Daily Monitor

The congregation at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Abira Cell, Kidetok Town Council, Serere District were yesterday forced to hold Mass under the sun after unidentified arsonists set their church ablaze on Saturday night. By the time of publishing this story, the faithful had already started Mass in the ruins of the grass thatched church. 

About 100 congregants and their catechist Francis Eyoku braved the heat and smoke. Mr Dionysius Okiror, the Kidetok Catholic Parish in Soroti Diocese chairperson, said the fire started at about 10pm and by the time locals rushed to put it off, there was nothing to save. He said it is not the first time such a scenario has happened. “In 2020, a similar attack on the house of the Lord was done. Sad about this latest attack is that it happened the same day Christians participated in revamping it by replacing the old grass with new grass on the roof,” he said. 
Mr Okiror called upon whoever could have done this to repent. He said as the parish council, they will now focus on completing a permanent church that the Christians have started building. 

Fr Valerian Olobo, the parish priest who led Mass, rallied the faithful to keep hope alive during Lent. He also asked them to forgive the people who could have done this heinous act. “As Christians, our faith is rooted in forgiveness. I also encourage you not to relent but to have the structure temporarily put back as we plan to finish the permanent church you started building,” Fr Olobo said. 

The Abira Cell chairperson, Mr Daniel Okalembo, said police failed to respond when they heard that the entire structured had been razed.  Ms Angela Audo, a church member, said they will not pay sin with sin.  “We shall keep interceding and ask the Lord to forgive the people who did this. May they get to know God,” she said.

COVER PHOTO: Church members carrying away borrowed benches after mass at the razed church site Daily Monitor