Luweero gets first canon law court

Bishop Ssemogerere greets worshippers at the Diocese Cathedral in Luweero at the weekend. PHOTO BY DAN WANDERA.

LUWEERO- The Kasana–Luweero Diocese has constituted the first ever Canon Law Court, the judicial arm of the Church Law, procedures and norms.

Bishop Paul Ssemogerere said the tribunal, which is the first in the 19-year history of the diocese, is to resolve disputes and provide binding decisions on matters brought before it, including marriage. However, the court has never handled any divorce case. The Catholic Church discourages divorce.

“The purpose of this tribunal is to conduct thorough investigations into spiritual goods, temporal goods of the Church, which are under contestation and protect the rights of Christians,” Bishop Ssemogerere said at the function where members of the tribunal took oath last week.

According to the bishop, the church has many pending cases which call for adjudication given that the “Church has its own and exclusive right to judge in reference to matters which are spiritual, the violation of ecclesiastical laws with an element of sin to determine guilt and impose penalties”.

Fr Lawrence Kizito Kimbowa, the tribunal chair, said the diocese has been using the Kampala Archdiocese Tribunal for some of the cases that had been brought to the attention of the Church leadership due to absence of personnel at Kasana- Luweero Diocese.

“We have cases of marriages which are not properly constituted and therefore null and void. We shall also be dealing with other matters that seem to be out of hand and call for intervention,” he said in an interview at the weekend.
Other members on the tribunal include Fr Francis Xavier Mpanga, Fr Jude Masembe, Fr Emmanuel Sita, Fr John Mary Mpoza, Fr Mathias Ssenyange, Fr Joseph Nsereko, Fr Achilles Ssemakula, Mr William Mwesige, Fr Bonny Ssenteza and Fr Bob Lukwago.

Canon Law is the body of regulations made by a church authority.