Priest suspended over participating in 'illegal' wedding
Suspended: Rev. Canon Johnmark Nsasiirwe, the priest of St James Church of Uganda, Kaburengye Parish, West Ankole Diocese Bushenyi District. PHOTO/ ZADOCK AMANYISA
What you need to know:
- The authorities at Bweranyangi maintained in the letter that whereas the Curate and Lay reader admitted the wrong and asked for forgiveness, their Canon Nsasiirwe did not show any concern and remorse and instead insisted that the banns of marriage were published and there was no wrong committed.
Rev Canon Johnmark Nsasiirwe, the priest of St James Church of Uganda, Kaburengye Parish, West Ankole Diocese Bushenyi district, has been suspended by West Ankole Diocesan Officials accusing him of participating in an illegal wedding.
According to a letter written by the West Ankole Diocesan Secretary, Rev Didas Natweta to Canon Nsasiirwe dated May 18, 2021, a copy of which this reporter has seen, Canon Nsasiirwe allegedly participated in an illegal church wedding ceremony and allowed it to take place at Kaburengye without adhering to the marriage laws of Uganda.
“It is within your knowledge that you participated in the said wedding ceremony and worse still allowed it to take place at St. James Kaburengye Parish COU without following church Canons, Rules and Procedures and without adhering to the Marriage laws of Uganda,” the letter reads in part.
Rev Canon Nsasiirwe is accused of allowing a wedding ceremony between the former West Ankole Diocesan Dean, Rev Canon Nobert Tibikoma and his wife, Evaline Kyampaire, which occurred on May 13, 2021 at Kaburengye.
“It is also within your knowledge that the curate and lay reader of St. James whom you supervise informed the meeting that the two persons wedded were not formally registered at least three weeks before and that, instead, they were put in the register after the wedding,” the letter reads
According to the Diocesan Secretary, the Curate and the lay reader informed them (diocesan officials) that the banns of marriage were not published and that Canon Nsasiirwe instructed them to “fraudulently sign against the dates of the three Sundays as if they actually announced the couple’s wedding in Church when they never did.”
“As a Church minister and canon, that behavior is a bad example to those that you supervise and nurture. Further, there was no written consent from the parents of the woman,” said the letter
The authorities at Bweranyangi maintained in the letter that whereas the Curate and Lay reader admitted the wrong and asked for forgiveness, their Canon Nsasiirwe did not show any concern and remorse and instead insisted that the banns of marriage were published and there was no wrong committed. They also faulted the canon for disobeying the diocesan Bishop, Rt. Rev. Johnson Twinomujuni.
“Even after persistent entreaties by the Bishop whom you swore to serve and obey, your conduct was unrelentingly unremorseful and confrontational. This is insubordination, following willful violation of the Canons,” the letter read on.
Parishioners gather at Kaburengye COU protesting the suspension of their priest on May 18, 2021
Canon Nsasiirwe’s case required ecclesiastical disciplinary proceedings before the diocesan tribunal for hearing and determination.
He was suspended until the ecclesiastical disciplinary proceedings concerning his case are held and concluded by the diocesan tribunal and he will be prohibited from performing priestly duties in West Ankole Diocese until.
The canon was also asked to hand over the office to the Curate, Rev Turyamusiima Kenda, the Head of Laity, Treasurer, Mothers Union leader and the youth leader on 19th May, 2021.
Bweranyangi faulted
Ms Immaculate Mbabazi, a parishioner at Kaburengye told Daily Monitor that it was wrong for Bweranyangi to rein in on the priest since what he did has been happening across the diocese.
“I was wedded in the same way and I have since then been actively participating in Church activities and enjoying all sacraments,” she said
Mr Apollo Kakonge Lee, a Christian described the priest's suspension as an undeservingly severe penalty.
“I cannot deny that the priest did wrong, neither can I say that he was right, but why are they punishing him like that? Why didn’t his bosses at least issue a warning and then suspend him if he was adamant?” Mr Kakonge wondered.
Priest speaks out
The accused Canon Nsasiirwe said that all he did was in the confines of the law and he should not be scolded.
“The couple was wedded by Rev Canon Arthur, who crosschecked and found that all was done as required by the law. Two, the couple is at home enjoying the marriage, there hasn’t been any complainant. I have been suspended for not publishing banns of marriage, yet I did the needful,” Canon Nsasiirwe told Daily Monitor.
