The Presiding Bishop of the Antiochian Orthodox Catholic Church (AOCC), Jacinto Kibuuka, has urged Ugandans to stand with the people of Tooro Kingdom in prayer and solidarity following the death of Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.
Bishop Kibuuka paid tribute to the late monarch while delivering a homily at Mamre International Prayer Centre in Namugongo-Janda, where he presided over the ordination of four clergy members.
The ceremony saw Rev. Fr. Ongola Gerald and Rev. Fr. Kamuti Benedict ordained as priests, while Deacons Simon Peter Mukasa Balikuddembe and Asiimire Aloysius were also ordained.
In his message, Bishop Kibuuka described the death of the young king as a loss to the people of Tooro and called upon Ugandans to pray for and comfort the bereaved kingdom.
He also used the occasion to remind the newly ordained clergy that priesthood is a vocation founded on prayer, sacrifice, commitment and self-denial rather than personal gain.
According to Bishop Kibuuka, priests have a responsibility to proclaim freedom to people in bondage and act as a bridge between God and His people.
He urged the clergy to serve everyone with unconditional love, irrespective of their social or economic standing, and to pay particular attention to the poor, sick, suffering and vulnerable.
The bishop cautioned the newly ordained priests against exploiting Christians for personal enrichment, urging them instead to exercise patience, kindness, self-control and compassion in their ministry.
“I urge you to stay close to prayer, love the people, stay close to the altar, let the Eucharist be the true center of your daily life and strength, listen with a gentle heart, never doubt your call, lean on the church and remember your promises,” Bishop Kibuuka said.
“Do not exploit God’s people in order to accumulate wealth; treat everyone equally,” he added.
The Chairperson of the Board of Governors of Christ the King Seminary, Martha Ddambya, also challenged the newly ordained clergy to make their churches welcoming spaces where Christians can find comfort and hope amid life’s difficulties.
Ddambya warned that clergy members who are harsh or unwelcoming risk alienating Christians and weakening their relationship with the Church.
“In church is where people get a lot of solace from worldly problems and challenges, so we don’t want to come to get solace and instead find very difficult men of God. Once you are not welcoming, you push us very far from God,” she said.
She further advised the clergy to exercise caution in their use of social media, saying their online conduct can either strengthen or damage their reputation and ministry.
“In this era of ours, be very careful with social media. Be careful with what you share, what you say and what you do in your privacy, since everyone is a reporter and most times they don’t share the whole story but rather cut out what fits their interest,” Ddambya said.
She encouraged the new priests to use social media constructively and avoid posts or conduct that could compromise their personal integrity or undermine their religious responsibilities.
Meanwhile, the organising committee chairperson, Christine Kajumba, and Rev. Fr. Ongola Gerald, speaking on behalf of the newly ordained clergy, thanked God, Bishop Kibuuka and the Christian community for their support and sacrifices that contributed to the success of the ordination ceremony.
