UGANDA: Catholic Bishops warn faithful to shun functions led by ‘Rebel Priests’
By Jacinta W. Odongo, Media Officer, Uganda Episcopal Conference
Chairman of Uganda Episcopal
Conference and Archbishop of Gulu
The Catholic Bishops in Uganda have warned faithful to shun all events organized by the self-excommunicated priests and to guard against being misled in faith and practice by the said priests who are not in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church.
The warning, which was made on Thursday November 10 in a press statement issued by the Uganda Episcopal Conference (UEC), was signed by the Chairman of the UEC, Most Rev. John Baptist Odama, who is also the Archbishop of Gulu.
The statement comes out two weeks after two self-made ‘bishops’; one hailing from Kasese Diocese and another suspected to be a Kenyan citizen, carried out purported priestly ordination in Mubende District in the Diocese of Kiyinda-Mityana (Kampala Ecclesiastical Province). The ‘bishops’ who were also accompanied by three other self-excommunicated Catholic priests include, Rev. Fr. Jacinto Kibuuka, Fr. Deogratias Ssonko and Fr. Vincent Kisenyi.
“Those priests who have openly and publicly joined the rebellion are no longer in communion with the Roman Catholic Church,” Archbishop Odama’s statement read.
According to the Bishops, the above mentioned priests laid their hands on the ‘so-called ordained priests’ who have been deacons, during the invalid and illegal ordination ceremony that was carried out last month on October 29.
“The said ordination event, therefore, was not in accordance with the tradition and norms of the Roman Catholic Church and we do not recognize it, neither its legality nor its validity,” the Archbishop stated.
Fr. Jacinto was suspended in July this year from exercising his priestly ministry by his Ordinary, Most Rev. Dr. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, the Archbishop of Kampala Archdiocese, due to disobedience. Fr Jacinto reacted by declaring his departure from the Roman Catholic Church, an action that resulted into his automatic self-excommunication from the Church.
Archbishop Odama concluded by calling upon Fr. Jacinto and his colleagues to come to the realization of their mistakes. “It is our prayer and hope that Fr. Kibuuka and the priests who have joined his acts of rebellion…. stop misleading themselves as well the people of God,” reads the statement.
∽End∽
