By Peter Bwengye & Precious Ankunda,
MBARARA: Mbarara Archdiocese has announced that it will hold its earlier suspended on August 29th,2021 at the diocesean cathedral Our Lady of Perpetual Help Nyamitanga Hill Nyamitanga Division, Mbarara city.
“I am happy to inform you that we shall have ordinations to priesthood and diaconate on Sunday August 29, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Nyamitanga.” read an ordination notice from the Archbishop’s office.
On June 24, Parrots UG published to you a story reporting that the diocese suspended the ordination which was susposed to be held on July 17,202. The suspension came after president Museveni locked the country for 42days closing down churches and other places of worship due to surges in covid-19 cases.
“I have been asked by His Grace Most Rev. Lambert Bainomugisha to communicate to you that due to the threats of COVID-19 pandemic, the ordination that had been scheduled to take place on Sunday 17 July, 2021, have been deferred to a date that will be communicated in a due course,” read a letter by the Diocesan Chancellor, Rev Fr Bonaventure Turyomumazima to all parish priests and priests in charge.
Parrots UG has again learned that the ordination has been recalled and slated for August 29, at Nyamitanga cathedral Nyamitanga Hill Mbarara city.
According to statement from office of the Archbishop dated August 16 and signed by Archbishop Lambert Bainomugisha, the ordination will be conducted in strict observances of the Standards Operating Procedures and limited attendance by invitation one way to curtail the spread of coronavirus.
The faithful according to a statement will follow Mass proceedings on the catholic medium Radio Maria, Diocesean social media platforms and other yet undisclosed Television Stations.
Archbishop Lambert has further banned post ordinatio mass celebrations at the homes of the ordinands.
“Given the prevailing conditions, congregational celebrations at ordinands’ homes are not encouraged,” Archbishop Lambert ordered.
Besides the covid pandemic, anonymous sources in the catholic church have told Parrots UG that Archbishop Lambert has always been Anti-congregational Mass conducted at the homes of ordinands and had abolished the celebrations in Hoima diocese during his stay as Bishop.
Sources disclosed that the Archbishop’s (then Bishop) decision to abolish Mass celebrations at the homes of ordinands created divisions between the him and the christians. They (anonymous sources) allege that the Archbishop is playing Tom Dick and Harry games to have the same introduced in the whole Archdiocese of Mbarara.
According to a notice of banns before sacred orders which was issued on May 21, 2021, a total of Seven (7) deacons and Eleven (11) seminerians from different parishes in the diocese of Mbarara were expected to be ordained to priesthood and diaconate respectively.
