Jinja diocese gets new bishop
Mar 02, 2010
POPE Benedict XVI has appointed the Tororo Auxilliary Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Charles Martin Wamika, the new Catholic bishop of Jinja Diocese.
By Juliet Lukwago and Juliet Waiswa
POPE Benedict XVI has appointed the Tororo Auxilliary Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Charles Martin Wamika, the new Catholic bishop of Jinja Diocese.
Wamika is replacing Bishop Joseph Willigers, who has retired, according to a letter from the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Paul Tschanga In-Nam.
Willigers has served for 43 years, making him Uganda’s longest-serving bishop.
“I have the pleasure to inform you that the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has accepted the resignation of His Lordship the Rt. Rev. Joseph Willigers, from his office of bishop of Jinja. The Pope has appointed his successor as His Lordship the Rt. Rev. Charles Martin Wamika,†the apostolic nuncio said in a letter released to the press yesterday by Fr. Philip Odii.
Odii is the executive secretary for the Social Communications Uganda Catholic Secretariat at Nsambya.
Wamika was born in Budaka, Pallisa district on August 12, 1953. He studied primary school at St. Peter’s Claver College and in 1964 joined St. Pius X Minor Seminary, Nagongera.
Wamika studied philosophy at the Alokolum National Seminary, Gulu and theology at the National Seminary of Ggaba, Kampala.
He was ordained a priest on September 22, 1979. In 1992, he was appointed auxilliary bishop.
Willigers was born on October 26, 1930 in the Netherlands and ordained priest in 1955. He became the first Bishop of Jinja in 1967. He was appointed bishop by the then Pope Paul VI.
The apostolic nuncio thanked Willigers for his long and fruitful service and prayed for the new bishop.
POPE Benedict XVI has appointed the Tororo Auxilliary Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Charles Martin Wamika, the new Catholic bishop of Jinja Diocese.
Wamika is replacing Bishop Joseph Willigers, who has retired, according to a letter from the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Paul Tschanga In-Nam.
Willigers has served for 43 years, making him Uganda’s longest-serving bishop.
“I have the pleasure to inform you that the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has accepted the resignation of His Lordship the Rt. Rev. Joseph Willigers, from his office of bishop of Jinja. The Pope has appointed his successor as His Lordship the Rt. Rev. Charles Martin Wamika,†the apostolic nuncio said in a letter released to the press yesterday by Fr. Philip Odii.
Odii is the executive secretary for the Social Communications Uganda Catholic Secretariat at Nsambya.
Wamika was born in Budaka, Pallisa district on August 12, 1953. He studied primary school at St. Peter’s Claver College and in 1964 joined St. Pius X Minor Seminary, Nagongera.
Wamika studied philosophy at the Alokolum National Seminary, Gulu and theology at the National Seminary of Ggaba, Kampala.
He was ordained a priest on September 22, 1979. In 1992, he was appointed auxilliary bishop.
Willigers was born on October 26, 1930 in the Netherlands and ordained priest in 1955. He became the first Bishop of Jinja in 1967. He was appointed bishop by the then Pope Paul VI.
The apostolic nuncio thanked Willigers for his long and fruitful service and prayed for the new bishop.