The Presiding Bishop of the Antiochian Orthodox Catholic Church (AOCC) in Uganda, Jacinto Kibuuka, has urged parents to take greater responsibility for their children during the ongoing school holidays by teaching them good morals and nurturing their faith in God.
Bishop Kibuuka said parents should use the holiday period to spend time with their children, guide them on proper conduct and encourage them to pray, warning that failure to provide proper guidance could expose young people to destructive behaviour.
“As our children get into holidays, my fellow parents, I encourage you to take good care of our children by teaching them good human morals and getting them close to God by always praying with them. Without doing that, we are training criminals,” Bishop Kibuuka said.
He made the remarks during celebrations to mark 25 years of Mother Mary AOCC Kagumu in Kibuku District, where he also commended the congregation, clergy and government for supporting the church through its years of growth.
Bishop Kibuuka said the church’s presence has expanded significantly in Eastern Uganda, with more than 30 churches established across the region, many of them with permanent structures.
He also highlighted the construction of the multi-billion-shilling Mother Mary Church in Kagumu, which is currently at the roofing stage and is expected to accommodate more than 1,500 worshippers.
The Bishop expressed gratitude to God and the church’s supporters, saying the institution had endured numerous challenges over the years, including what he described as legal battles, religious intolerance, injustice and malicious propaganda.
“It hasn’t been an easy journey, but we thank God because we have gone through a lot, including tears, many cases against us, injustice, religious intolerance against us and malicious propaganda,” he said.
Bishop Kibuuka said the growth of the church in Eastern Uganda was evidence of its resilience.
“Why then not thank God who has done us good?” he asked, noting that AOCC now has more than 30 churches with permanent structures in the region.
He further announced that the church will hold the ordination of priests on August 30, 2026, at Mamre International Prayer Centre in Namugongo Janda. The prayer centre is also scheduled to celebrate its 10th anniversary on November 29, 2026.
The Vicar General of the Eastern Region and Parish Priest of Mother Mary Church, Rev. Fr. Moses Lyomwoki, expressed gratitude to God and Bishop Kibuuka for what he described as continued support throughout the church’s challenges.
Speaking during the celebrations, Fr. Lyomwoki said the 25th anniversary had produced tangible achievements, including testimonies of transformed lives, the development of a school and the construction of the new church.
He became emotional while recounting difficult moments the church leadership and its members had endured, including alleged attacks and beatings. He said his mother, wife, children and siblings were also attacked and beaten because of their religious beliefs, while the church was subjected to malicious accusations.
Former Kibuku District CID officer D/SP Henry Manana urged parents to raise children who value honesty and encouraged young people to build their lives on truth and integrity.
Manana said Mother Mary Church had previously been falsely accused and described as a slaughterhouse and torture chamber by people opposed to it. However, he said investigations cleared the church after authorities found that its activities involved healing and deliverance prayers and that no complainant had come forward in relation to the allegations.
