New Soroti bishop starts pastoral work
Welcomed. The Rt Rev Dr Joseph Eciru Oliach, rides on a cart driven by donkeys during his thanksgiving ceremony at his ancestral home of Olelai, Gweri Parish, Gweri Sub-county in Soroti District on Sunday. PHOTO BY SIMON NAULELE
What you need to know:
- Bishop Eciru is the last born in a family of eight in Ookai Village, Dokolo Parish, Gweri Sub-county in Soroti. His deceased parents are John Francis Oliach and Ann Maria Aguti.
SOROTI. The newly appointed bishop of Soroti Catholic Diocese on Sunday celebrated his newly episcopal ordination by wedding 19 couples in a mass wedding conducted at his ancestral home at Olelai, Gweri Parish, Gweri Sub-county in Soroti District.
According to the Rt Rev Dr Joseph Eciru Oliach, the event marked the beginning of his assignments.
Bishop Eciru was concentrated the Bishop of Soroti Diocese on May 25, upon his appointment by Pope Francis on March 19.
He is the third bishop of Soroti Diocese, after succeeding Bishop Emmanuel Obbo, who has been Apostolic Administrator since January 2014 when he became the Archbishop of Tororo. The first bishop for the diocese was Bishop Erasmus Wandera.
Mr Eciru, who was the chief celebrant during his thanksgiving ceremony, revealed to the Christians that he did not want to become bishop of the diocese.
“I did not want to become bishop. But when I considered the fact that my people (Christians) have been praying for a bishop for a very long time, and also remembering that I would not be looked at well at home if I rejected the appointment, I then surrendered to God and said let God’s will be done,” he said.
Bishop Eciru asked the newly wedded couples to love one another if they are to succeed in their marriage.
The State minister for Relief and Disaster Preparedness, Mr Musa Ecweru, said: “The appointment of Bishop Eciru, a native of Teso as Bishop is by itself a blessing to the people of Teso.
“And I would like all of us as the people of Teso to support our bishop,” he said.
Donation
Mr Ecweru donated 300 seedlings of citrus trees to the bishop and pledged to rally behind the Bishop to ensure that all the priests in the diocese are not leaving in abject poverty.
Rev Fr Msgr Gonzaga Ongereny Waziwazi encouraged the women not to visit traditional healers in order to succeed in marriage but always be subordinate to their husbands.
“Men want to be loved and respected by their husbands, and there is no man who wants a dirty woman,” he said.
MP for Soroti Municipality Herbert Edmond Ariko offered Bishop Eciru an air ticket to go for a holidays in November to Israel and Egypt.
Also present at the function were MP Kenneth Esiangu (Soroti County), Ann Ebaju (Youth Female) and Soroti District Woman MP Angeline Osegge.
BIRTH AND EDUCATION
Bishop Eciru is the last born in a family of eight in Ookai Village, Dokolo Parish, Gweri Sub-county in Soroti. His deceased parents are John Francis Oliach and Ann Maria Aguti.
He was born on August 11, 1970. He went to Gweri Primary School, St Aloysius Dem Primary School Ngora, St Peter’s Seminary Madera, Soroti for O-level and attended A-level at St Pius X Seminary Nagongera, Tororo District.
He was ordained on August 9, 2003 at St Patrick’s Catholic Parish in Madera.
