Misinterpreting English cost my priesthood calling, says Chief Justice

Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo has said that he would have become a good priest only if he had not failed to interpret the English language.

Justice Owiny-Dollo said that when he was told at the seminary that priesthood is a vocation (God's calling), he left and settled to wait for God to reach out and call him to follow him instead of preparing to report at the seminary for studies.

"I was meant to be admitted into the seminary to study and become a priest but interpreting English to Acholi language made me miss that chance, I would be a priest today," he said.

He added: “I was told priesthood is a vocation, a calling by God to his service and I kept waiting that God would call me like he called prophet Samuel, but I waited in vain."

Justice Owiny-Dollo stated that his family and close relatives wanted him to become a priest but he learnt that God had planned for him a different vocation.

"Perhaps God knew that I would not manage that one (priesthood)," he said.

The head of the Judiciary was speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of Kal-Aloi Catholic Church at Aloi village, Patongo Sub-county, Agago District in memory of his late mother Paulina Angom on Saturday.

Justice Owiny-Dollo's family has offered to reconstruct the church where for ages they have been praying.

"This church is for you the community not for me and my family. I will be very happy if this church will help restore the pride and purity this village held in the past," he said.

He said he was advancing Shs15m to start the works while the rest of the funds would be generated through friends.

“If the work begins tomorrow, let the community members come with jerricans and provide water for the works,” he rallied residents.

Justice Owiny-Dollo was accompanied by Mr Hassan Alwii, the chairman of the International University of East Africa, Prof Andrew Khauka Senior Technical Advisor to the Judiciary, and Msgr Mathew Odong, the Vicar General of Gulu Archdiocese, among others.

The church to be built in memory of his mother will cost at least Shs500m and will be built by Strasburg Construction Ltd.

Meanwhile, Msgr Odong, while leading the mass, applauded the Owiny-Dollo Foundation for their efforts towards the economic and social development of the region.

"It is the first time in the district of Agago District to hear a family coming up to say they are building a church. This is a calling that all of us must unite and appreciate. Let's encourage hard work," he said.

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