Catholic faithful in Jinja Diocese have been urged to remain patient, continue praying and support the eventual appointment of a new bishop as the Church continues the search for a successor to the late Bishop Martin Charles Wamika.
The appeal was made during a Holy Mass held at Rubaga Hill in Jinja City to mark the first anniversary of Bishop Wamika’s death. The Mass brought together Church leaders, members of the late bishop’s family, government officials, priests and Catholic faithful to honour his life and legacy.
The Mass was led by the Archbishop of Tororo Archdiocese and Apostolic Administrator of Jinja Diocese, the Most Rev. Dr Emmanuel Obbo, who called on Christians to uphold the late bishop’s teachings on love, unity, prayer and commitment to God.
Archbishop Obbo urged the faithful to remain steadfast in their faith, cautioning against turning away from God during periods of uncertainty and division.
He said Bishop Wamika had demonstrated unwavering faith in God, even during his illness and when he travelled to India for further medical treatment.
According to Archbishop Obbo, the late bishop’s life and ministry serve as a reminder that Christians should remain committed to seeking God’s guidance, regardless of the challenges they face.
“Failing to come to God’s home is a failure in life, and we call it hell, because without God we cannot say we are living,” Archbishop Obbo said.
He noted that throughout his ministry as a priest and bishop, Wamika consistently preached love, unity and reconciliation, particularly within families and the Church.
The archbishop observed that divisions within families and religious communities often arise when people abandon the path of faith and choose darkness over light.
He called on Christians to reflect on the late bishop’s teachings and allow prayer to guide them through the current period of transition in the diocese.
“Bishop Charles Wamika served under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. His mission was to teach people the way to God and the Church,” Archbishop Obbo said.
He added that the waiting period should be used as an opportunity for spiritual renewal and purification rather than division.
“In order to be together, we need to turn to God in prayer. That is why we are here praying, so that we may be inspired to follow the teachings left behind by our bishop,” he said.
Meanwhile, the family of the late bishop has urged Catholics to exercise patience and avoid comparing the next bishop to Wamika before his successor is appointed.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Caroline Kawala said some Christians risk undermining the incoming bishop by insisting that Jinja Diocese would never have another leader who could match Wamika’s contributions.
She described such comparisons as unfair and potentially harmful to the unity of the Church, arguing that every bishop has a unique calling, mission and pastoral approach.
“We therefore appeal to our dear Christians, who always comfort us, but we feel they hurt us when they say Jinja Diocese will never get a bishop like Wamika. That is very wrong,” Kawala said.
She explained that each bishop receives different spiritual gifts and is called to serve the Church according to God’s plan.
Kawala urged the faithful to refrain from judging or rejecting the person who will eventually be appointed, saying their responsibility is to pray for, accept and support their new shepherd.
“Our responsibility, dear Catholics, is not to compare, not to judge, not to reject, but to support, to obey and to pray for the one who will come. The Lord chooses him; we do not elect a bishop like a politician,” she said.
She warned that insisting no future bishop could equal Wamika could create resistance to the Church’s decision and undermine unity within the diocese.
Kawala called on Christians to honour the late bishop’s legacy by demonstrating the same obedience to the Church that he maintained throughout his ministry.
To illustrate her message, she recalled a story Wamika often told about the Uganda Martyrs, whose faith endured despite receiving limited catechetical instruction before their persecution under Kabaka Mwanga II.
According to Kawala, Wamika used the story to remind priests of their responsibility to prepare Christians for the challenges of faith, while encouraging the faithful to remain committed to their beliefs even in difficult circumstances.
She said the diocese was facing a similar test following the death of its bishop, urging Catholics to remain united, trust in the Church’s guidance and continue praying for the appointment of a new spiritual leader.