By Godwin Abedican

Arua

Wirth counted hours to the ordination day set for Saturday 29^th July 2023, the central Organizing Committee for the ordination has been forced to slash off a number of items and reduce on quantities of items initially budgeted for to be used for organizing the function.

The office of the Bishop Ordinary of the Catholic Diocese of Arua on 4^th July, 2023, released banners for the names of candidates for the ordination, that we announced throughout the diocese so that in case of any reasons that could not allow them be ordained, the Christians would let be known. But with just hours to the day, it gives lee way that a total of 7 deacons will be ordained in to priesthood and 12 seminarians will be ordained into deaconate come Saturday 29^th July 2023.

In the lead towards this day, the C.O.C drew a budget of 46 million shillings. On Wednesday 26^th July 2023, the committee had to sit for a final budget review at Ediofe, in which the initial budget was cut to thirty one million forty-four thousand five hundred (31,044,500) shillings, citing poor remittance of funds by the different parishes.

In a bid to mobilize resources, the parishes with candidates being ordained were to pay 1.5 million shillings each, those with 2 candidates were to pay 2 million shillings, other parishes were to pay two hundred thousand (200,000) shillings each, while the primary schools under the diocese were to pay fifty thousand (50,000) shillings each as secondary schools and higher institutions of learning under the diocese were to pay a sum of one hundred thousand (100,000) shillings each, which records indicate that  they were not dully adhered to by most of these parties.

Charles Andrua the chairperson C.O.C for the ordination says, much as the resources intended were not realized fully, they are set for the day and will hold the event using the resources available. ”We have some parishes that have not made contributions, like Ombaci and Adjumani and yet they have candidates for ordination. A Parish like Ocodri that has a candidate also instead of the 1.5 million needed only paid two hundred thousand shillings.

I don’t get the logic behind this and this is our challenge. I think the parishes are at a cross road because they are either thinking of contributing to the C.O.C for the ordination or they want to channel all their funds to the thanksgiving mass which is always held immediately after the ordination. To me I would say, first things first and last things last, because somebody must be ordained before you can go home and give thanks for the sacrament. So it makes no meaning organizing for thanks giving when you don’t support the reason for the thanks giving” he said.

According to him, even in the last ordination in January many parishes did not make full payments of the monies requested from them which affected their organization and there was a resolution to have the parishes’ even pay what is in arrears.

 
Charles Andrua, the chairperson C.O.C (center) speaking during the final preparatory meeting
 
According to Rev. Pious Yobuta, the Parish Priest of Christ the King prish Arua and the Chairperson of the Association of the priests in the Diocese, some challenges in meeting the budget demands can be dealt with if the Christians can be encouraged to own such occasions “It is very hard to deal with some parishes. They are have always been negative, we need not to wonder if they don’t make remissions. Whatever needs to be done to them we really need to figure out because this issue is always raised in meetings. We will continue to forward this issue.

It’s not only in this that we are preparing for but it has been on many occasions. I saw in the budget the things people are encouraged to willingly pledge are very minimal. I believe if we really know our Christians in the parishes and encourage them, some of these things would not be budgeted for. Things like onions, tomatoes, red paper, salt and others. Really, my people, allocating monies to buy these things can’t someone take such things as a pledge. We could meet our budgets through such things. If we embrace such in our organizations, then we shall be doing well,” Fr. Yobuta said

By the end of the meeting on Wednesday 26^th July 2023, the C.O.O had managed to raise a total of twenty four million, seven hundred eighty thousand, six hundred (24,780,600) shillings to cater for the budget of thirty one million forty-four thousand five hundred (31,044,500) shillings living the committee with a budget deficit of six million two hundred sixty three thousand nine hundred (6,263,900) shillings, with some parishes expected to remit their monies before the day of the ordination.

The candidates to be presented for priestly ordination include, Alex Guma, Basil Okuonzi, Morish Angutoko, Denis Dranika, Samuel Odong, Ben Osuta and Morish Sunday meanwhile seminarians Isaac Osoa, Eliaza Wadri, Richard Ayikobua, Innocent Drile Akile, Moses Andama, Gilbert Ogala, Denis Ochen, Gilbert Orodriyo, Marvyn Adriko, Gilbert Obira, Pax Driwale and Michael Aledra will receive deaconate ordinations.

COVER PHOTO: Some of the C.O.C members during the final meeting By Godwin Abedican