UGANDA: Prelate Asks Ladies to Stop Seducing Priests into Sexual Relationship
Rt Rev Sanctus Lino Wanok, Bishop of Lira Diocese
Fr. Isaac Ojok
The Bishop of Uganda’s Lira Diocese Rt. Rev Sanctus Lino Wanok has reiterated call to Christians to respect and refrain from creating unhealthy relationship with his priests.
While delivering his homily on the occasion of the Chrism Mass held at Uganda Martyrs Cathedral Lira on Wednesday 5th April 2023, the Bishop warned Christians especially ladies to respect his priests and treat them as their spiritual leaders instead of seducing them to fall in sexual relationship which is contrary to their Vocation.
On the 2nd September 2021 during the Ordination of a priest and five (5) deacons at Uganda Martyrs Cathedral Lira, Bishop Wanok then warned the ladies against looking at his priests as material for marriage.
He then said, a number of good priests are always tempted by young ladies who admire them and if care is not taken, they end up destroying them.
This time, the bishop strongly repeated the same warning especially ladies to avoid having unhealthy connection with his priests but to give them space to enable them concentrate in the ministry of service to people of God.
“If you are a lady please don’t connect yourself to any priest sexually”, he strongly cautioned during his homily.
Apart from luring priests to fall in sexual relationship, the bishop further warned his Christians to desist from the mentality of giving alcoholic beverages to his priests saying it can be the avenue for the devil to enter their lives while in the ministry entrusted to them.
The bishop described and compared the people who may be wishing to lure priests to fall in sexual sin as Judas Iscariot, a traitor who betrayed his Savior because of the worldly desires.
He said, “Don’t be like Judas who betrayed our Savior because of the worldly desires, but i urge you to respect the priests and relate with them well”.
Bishop Wanok also called on Christians to collaborate, give genuine advice and support to the priests in a move to register success in their priestly ministry in Lira diocese.
He in turn challenged priests to love their Christians and be committed in the ministry that Christ has entrusted to them to exercise in order to lead the people of God to attain eternal life despite the challenges they may be facing apparently.
The bishop further called on Christians to refrain from the superstitious way of life and asked them to continue recognizing Christ as their Savior and the answer to their challenges because Jesus Christ is the way, life and the truth in a move to attain the gift of salvation.
He went on to share that the salvation of humanity is enshrined in the institution of priesthood the reason why it is paramount for the Christians to respect, recognize Jesus in the presence of priests amidst them so as they may see light and have life to its fullness.
According to Bishop Wanok, it is time for the Christians to recognize their shortcomings before God and use that as opportunity for them to ask for pardon from God at the moment to enable them be transformed, elevated before God.
He continued that, the Christians ought to recognize priesthood as great gift God has given to humanity through which the door to eternal salvation is made manifest, saying that there is no need for believers to put their priests in to temptation or fight them but that it is important to hold dialogue in the face of misunderstanding and other challenges.
At the climax of his homily, he concluded by inviting the Christians to pray for him and priests in Lira diocese in a bid to remain committed and fruitful in the ministry.
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