Moroto Diocese gets new bishop
Bishop Guzztti waves during his consecration in Moroto on Saturday. He becomes the second white bishop to sever in the Karamoraja sub-region with the first being Bishop Sisto Mazzoldi. PHOTO BY STEVEN ARIONG.
What you need to know:
The ceremony, presided over by the Rt Rev Emmanuel Obbo, the Archbishop of Tororo Archdiocese, was witnessed by different religious leaders, including retired Archbishop of Kampala Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala.
Moroto- The Moroto Diocese in Karamoja has a new bishop. He is an Italian born prelate who studied theology in Uganda, and has worked in the country for more than 25 years.
The Rt Rev Damiano Giulio Guzzetti is the newly consecrated Bishop of Moroto Diocese following his installation last Saturday at Boma grounds in Moroto Municipality.
The ceremony, presided over by the Rt Rev Emmanuel Obbo, the Archbishop of Tororo Archdiocese, was witnessed by different religious leaders, including retired Archbishop of Kampala Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala.
Bishop Guzzetti said he welcomed the new challenge, adding: “I take up this new commitment to a place where I spent my best years as a missionary priest.”
Preaching peace
Archbishop Obbo, Bishop Guzzetti’s new role of serving the people of Karamoja, encouraging the new bishop to preach peace, unity and development in a region where insecurity is so high.
Bishop Guzzetti studied at Novitiate, Venegono [Italy] between 1983 and 1985 before proceeding to Dublin, Ireland to study English between 1985 and 1986.
He also studied theological at St Mary’s National Major Seminary Ggaba, Kampala between 1986 and 1988, before heading to Tangaza College in Nairobi, Kenya between 1988 and 1989 to continue with theology studies.
Bishop Guzzetti who has been doing ministry work in Karamoja for years is described as a ‘man of the people’ by residents.
“He is like one of us here. He knows the culture, eats our food and knows how to speak our language. He is a Karamojong, only that he has a different skin texture [white],” said Fr Micheal Lubega, the Moroto Diocesan pastoral coordinator.
Bishop Guzzetti’s appointment makes him the fourth Bishop of Moroto Diocese but also the second one of Italian origin after Bishop Sisto Mazzoldi, who worked in the region between 1965 and 1980.
He replaces retired Bishop Henry Ssentongo who served Karamoja for a period of 13 years.
In 1994, Bishop Guzzetti became the curate at Namalu Parish, Naoi Parish and later on was ordained as the Parish Priest of Matany Parish in Moroto Diocese, serving in the region up to 2009.
Between 1999 and 2002 he became a member of the provincial council of the Comboni Missionaries under the Uganda ministry.
