Pope Francis Congratulates Ugandan Archbishop for “untiring labour of peace” during Lord’s Resistance Army Insurgency

In 2004, the Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative (ARLPI), the interfaith faith organization he led received the Niwano Peace Prize for its peace-building efforts in Northern Uganda.

Archbishop Odama, whose retirement from the pastoral care of Gulu Archdiocese was accepted on March 22 had also been awarded an honorary doctorate of Philosophy by Gulu University in 2017 for his work in brokering peace and reconciliation in the once-embattled northern Uganda.

The Ugandan Catholic Archbishop who served for two consecutive terms as the Chairman of the Uganda Episcopal Conference is also the winner of the 2012 peace-maker prize by World Vision, a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization that works with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice.

In his message to Archbishop Odama, the Apostolic Nuncio in Uganda, Archbishop Luigi Bianco, reiterated the Pope Francis’ sentiments, lauding the retired Archbishop’s “unwavering faith, love, hope for the pastoral care of the faithful” in the East African nation. 

“Your diaconia of truth and justice served as an example for all,” Archbishop Bianco said, and added, “As the chairman of the Uganda Episcopal Conference, you demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities which manifest your humility, wisdom, sense of collegial spirit and dedication to the promotion of ecumenism and interreligious dialogue.”

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The representative of the Holy Father in Uganda  acknowledged Archbishop Odama’s participation in peace and reconciliation processes at the national and regional levels, which he said had earned the Ugandan Archbishop’s recognition as peace-maker prize in 2012. 

All the wards, the Italian-born Vatican diplomat said, are “a testament to your efforts to promote human rights, and to see peace prevailing.”

“Indeed, you have left a legacy of personal zeal amid life’s challenges and scarce resources,” he told Archbishop Odama, and added, “Receive therefore, my sincerest wishes for this significant milestone in your life as a Priest of Christ and faithful servant of the Church.”

In his address at the December 14 celebration, Archbishop Odama reflected on his five decades of Priestly ministry, expressing gratitude to God for His graces.

“I give God all praise and thanksgiving for His choice, blessings, providence, guidance, mercy to me throughout my life, but above all, during these 50 years,” Archbishop Odama said in his homily.

He said that in his service to God’s people, he had learned the humility that comes with the responsibility to lead. “Leadership is not greatness. Rather it is being a servant and slave to all. To lead is to serve and to serve is to lead,” he said.

“In these fifty years I have tried my best to learn from Jesus. I learnt to lead responsibly the people entrusted to me by Christ,” the 77-year-old Catholic Archbishop, who started his Episcopal Ministry in February 1996 as pioneer Local Ordinary of Uganda’s Nebbi Catholic Diocese said.

He recounted that through the sacrifice of the Holy Mass, he presented the sacrifice of the people of God, their prayers, aspirations, joys, and sufferings they brought to be offered on the Altar. 

“Every time I raised the bread and wine, of the sacrifice saying, ‘Blessed are you Oh God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you’, and then also the wine, I offered the life situations of the people entrusted to me. I did this as a representative of Christ, to bring people to God,” he said.

Archbishop Odama also testified about the protection he experienced through sticking to the life of prayer and aspiration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. 

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He also made “a special appeal” to the Ugandan President, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, “to grant clemency, especially to prisoners who have stayed so long, and their cases have never been tried, but they remain in remand for so many years.”

Agnes Aineah is a Kenyan journalist with a background in digital and newspaper reporting. She holds a Master of Arts in Digital Journalism from the Aga Khan University, Graduate School of Media and Communications and a Bachelor's Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communications from Kenya's Moi University. Agnes currently serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.