By Fr. Isaac Ojok, Communications Office, Lira Diocese
The Bishop of Lira Diocese, Rt. Rev. Sanctus Lino Wanok, has called on the faithful of the Diocese to embrace a life of communion, participation and mission, urging every baptized person to take an active role in building a holy and missionary Church.
Bishop Wanok made the call during the celebration of the 58th Diocesan Day of Lira Diocese, a diocese under the watchful care of the Uganda martyrs. The celebration held at Uganda martyrs cathedral focused on the theme: “Walking Together in Christ: Communion, Participation and Mission for a Eucharist-Centered Church in a Synodal Church.”
The celebration brought together representatives from parishes across Lira Diocese, including the laity, religious men and women, and priests, reflecting the unity and communion of the Diocese. The presence of the clergy gathered around their Bishop was a visible expression of priestly collegiality, fraternity and their shared commitment to the mission of the Church.
This year’s Diocesan Day celebration was animated by Dokolo Deanery, whose vibrant liturgical preparations enriched the occasion. Their choir led the congregation in the celebration with their melodious hymns, beautifully blending songs in Lango with hymns in Ateso and Kumam. This rich cultural and liturgical harmony was a powerful expression of the unity, diversity and universality of the Church, demonstrating how different communities come together as one family in Christ.
In his homily, the Bishop reminded the faithful that the Diocesan Day was an occasion of thanksgiving, renewal and celebration of God’s faithfulness since the establishment of Lira Diocese on 12 July 1968.
“Today, we celebrate the faith that has been handed on to us. We celebrate the family of God that is Lira Diocese and all that God has done among us. Above all, we celebrate that Christ continues to walk with His people,” Bishop Wanok said.
Reflecting on the words of the Prophet Isaiah, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine,” the Bishop emphasized the dignity and responsibility of every baptized Christian.
He said that before people identify themselves through tribe, profession, political affiliation or social status, their first identity is found in Christ through Baptism.
“Every baptized person matters. No one is too poor, no one is too young, no one is too old, and no one is insignificant. Every baptized person has received gifts from the Holy Spirit and has a place and mission in the Church,” he said.
Bishop Wanok challenged the faithful to draw inspiration from the Uganda Martyrs, who, despite being ordinary lay people, remained faithful to Christ and gave their lives for the faith.
“The Uganda Martyrs chose Christ over comfort, truth over compromise, and eternal life over earthly security. Their witness challenges us today to take our Baptism seriously and strive for holiness,” he said.
Walking Together in Christ
The Bishop explained that synodality means walking together as a people of God because Christ walks with His Church.
Drawing from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Ephesians, he highlighted humility, gentleness, patience and love as essential qualities of a synodal Church.
“Synodality is walking together because Christ walks with us. It is listening to one another because the Holy Spirit speaks to all the baptized. It is discerning together because the mission belongs to Christ,” Bishop Wanok said.
He expressed his desire to see every parish in Lira Diocese become a true family where Christians pray together, listen to one another and support those in need.
“My dream for Lira Diocese is that every parish becomes a true family; that no widow feels abandoned, no elderly person forgotten, no young person useless, and no family carries its burdens alone,” he said.
The Eucharist at the Heart of Diocesan Life
Reflecting on the Gospel account of the disciples on the road to Emmaus, Bishop Wanok encouraged Christians who feel discouraged or distant from God to recognize that Christ continues to walk with them.
He noted that many people today experience struggles that lead them away from faith, including family challenges, unemployment, addiction, violence and loss of hope.
However, he emphasized that Christ meets His people, listens to them, speaks through Scripture and reveals Himself in the breaking of the Bread.
“Everything changes at the table of the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the heart of the Church. It is where strangers become brothers and sisters, where sinners receive mercy, and where Christ forms us into one Body,” he said.
The Bishop warned that receiving the Eucharist must lead to a transformed life, calling Christians to reject corruption, hatred, tribalism, dishonesty, violence and all forms of injustice.
“We cannot receive the Body of Christ and continue destroying the Body of Christ in society. The Eucharist must transform us,” he said.
A Call to Mission and Servant Leadership
Bishop Wanok reminded the faithful that the Eucharist sends Christians out on mission, just as the disciples of Emmaus returned to Jerusalem after encountering the risen Christ.
He said that every baptized person is called to bring Christ into homes, villages, schools, hospitals, workplaces and communities.
Addressing young people, the Bishop encouraged them to build their lives on Christ and resist forces that threaten their future.
“You are not only the future of the Church. You are the Church today. Develop your talents, work hard, pray faithfully and serve generously,” he said.
The Bishop also appealed to leaders in government, institutions, parishes and families to embrace servant leadership.
“Leadership is not a privilege. Leadership is service. Uganda does not simply need more leaders; Uganda needs servant leaders who fear God, respect human dignity and seek the common good,” he said.
Renewing the Mission of Lira Diocese
At the conclusion of his homily, Bishop Wanok invited the faithful to renew four commitments: to cherish their Baptism, to walk together as one people, to place the Eucharist at the centre of their lives, and to become missionary disciples.
He said that by living these commitments, Lira Diocese would become not only a successful Diocese but a holy Diocese.
“A Diocese where communion overcomes division, where participation replaces exclusion, where mission conquers fear, and where the Eucharist shapes every decision,” he said.
The Bishop concluded by invoking the intercession of the Uganda Martyrs and the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, asking that they accompany the Diocese on its synodal journey.
“May the Risen Lord, whom we recognize in the breaking of the Bread, continue to bless Lira Diocese, so that walking together in Christ, we may become ever more a Church of Communion, Participation and Mission, centered always on the Holy Eucharist,” Bishop Wanok prayed.
During the Eucharistic Celebration marking the 58th Diocesan Day, Bishop Sanctus Lino Wanok formally admitted 11 seminarians as candidates for Holy Orders, a significant milestone in their journey of formation as they prepare for ordained ministry.
The Bishop also instituted nine seminarians into the ministries of Lector and Acolyte, entrusting them with greater responsibility in the proclamation of the Word of God and service at the altar as they continue their formation.
As part of the celebration, the faithful from across the Diocese presented gifts to the Bishop in both cash and kind as a sign of their gratitude, solidarity and support for his pastoral ministry. The offertory reflected the shared commitment of the people of God to the mission of the Church and their partnership with the Bishop in advancing the pastoral work of the Diocese.
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