UGANDA: Bishop Emeritus Wandera of Soroti Diocese Dies at 92
Bishop Erasmus Desderius Wandera
Masereka Peter
Bishop Emeritus of Soroti Catholic Diocese, Erasmus Desderius Wandera 92, has died, according to the statement released on Thursday by the Uganda Episcopal Conference (UEC).
Bishop Wandera died on Thursday morning the feast Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, at his residence in Mbale.
Tororo Archbishop Emmanuel Obbo says the cause of death is yet to be established, a statement which was also confirmed by the Ordinary of Soroti Diocese Rt. Rev. Eciru Oliach while announcing the death of the founding Father of the diocese.
Bishop Wandera served as the first Bishop of Soroti Catholic Diocese for 27 years. He was appointed Bishop of Soroti on 29 November 1980 and was consecrated Bishop on 29 March 1981 by Cardinal Emmanuel Kiwanuka Nsubuga.
Archbishop Obbo succeeded Wandera as Bishop of Soroti after the latter’s retirement in October 2007. Wandera relocated to St. Austin’s Cathedral in Mbale where he lived in his retirement until his death.
Archbishop Obbo served as Bishop of Soroti for seven years until 2014 when the Pope appointed him Archbishop of Tororo Archdiocese. After five years without a substantive bishop, Dr. Joseph Eciru Oliach was elected as the third Bishop of Soroti Catholic Diocese in 2019.
Born on April 16, 1930, in Dabani the present-day Busia District, Wandera was ordained a priest on 27 December 1956.
The burial committee has drawn the burial program for Bishop Emeritus E.D Wandera as follows: there will be mass at St. Austin Church Mbale on Sunday 11th December 2022 at 2:00PM, after which the body shall leave for Ngora. On Monday morning there will be mass at 9:00 AM led by Kumi deanery, then the body will leave for Soroti. On Tuesday 13th December, 2022, at 11:00 am the funeral mass will be led by His Grace Emmanuel Obbo AJ, Archbishop of Tororo Archdiocese.
The funeral mass will take place at Hilder’s grounds and burial will take place at Immaculate Conception Church Soroti which is located within Soroti city along Serere Road, Soroti city west.
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