Masaka diocese to conduct scientific ordination, suspends key rituals

Masaka, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT  |  At least 17 deacons are destined for inauguration as fully qualified priests in a scientific ordination ceremony by the Catholic Church in Masaka Diocese.   

The candidates completed their formal vocation training in 2020. However,  their ordination was stayed due to the outbreak of Coronavirus disease-COVID-19 that led to the closing down of all public gatherings that include places of worship. 

Reverend Father Edward Matovu Ssekabanja the Masaka Diocese Chancellor says in respect of the current restrictions, they have arranged to hold a scientific ordination for the candidates that have outstayed their vocation training period in the Seminary. He explains that the diocesan authorities have organized to ordain only two categories of candidates; those that completed the training cycle to fully become Reverend Fathers and 13 seminarians, who will be elevated to the order Deaconate.

According to Fr Ssekabanja, the scientific ordination slated for March  19, at Our Lady of Sorrow Cathedral in Kitovu-Masaka will be conducted under very restrictive circumstances to avoid likelihoods of the spread of COVID-19. Ssekabanja adds that candidates for other Holy Orders that include; the Church Acolytes and Lectors, who are usually instituted for service at the altar to assist the priests or deacons and to proclaim the reading during mass respectively will have to wait more longer until the situation allows. 

During priestly ordination, these are also shown to the public as potential priests in the making and are graduated to perform some roles in the mass. But according to Sekabanja, the COVID-19 outbreak interfered with the training of these two orders thereby not being ready at the moment.   

Ssekabanja adds that the Diocese also maintains its suspension to Holy Sacraments that require direct body contact between the priests and the worshipers. Baptism, Confirmation, Anointing of the Sick among others, are only allowed in rare circumstances, with an aim of restricting body contact between the priests and Christians, one of the ways through which Coronavirus can be transmitted.

The priestly ordination of the 17 candidates will bring the number of priests in Masaka Diocese to 298 people passed out since 1913.

********

URN