UGANDA: Bishop Warns New Deacons against Seeking for Wealth
Rt Rev Sanctus Lino Wanok Bishop of Lira diocese flanked by newly Ordained Deacons Haron Ojok and Moses Opio respectively
Fr Isaac Ojok
The Bishop of Uganda’s Lira Diocese Rt Rev Sanctus Lino Wanok has warned the newly ordained deacons against searching for money instead of focusing on the ministry they have embraced in the church.
He sounded the warning on the occasion of the ordination to diaconate of two Seminarians Moses Opio and Haron Ojok in Lira diocese on Thursday, august 24, the Feast day of St Bartholomew, the Apostle.
While giving instructions to the candidates during the rite of Ordination the Bishop further disclosed the need for the candidates to focus on the duties in the office of a Deacon in a bid for the ministry they have embraced to bear fruits.
“Do not search for the earthly pleasures, but serve God and champion God’s mission among His people,” He said and stressed, “Your elevation to the order of Diaconate is not advantage for you to look for money, you are not going to look for money but, you will keep focused on listening and learning the voice of God daily”.
His warning has been observed by some Christians that, some ordained persons at times lose focus and instead concentrate in search for earthly wealth like money, vehicles, building decent houses in their families among other assets.
In his instruction to the Deacons, the Bishop further stressed that serving as a deacon, a priest and a bishop in the church is done without any payment in return to what one has done because it is service being rendered to the extent that the well fare of the servants of God depends on the generosity of the people being served.
To some Christians, this means there should be clear difference between services that priests and deacons perform in the church and the services in civil societies that are payable so that Christians can be enlightened to know their roles in supporting the church.
According to Bishop Wanok, the main work of a deacon in the Catholic church is to assist the bishop, priests and to ensure order at the Altar and to make the voice of God reach His people.
Additionally, the bishop noted that much of the work of a deacon in the church is in line with helping Christians to understand the likeness of God in the Sacraments of baptism, Eucharist and Matrimony respectively.
At the laying on of hands, the bishop mentioned that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the newly ordained Deacons shall perform their duties diligently for the common good of the people of God in the church.
To the candidates, the bishop further reminded them to be grateful for the love of God upon them and that it is a reason for them to thank God for having chosen them and to exercise that same love amongst the people they are being sent to serve.
Bishop Wanok implored the new deacons to stay away from the spirit of arrogance, pride and to be deacons of good image among other virtues.
“Be Deacons of good reputation following examples of the deacons who were chosen in the early church”, he said during his address to new deacons.
He commended parents of those ordained deacons in the church for nurturing their children and for giving them to serve in the church to enable message of salvation to reach everybody.
Bishop Wanok who doubles as the vice chairperson of Uganda Episcopal Conference (UEC) cautioned the parents of new deacons and close relatives to stop burdening them with heavy responsibilities from home like paying of school fees among other un necessary requests.
He then asked Christians to embrace productive activities and the culture of savings in families and in groups to enable them create wealth for the growth of their families.
The Ordination of the two deacons was graced by the Christian congregation from different parishes in Lira diocese, cultural, civil and political leaders including other dignitaries within Lango sub region.
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