UGANDA: Soroti Diocese Gets a New Bishop After a Five-year Wait
After five years of waiting, the Diocese of Soroti has finally gotten a Bishop. Pope Francis has appointed Rev. Fr. Joseph Oliach Eciru as new Bishop of Soroti.
The Diocese had no bishop since January 2014 after its former prelate, Most. Rev. Emmanuel Obbo was elevated to Archbishop of Tororo Archdiocese.
Fr. Eciru’s appointment was announced Tuesday March 19, 2019 in a letter signed by Fr. Alfred Rayan D’ Souza, the Chargé d’Affaires at the Apostolic Nunciature in Uganda.
“I have the honour and joy to communicate that the Holy Father, Pope Francis has appointed Rev. Fr. Joseph Oliach Eciru as the new Bishop of Soroti. Let us join in fervent prayer for the Bishop-elect that he will be guided and strengthened by the wisdom and courage of the Holy Spirit to discharge with fidelity and joy his new mission,” the letter reads.
The Bishop-elect replaces Archbishop Obbo, who took over from Rt. Rev. Erasmus Desiderius Wandera, the first Bishop of Soroti.
Currently, Fr. Eciru is member of formation staff at St Mary’s National Major Seminary in Ggaba. Born in August 11, 1970 in a family of eight siblings, he was ordained priest on August 9, 2003, at Soroti Catholic Diocese.
He went to St Aloysius Demonstration Primary School before joining St Peters Seminary Madera, Soroti, and later joined St Pius X Seminary Nagongera, Tororo. He did philosophical studies at St Thomas Aquinas National Seminary Katigondo in the Diocese of Masaka and Theology at St Paul National Seminary Kinyamasika in Fortpotal Diocese.
Fr Eciru also worked as teacher and lecturer at various seminaries in the country. He is the first Catholic Bishop of Teso origin to work in his native diocese, Soroti.
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By Jacinta W. Odongo; Media Officer, Uganda Episcopal Conference
