Luweero Christians organise prayer for nullified bishop elect
Workers at a section of the St Mark's Cathedral Luweero Diocese now under renovation ahead of the 4th bishop consecration ceremony in August 2023. PHOTO/DAN WANDERA
What you need to know:
- Some of the Christians want the new nomination exercise for candidates halted. They cite the limited time frame for nomination, election and consecration that has been crowded in a period of one month.
The Anglican Church in Luweero Diocese has allowed a section of Christians that are mobilizing for a joint prayer for the nullified bishop elect Rev Can. Godfrey Kasana and his family to pray at St Mark’s Cathedral in Luweero on July 7.
Diocese officials clarified that the Diocese is guided by the Provincial Secretariat’s recent communication regarding the status of Rev Can Godfrey Kasana.
“We have heard about the mobilization for the prayer session that will be conducted at St Mark’s Cathedral. All Christians are at liberty to pray and converge at any Church. It is our duty to guide the Christians about any misguiding messages tagged on the prayer,” Luweero Diocesan Secretary Rev Eric Ssebigajju said on July 6.
Ssebigajju clarifies that it was wrong for some of the organizers of the Friday prayer to indicate that the prayer was for the Bishop elect Rev Godfrey Kasana.
“We should not confuse the Christians but tell the truth as it stands. We are indeed in prayer for the family of Rev Can. Godfrey Kasana. It is a challenging moment but we should remain in prayer to overcome all the other challenges that Luweero Diocese is going through,” Rev Ssebigajju told Monitor.
Luweero District LC5 Chairperson Mr Erasto Kibirango on Thursday revealed that they had got assurance from the organizers of the prayer session that the mobilization had no hidden intention and was for the purposes of praying for Rev Can Godfrey Kasana and his family.
“I consulted with the District security team when I heard the prayer mobilization publicized using community megaphones. The Christians have the right to pray. Nobody can interrupt the prayer session. We only ask the Christians to remain calm and focus on the prayer. They should also walk back home peacefully,” he said.
The news about the decision by the House of Bishops to nullify the election of Rev Can Godfrey Kasana as 4th bishop of Luweero Diocese on June 28, 2023 has left the Anglican community in Luweero divided.
While a section of the Christians have accepted the decision by the House of Bishops and are waiting for the new election process, some Christians believe the nullification was unfair.
Some of the Christians want the new nomination exercise for candidates halted. They cite the limited time frame for nomination, election and consecration that has been crowded in a period of one month.
The new nomination is between July 1 and July 31, 2023. The House of Bishops will convene on August 1 to elect the 4th bishop of Luweero Diocese while the consecration is scheduled for Sunday August 6.
