The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, has asked newly ordained Catholic priests and deacons to use their ministry to promote unity, peace and social cohesion in communities.
Tayebwa was speaking on Saturday at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Nyamitanga Cathedral in Mbarara City, where the Archbishop of Mbarara Archdiocese, Lambert Bainomugisha, ordained eight priests and 16 deacons.
The Deputy Speaker, who was the chief guest at the ordination Mass, congratulated the new priests and deacons and urged them to embrace their calling with humility, compassion and commitment to serving all people without discrimination.
“They will be ambassadors of the Church in fulfilling its important role of promoting unity, peace and social cohesion,” Tayebwa said.
Archbishop Bainomugisha, while presiding over the Mass, urged the newly ordained clergy to remain connected to the everyday realities of the people they serve and to emulate the example of Jesus Christ.
Tayebwa also commended the Catholic Church for responding to the government’s call to invest in programmes aimed at addressing poverty at household and community levels.
He said the Church’s interventions were contributing to improving the livelihoods of Ugandans and pledged continued government cooperation with religious institutions and other stakeholders.
“As government, we will continue working with the Church and other stakeholders to address the challenges affecting our people,” Tayebwa said.
He called for a collective effort to fight corruption in government programmes and institutions, including the Parish Development Model (PDM), recruitment and allocation of jobs, and public health facilities.
“Public resources and opportunities must serve the people for whom they are intended,” he said.
Tayebwa also thanked the Catholic Church for its continued support of government programmes and for praying for President Museveni, First Lady Janet Museveni, national leaders and the country.
