News
The diocese of West Ankole Church of Uganda consecrated its fourth bishop, Rev. Johnson Twinomujuni who replaced the Rev. Yonah Katonene on 28 May. Katonene has served as a member of World Council of Churches Central Committee since 2013, and retired from being the diocesan bishop last October.
The occasion was graced by thousands of celebrating Christians as speakers thanked God that finally a successor for Bishop Katonene had been found.
World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit sent a greeting which was read by Rev. Pauline Wanjiru Njiru, an Anglican priest from the diocese of Kirinyaga, Kenya and the East African Regional coordinator for the WCC Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiatives and Advocacy programme.
“You become a bishop at a time when Uganda is faced with the influx of thousands of refugees from South Sudan,” stated the message. “With gratitude we have witnessed the great hospitality and generosity of the Ugandan people and the way they are practicing hope, justice and peace in the margins of society as you welcome our children, sisters and brothers in their hour of need.”
The message continued: “The World Council of Churches is aware that this is not the only challenge facing the church in Uganda but in the spirit of the Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace - the theme that is guiding WCC and its member churches from the 10th WCC Assembly in Busan in 2013 to the next assembly in 2021 we will continue to labor together in our Christian faith and calling. We at the WCC Secretariat will keep the diocese and your leadership in our prayers as you lead the church in Uganda and in the Universal Catholic Church as we seek for unity in Christ.”
In his charge, Bishop Twinomujuni highlighted the mission of the diocese: to preach the gospel and teach Christian virtues. The focus of the mission will be twofold, he said - on spiritual growth and socio economic transformation. To achieve these, he said, “we must walk in love and unity”.
He added: “Aware of our political, economic, socio-cultural, technological, ecological and legal factors that surround the church, I envision a diocese that is Christocentric, theologically sound, spiritually alert, financially stable and socially impactful.”
Other speakers echoed the call for unity for the diocese of West Ankole, as priests and laity, women and men, youth, girls and boys all committed themselves to work with the new bishop with an urgency to unite all Christians and work together with all stakeholders.
