By Fr. Isaac Ojok, Communications Office, Lira Diocese
Thousands of Christians gathered at Our Lady of the Rosary Alenga Parish in Apac District on Sunday 8th March 2026 for a historic celebration marking the official handover of the parish to diocesan clergy after more than five decades of missionary service.
The colourful event drew a large congregation of clergy, religious and lay faithful, as well as civil and political leaders who joined the community in celebrating the milestone and paying tribute to the work of the Comboni Missionaries, who have served the parish since 1970.
The ceremony was presided over by the Rt. Rev. Sanctus Lino Wanok, Bishop of Lira diocese, who formally entrusted the parish to diocesan priests.
During the Mass for the handover of Alenga Parish from the Comboni Missionaries to the diocesan priests, Bishop Wanok first explained the spiritual foundations that the missionaries had established in the parish. Before beginning his homily, the Bishop requested a symbolic handover. The Comboni Missionary priests made the symbolic handover through their Provincial Superior, Fr Anthony Kibira, to the diocesan priests through Monsignor Polycarp Opio, the Vicar for the Clergy. This gesture signified the transition of pastoral responsibility and the continuation of the Church’s mission in the parish.
In his remarks, Bishop Wanok highlighted four important spiritual elements brought by the missionaries: the Key of the Tabernacle, the Cross, the Bible, and the Rosary. The Key of the Tabernacle symbolizes the responsibility of the priest to safeguard the Eucharist, reminding the faithful that Christ lives among His people. The Cross represents Christ’s sacrifice for the salvation of humanity and calls Christians to live lives of faith and service. The Bible signifies the Word of God that guides the faithful in their daily lives. The Rosary, which the Bishop described as a spiritual weapon, strengthens believers in prayer and helps them resist evil.
Through these symbols, the Bishop reminded the faithful that the missionaries not only established the parish but also laid a strong spiritual foundation that the diocesan priests are now called to continue nurturing.
During the celebration, the bishop appointed Fr Haron Ojok as the new parish priest of Alenga Parish, taking the mantle of leadership from Fr Michael Oguzu MCCJ, the Comboni missionary priest who have shepherded the community for two and half years as parish priest.
In his homily on the Third Sunday of Lent, Bishop Wanok urged Christians to embrace the transition with gratitude, faith and renewed commitment to serving the Church.
Drawing from the day’s readings, the bishop said God’s love continues to sustain His people even in moments of change. He referred to the biblical story of God providing water from the rock in the desert and Jesus offering “living water” to the Samaritan woman, saying the message of the readings is that God meets His people in their needs and renews their faith.
“All three readings teach us the same lesson: God’s life-giving love meets us in places of need, in moments of doubt and in ordinary encounters. God gives; we receive; and when we receive, we are sent to share,” Bishop Wanok said.
He described the handover of Alenga Parish as not an end but the beginning of a new chapter in the life of the Church in the area.
“Like the rock at Horeb and Jacob’s well, God’s provision continues even when human hands change. The water does not belong to any one person; it belongs to the people of God,” he said.
The bishop thanked the Comboni missionaries for their dedication to the community, praising their role in evangelisation, education, health outreach and the growth of Christian faith in the region over the past fifty years.
“Let us give thanks to God for fifty years of seeds planted, wells dug, homes served and faith kindled by those who came to live among us and to love us,” he said.
Bishop Wanok encouraged Christians to maintain the ministries and community initiatives started by the missionaries, including catechesis, prayer life, schools and health outreach programmes.
He also called on the faithful to actively support the diocesan priests taking over the parish, emphasising that a vibrant parish depends on collaboration between clergy and laity.
“A parish is not only a building or a name; it is a people called to worship in spirit and truth,” he said, urging Christians to strengthen parish councils, deepen catechesis and support youth and community programmes.
Addressing the newly appointed clergy, the bishop urged them to serve with humility and to build on the foundations laid by the missionaries.
“Come among them as servants of the Gospel, listening first, building trust and honouring what has gone before,” he said.
He also asked the faithful to welcome the new priests with the same openness and cooperation they extended to the missionaries.
Civil and political leaders who attended the celebration praised the Comboni missionaries for their longstanding contribution to social development in the area and called on the community to support the new parish leadership.
The ceremony concluded with prayers for the missionaries as they continue their mission elsewhere, for the diocesan priests assuming pastoral responsibility, and for the continued growth of the Christian community in Alenga Parish.
End
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