Speaking after the ceremony, Fr. Ishanga said the arrival of Fr. Akirana would enable the parish to strengthen its pastoral work and improve the formation of Christians.
Christians at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Catholic Parish in Nakibano, Naggojje Sub-county, Mukono District, have welcomed Rev. Fr. Luke Akirana, who has been assigned to the parish as an assistant priest.
Fr. Akirana was assigned to the parish by the Bishop of Lugazi Diocese, Christopher Kakooza, to assist the parish priest, Fr. Ronald Ishanga, who has been running the parish without an assistant for the past year.
Rev. Fr. Prof. John Chrysostom Maviiri, the Dean of Nkokonjeru Deanery, represented Bishop Kakooza at the parish day celebrations on Sunday, where he formally introduced Fr. Akirana to the Christians.
The celebrations were marked by Mass during which two couples were joined in holy matrimony, while children and adults received the Sacrament of Confirmation.
In his homily, Prof. Maviiri urged parents to take greater responsibility for raising their children, particularly by ensuring that they receive education and protecting them from abuse and harmful practices.
“Some parents and relatives turn against their children, including those they did not give birth to, and subject them to harmful practices, with some even persecuting them. This is wrong. If you have a child or relative whom you have persecuted or mistreated, ask God for forgiveness and stop it,” he said.
He also emphasised the importance of forgiveness among Christians, saying that just as they seek forgiveness from God, they should also be willing to forgive their friends and neighbours.
The couples who exchanged their marriage vows were Godfrey Ziwa and Nakisige Flister, and Pauline Nakiranda and Deo Mayanja. The marriages were officiated by the main celebrant, assisted by Fr. Ishanga and Fr. Akirana.
Prof. Maviiri also administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to children and adults who had completed the required preparations.
Speaking after the ceremony, Fr. Ishanga said the arrival of Fr. Akirana would enable the parish to strengthen its pastoral work and improve the formation of Christians.
“We are youthful priests, and you should expect us to move the parish forward at a fast pace. I thank God that, in the one year I have spent here, we have already registered remarkable progress,” he said.
He added that one of their priorities would be to ensure that children preparing for First Holy Communion and Confirmation attend catechism lessons for a full year to enable them to properly understand the teachings of the Church.
“Our Confirmation class had more candidates than those who progressed to this stage. I examined them myself and dropped those whom I found were not ready. We need Christians who are well prepared, so we must prepare them with great caution and care,” he said.
Fr. Ishanga also cautioned parents seeking baptism for their children to adhere to the parish’s preparation programme.
He said parents preparing to have their children baptised would be required to undergo a three-day preparation programme, warning that children whose parents fail to complete the preparation would not be baptised.
Fr. Ishanga said he and Fr. Akirana would work together to ensure that the parish continues to grow spiritually and strengthen its services to Christians.
The Diocesan Lay Apostolic Leader, Dr. Augustine Kato, urged Christians to actively participate in parish activities and support the priests in their ministry.
Kato said Christians should work hard to support the two priests in their duties so that Bishop Kakooza’s decision to assign an additional priest to the parish yields positive results.
Bp. Kagodo Challenges Government on School Fees as 98-Year-Old Mother Is Laid to Rest
