Historic ordination as Mbarara Archdiocese gets 13 priests,17 deacons

Mbarara, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Archdiocese of Mbarara has celebrated the ordination of 30 clergymen, marking a historic event with the highest number of s Catholic Church ordinations since 1902. The newly ordained were 13 priests and 17 deacons.

His Grace Archbishop Lambert Bainomugisha presided over the ordination ceremony at the memorial shrine of the Catholic faith in Ankole. This shrine, built to commemorate 75 years of Catholicism in the region, is located on Nyamitanga Hill at the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Mbarara City, where the White Fathers missionaries first settled upon arriving in Ankole.

Ordination is the sacramental ceremony in which a man becomes a deacon, priest, or bishop and is empowered to minister in the name of Christ and the Church

The newly ordained priests are Arinaitwe Aventino, Atugumya Moses, Atwijukire Ronald, Baguma Alex, Bakashaba David, Bikorwaruhanga Gilbert, Mubangizi Nicholas, Mucuguzi Emmanuel, Trust Ambrose, Turyamureeba Lawrence, Tibigana David, Rukundo Evaristo, and Kananura Collins.

The newly ordained deacons are Aijukye Derrick, Ampeire Prosper, Atwine Gilbert, Kaboine Francis, Karugaba Fred, Kyanda Onesmus, Mbarebaki Albert, Mugumya John, Muhwezi Gaston, Murinde Deus, Musiime Patrick, Naagasha Erasmus, Natweta Bonaventure, Nkahebwa Julius, Serungaya Lawrence, and Sande Stephen.

In his homily, Archbishop Bainomugisha encouraged the newly ordained clergy to collaborate closely with their Bishop, embodying Christ through their ministerial priesthood. “You have been sent from this hill after being transfigured into priests to go and preach and work in the name of Jesus Christ and to stay where you are sent, just like him.”

The Archbishop also commended the parents of the newly ordained for their love, prayers, and support, which contributed to the growth of the Church. “We have great joy today, seeing that these young men have been guided well by their parents and are now ready to serve the Church.”

Ndyanabo Gervase, the head of Laity of the Catholic Church in Uganda, reminded Christians of the Pope’s message to care for vulnerable individuals such as the sick, disabled, and poor.  Twesigye John Ntamuhira, Member of Parliament for Bunyaruguru County, spoke on behalf of the parents and guardians, urging them to raise their children with Christian values to contribute to a better society.

The Minister of Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives,  Francis Mwebesa, emphasized that leadership is about serving others and urged the newly ordained priests to promote government programs such as the Parish Development Model and vocational skilling within their communities.

After the ordination, two priests from the Missionaries of Africa, also known as the White Fathers, were assigned to new missions. Fr. Kananura Collins was sent to Ethiopia, and Fr. Rukundo Evaristo to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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