Iganga: The Catholic Diocese of Jinja has welcomed newly ordained priests to serve the Busoga Catholic community.
As part of the Catholic Church’s yearly tradition of ordaining new clergy worldwide, this year’s ordination in the Jinja Diocese took place at St. Gonzaga Minor Seminary in Iganga. Rt. Rev. Bishop Charles Martin Wamika, the Bishop of Jinja Diocese, blessed seven new priests.
The bishop urged the newly ordained priests to stay focused on their mission and not to seek positions or public recognition. “The greatest among you must be the servant, just like Jesus Christ. He who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted,” he said.
Reflecting on his own experience, Bishop Wamika shared, “As a young priest in Dabani Parish, Busia District, I used to ride a bicycle to reach the villages, and sometimes it rained on me, but I remained determined to serve God.”
He also advised the new priests on handling the challenges they might face. “The communities you will serve are diverse, with people holding different interests and seeking favor from priests. Be wise as serpents and humble as doves in your work,” Bishop Wamika advised.
The Rt. Rev. Bishop Wamika expressed gratitude to the families that have produced priests, nuns, brothers, and catechists who are making significant contributions in Busoga and around the world. He also called for more enrollments at St. Gonzaga Minor Seminary and other clerical training institutions, noting that there is still room for more candidates.
The bishop highlighted the growing number of Christians in the over 50 parishes within the Jinja Diocese, each requiring at least three priests to meet the community’s needs, such as burials, baptisms, weddings, and other priestly services.
This year, the number of ordained priests significantly increased from just one, Rev. Fr. Kenneth Orom, who was ordained last year, to seven.
During the same celebration, Rev. Fr. John-Mary Dumbulu, head of the clerical calling office of Jinja Diocese, announced the ordination of Major Seminarian Tadeo Tikilyamunaku to the diaconate order, along with the promotion of four other major seminarians to serious candidacy for the priesthood.
Rev. Fr. Michael Kagooma, one of the newly ordained priests, shared a personal story: “I attended primary school at St. Michael Namunyumya, a girls’ school, where my village mates would tease me for studying there. One even mocked me, saying I should join the priesthood and wear dresses. I wish he could see what I have become today.”
Ordination is a sacramental ceremony in which a man becomes a deacon, priest, or bishop and is enabled to minister in Christ’s name and that of the Church. The Sacrament of Holy Orders includes three ordinations: diaconate, priesthood, and episcopal.
