By Kabuye Ronald
The Presiding Bishop of the Antiochian Orthodox Catholic Church (AOCC), Jacinto Kibuuka, has eulogised the late Tooro King, Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, while extending condolences to the people of Tooro and Ugandans at large.
Bishop Kibuuka made the remarks during his homily at Mamre International Prayer Centre, Namugongo-Janda, where he ordained four clergy members.
The ordination saw two priests, Rev. Fr. Ongola Gerald and Rev. Fr. Kamuti Benedict, elevated to the priesthood, while Deacons Simon Peter Mukasa Balikuddembe and Asiimire Aloysius were also ordained.
While mourning the Tooro monarch, Bishop Kibuuka called upon the country to pray for and comfort the people of Tooro Kingdom following the death of the young king.
He also challenged the newly ordained clergy to dedicate their lives to serving God and His people, saying priesthood requires prayer, commitment, sacrifice and self-denial.
Bishop Kibuuka said priests are entrusted with the responsibility of proclaiming liberty to those in captivity and serving as a bridge between God and His people.
He urged the clergy to demonstrate unconditional love towards everyone, regardless of their social or economic status, including the poor, sick, suffering and wealthy.
Bishop Kibuuka further cautioned the newly ordained priests against exploiting Christians, urging them to exercise self-control, patience, kindness and tenderness in their interaction with believers.
“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. Do not exploit God’s people in order to accumulate wealth; treat everyone equally,” Bishop Kibuuka said.
The Chairperson of the Board of Governors of Christ the King Seminary, Martha Ddambya, similarly urged the newly ordained clergy to love and welcome the people they will serve.
Ddambya said churches should remain places where people find solace from the challenges of life, warning that unfriendly or unwelcoming clergy could drive Christians away from God.
“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 also cautioned the newly ordained clergy about the responsible use of social media, noting that the platforms can either build or destroy a person’s reputation.
“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 clergy to use social media positively and avoid content that could undermine their ministry and personal integrity.
The organising committee chairperson, Christine Kajumba, and Rev. Fr. Ongola Gerald, who spoke on behalf of the newly ordained clergy, expressed gratitude to God, Bishop Kibuuka and the Christian community for their support, love and sacrifices towards the ordination ceremony.
