I will never marry - Bishop Kibuuka

Happy. Bishop of the Evangelical Orthodox Church for Central and Eastern Uganda Jacinto Kibuuka (Centre) waves to the congregation after his consecration in Wakiso District recently. PHOTO BY JOSEPH KIGGUNDU

What you need to know:

  • Background. The Evangelical Orthodox Church allows its priests and bishops to marry.

Wakiso.

Newly-consecrated Bishop of the Evangelical Orthodox Church for Central and Eastern Uganda Jacinto Kibuuka has vowed never to marry even when his faith permits him to.
Bishop Kibuuka said he is not interested in marriage, which he said may divert him from his core mission of serving God.
“It’s true in the Evangelical Orthodox Church, priests are at liberty to marry, but I am not going to marry because I don’t have time for women apart from serving the Lord who called me,’ Bishop Kibuuka told the congregation at Mamre International Prayer Centre in Namugongo, Wakiso District, on Monday.
“I took vows to serve the Lord in all my life and I will give in my all towards serving His people,” he added.
The former Roman Catholic priest also denied accusations that his way of prayer imitates the ways of the Roman Catholic Church.
The Roman Catholic Church recently released a statement, saying Bishop Kibuuka did not get permission from the Pope to join the Evangelical Orthodox Church as prescribed in the Canon laws. However, Bishop Kibuuka dismissed the allegations.
“It’s sad and uncultured to accuse us of imitation because the way we pray and dress means that we value tradition and we are a community of the Bible. The vestments for the Roman rite are not used by us, for instance, the maniple, the pallium and the gloves,” he said.
Bishop Kibuuka added that their church enjoys a valid apostolic succession that roots from St Peter, the Church of Antioch and the old Roman Catholic Church. He added that their church celebrates a divine liturgy of St John Chrysostom not of St Basil.
He also said he will not be intimidated by threats of legal suits from any individual, saying Uganda permits freedom of worship.