HOLY SEE RECOGNISES ARUA DIOCESS FOR SELF-RELIANCE INITIATIVE

Rt. Rev. Sabino Ocan Odoki in a group photo with diocesan officials after a press address. photo by Morish Dramadri.

By Morish Dramadri

Arua city

Arua catholic diocese has received recognition from the Holy See for her financial self-reliance initiatives that has seen the diocese registering surplus in revenue for the period 2022- June 2024.

In a letter dated January 7, 2025, presented to the Bishop of Arua diocese Rt. Rev. Sabino Ocan Odoki by the Apostolic Nuncio to Uganda, His Excellency Luigi Biango during the consecration of the new bishop of Nebbi catholic diocese, Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagli the pro prefect for Evangelization at the Holy see hails the diocese for its accountable and financial security that promotes the spirit of financial self-reliance.

Rt. Rev. Sabino Ocan Odoki while addressing the media at the diocesan headquarter Ediofe on Monday March 24, 2025, attributed this recognition to the impact caused by the third diocesan synod on economic empowerment of the Christians during the reign of late Bishop Frederick Drandua.

“In this diocese there was a synod and that synod gave the idea but now we are realizing it, putting it into practice and Arua diocese is an example now in making money, we are now able to make money to the point that Rome is recognizing, we must work hard as a diocese and be able may be to help others where evangelization has not reached,” Rt. Rev. Sabino said. 
 
Among the self-reliance initiatives of the Arua diocese include the Local donor forum commonly known as “Jegejege” where a Christian pays 100 shillings every month to build a home for the retired priests with currently over 190 million Ugandan shillings is in account.

Msgr. Casto Adeti the vicar general of Arua diocese who also doubles as the parish priest of Sacred Heart Ediofe cathedral parish observed that it is now high time the diocese turns to support the church in need through their support to Rome.

“We have been depending on Rome, now Rome should also depend on us, the contributions we make here must also reach Rome, the universal church needs also that support from us, if Rome has acknowledged what Arua diocese has done its because we are equally helping Rome, we should be encouraged, we should even work harder to support others,” Msgr. Fr. Casto advised.

Last year, Arua diocese on September 27, launched a fundraising drive to generate funds to support the health scheme of the priest where over 90million Ugandan shillings was registered showing the efforts of the local Christians in supporting their diocese.     

Meanwhile Gabriel Adriko the representative of the Laity in Arua diocese appreciated the effort of the Christians in the development of the church in the diocese.

“As the Laity of the diocese, we contribute so much in mobilizing Christians to support our church activities, so many activities in the church need money and it comes from the local Christians, some collection taken to Rome come from the local Christians,” Adriko acknowledged.  

Arua catholic diocese was established as a local church in 1958 and is financed locally through self- reliance.