
Each assignment has offered new opportunities and new acquaintances. Father Nnadibuagha has not forgotten soccer, still his favorite sport.

“While in Ogdensburg, I discovered a summer soccer league and joined the teams in Lisbon and Heuvelton,” he said.

Father Nnadibuagha that he talked about the spirituality of sport – how this man committed to pleasing God identified the beauty of sport.

“They say that a sound mind lives in a sound body. Exercise is very important. Our spiritual life is important. One needs to live in a healthy body because our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. We need to be healthy in order to serve the people of God,” he said.

Father Nnadibuagha is in good shape. He eats well. He eats a lot of fruit. “Here in Watertown, Father Mickey (Father John “Mickey” Demo, pastor of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Watertown) started buying a lot of fruits for me. I am grateful for that.”

“What is important is eating well and exercising well,” he said. “If you have a sound body, then you can pray well and be happy.”

The concentration and discipline of the game bring out another side of Father Nnadibuagha – the competitor.

“When I was younger, (he is 41 now), when I was a Carmelite, I was a defender.” That says something about his talent on the pitch. A soccer defender protects the goalkeepers and prevents the opposing players from scoring. One web site characterized a good defender in soccer as a player with strong physical qualities, tactical awareness, and excellent positioning.

“As I am growing older,” he told me, “I find myself more in the midfield role. I pass the ball more to attackers and do not run as much.”

Back in the Western part of the diocese, Father Nnadibuagha played three games with his old teammates and discovered an indoor league that will be starting this fall. He intends to join it.

“All creation turns toward God. God is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,” he said. “A perfect relationship. We find that in the game of soccer too. To score a goal, you have work as a team, a perfect relationship. If there a clique on a team, or one or more players do not cooperate, the team will self-destruct. The same is true in the family or in a parish. We have to walk together. If that is lacking, then the process is divided, and everyone suffers.”

Father Nnadibuagha is the parochial vicar of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Watertown. His greatest ambition is to have a closer relationship with God and his people. He strives to be a happy priest.

He is happy serving God, walking with parishioners and donning a soccer uniform.