Retired Archbishop Odongo dies at 89

Tororo Archdiocese is mourning the death of retired Archbishop James Odongo who died on Friday morning at  Nsambya Hospital in Kampala. 

Fr Kevin Musisi, the vicar general of the archdiocese, said: “It is a sad moment that death has robbed us of our senior servant of God. We loved him but God loved him more and that could be the reason why he has called him.”

Fr Musisi said the deceased was a great servant of God who played a big role in the growth of faith in the archdiocese.

“Some of us are in these capacities of priesthood because of him. He was  was not a mere servant of God but  one who served beyond self. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” he added.

Her revealed that they have started burial arrangements and the programme will be made public once everything is finalised. 

Some Christians who spoke to Sunday Monitor eulogised the deceased as an honest and hardworking man. 

Archbishop Odong was born in 1931 in Molo Sub-county, Tororo District.

Odongo attended his primary at Nyangole. He later joined Nyenga Seminary,in the current Lugazi archdiocese before going to Ggaba Major Seminary. 

While at Ggaba, he was chosen to go and study in Rome.
In December 27, 1956 he was ordained priest, and has since then served in various parishes of Tororo Diocese.

In November 25, 1964, Odongo was appointed the education secretary in the Diocese of Tororo and served under the then bishop John Grief.

In August 19, 1968, he was appointed a full bishop serving for 43 years until in January 1, 1999 when Tororo Diocese was elevated to  an archdiocese. 

He was  the first archbishop  of Tororo until June 2007 when he retired. 

[email protected]