The Bishop of Soroti Catholic Diocese, His Lordship Rt. Rev. Dr. Joseph Eciru Oliach, has urged Christians to become exemplary figures in their communities in order to build a stronger and more united diocese.
This message was delivered during his homily at the Soroti Catholic Diocese Annual Pilgrimage to St. Joseph Catholic Parish in Ngora District, which also marked the 6th anniversary of his appointment as the third bishop of the diocese.
Addressing thousands of faithful who gathered for the pilgrimage, Bishop Eciru emphasized that a community lacking in role models is often filled with failure and devoid of inspiration.
He called upon Christians to become the pride of their families, children, neighbors, and ultimately, of heaven itself.
“A community short of role models is full of failures and no successes,” Bishop Eciru proclaimed.
“Let us strive to become the pride of our families and our Diocese, just like St. Joseph, who is not only the foster father of Jesus but also a symbol of obedience, humility, and hard work.”
Drawing inspiration from the life of St. Joseph, the Bishop encouraged married couples to become the pride of their homes and their children, urging them to model their lives after St. Joseph who was described in the Gospel of Matthew as a “righteous man” (Matthew 1:19).
He also cited Colossians 3:23–24 to inspire diligence:
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”
Bishop Eciru further encouraged the faithful to make St. Joseph their pride, asking the congregation to pray for the grace to become “the pride of heaven and the treasure of others.”
The celebration also highlighted a significant financial milestone, with UGX 1.9 billion so far raised in three years to support the Construction of Regina Caeli.
Impressively, over UGX 1 billion was contributed by just ten parishes, a gesture that the Bishop described as a sign of unity and commitment within the Diocese.
“With such generosity and togetherness, we are not only building a model Diocese but also a model society,” he said.
He concluded by calling on the faithful to be lights in their communities, living testimonies of faith and service just like St. Joseph, who was entrusted with the divine responsibility of caring for the Holy Family.
“Let us become the pride of Soroti Catholic Diocese, the pride of Uganda, and most importantly, the pride of heaven,” Bishop Eciru declared.
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