Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
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| Archbishop-emeritus Paul Kamuza Bakyenga |
Installation of the Archbishop elect of the Archdiocese of Mbarara, Auxiliary Bishop Lambert Bainomugisha has been scheduled to take place on Saturday, June 20, at the Cathedral of Mbarara.
“Today I wanted to let you know that on the 20thof June which will be on a Saturday, the feast day of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, hewill officially take canonical position of the Archdiocese of Mbarara. We continue praying for Archbishop Lambert as he prepares himself for that day,” Archbishop-emeritus Paul Kamuza Bakyenga said in a video clip sent by Uganda Episcopal Conference’s Communications office to AMECEA Onlineon Thursday, May 14.
“In Church law, he is supposed to take position of the Archdiocese within a period of two months. We have been looking for an appropriate date on which he is to take position of the Archdiocese ,” Archbishop Bakyenga who has since retired narrated.
He lamented that Covid-19 has been a great challenge when trying to identify an appropriate date for the installation of his successor saying, “The Coronavirus pandemic has disturbed all of us but we don’t want him to take position of the Archdiocese in secret. Today we had our meeting and we decided that come what may, the Archbishop-elect will take position of the Archdiocese of Mbarara at the Cathedral in Mbarara.”
“We don’t know how many people will be able to come but we have decided that sometime later than that date, we shall have another day to welcome him as the Christian community of Mbarara and all our friends when we shall introduce him to the public to as many people as possible,” he added.
Addressing the clergy, Religious and lay faithful on Tuesday, Archbishop Bakyenga whose resignation Pope Francis accepted on April 25, 2020 upon reaching canonical age limit said, “I will officially hand over to him,” on the day of installation.
He asked the people to stay safe especially during this time of the pandemic saying, “I wish you peace and well-being and please keep safe under these days of Coronavirus.”
The archbishop-elect was appointed auxiliary of the Archdiocese of Mbarara in July 2005. From 2009 to 2016, he served as Apostolic Administrator of Hoima Diocese, after which he returned to Mbarara where he continued to serve the Church as auxiliary bishop until this new appointment.