SOROTI – The Catholic Church leadership has confirmed Saturday, May 25 as the long awaited inauguration and Consecration of the New Soroti Catholic Diocese Bishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Joseph Eciru
Early on Wednesday hundreds of Christians flocked Fika Salama – a border point between Bukedea and Mbale districts to welcome the Bishop-elect of Soroti Catholic Diocese, Rt Rev Dr Eciru ahead of his much anticipated consecration on Saturday.
Rev. Dr. Eciru who has been teaching at St Mary’s National Major Seminary, Ggaba in Kampala was welcomed by joyful Christians with some trekking for several kilometers while others moved on motorcycles.
He will be consecrated as the 3rd Bishop of Soroti Catholic Diocese after his appointment by Pope Francis March this year.
Bishop Eciru will succeed His Grace, Emmanuel Obbo who was appointed to be the Archbishop Tororo Archdiocese in 2014 by Pope Francis, although he remained the apostolic administrator of Soroti Catholic Diocese.
Christians described the homecoming of Bishop Eciru as a blessing to Soroti Catholic Diocese that had spent over 5 years without a substantive Bishop.
He is the first Catholic Bishop of Teso origin to work in his native Soroti Catholic Diocese.
The announcement of Rev Fr Eciru’s appointment was published in Rome.
About Rev. Fr. Dr. Joseph Eciru Oliach
Born on August 11, 1970, in a family of 8, Bishop Eciru went to St. Aloysius Dem PS Ngora, joined St. Peter’s Seminary Madera, Soroti for O’level and went to St. Pius X Seminary Nagongera, Tororo for A’level.
He then went to St. Thomas Aquinas National Seminary Katigondo, Masaka and later joined St. Paul’s National Seminary Kinyamasika, Fort-Portal.
He got his diaconate ordination on August 11, 2002, at St. Ann’s Catholic Parish; Usuk and was ordained a priest on , at St. Patrick’s Catholic Parish, Madera.
He is also a lecturer of Sacred Scripture at St. Paul’s National Seminary Kinyamasika, Fort-Portal and Sacred Scripture at St. Mary’s National Seminary Ggaba, Kampala.
He has a licentiate in Sacred Scripture at the Biblicum, Rome and a doctorate in Biblical Theology in Pontifical Urbaniana University, Rome.
He is also the first Old Boy of St. Aloysius Dem PS Ngora and St. Peter’s Seminary Madera to become Catholic Bishop.