Tag Archives: St Peter Claver Ngetta PArish

In his homily, Bishop Wanok described the Sacrament of Confirmation as a deeper connection between Christians and God, comparing the Christian life to a mobile phone that must be connected and charged in order to fulfil its purpose.

By Flavia Oyuu, Communications Office, Lira Diocese

Ngetta, September 9, 2026 — St. Peter Claver Ngetta Catholic Parish has marked 96 years of Catholic faith with the Confirmation of 584 Christians, as the parish looks ahead to its centenary celebration in 2030.

The celebrations took place on Wednesday, September 9, during the Solemnity of St. Peter Claver, the patron saint of Ngetta Parish, bringing together hundreds of Christians for the annual Parish Day celebration presided over by the Bishop of Lira Diocese, Rt. Rev. Sanctus Lino Wanok.

In his homily, Bishop Wanok described the Sacrament of Confirmation as a deeper connection between Christians and God, comparing the Christian life to a mobile phone that must be connected and charged in order to fulfil its purpose.

“Just like a telephone without charging, without a SIM card and without money in the SIM card is good for nothing, we too need to be charged by God,” the Bishop explained.

He said Baptism and Confirmation, through the coming of the Holy Spirit, enable Christians to become more deeply connected to God and equipped to communicate His love to others.

Bishop Wanok urged the newly confirmed and the wider Christian community to open their hearts to the Holy Spirit so that they may be transformed and become true disciples and missionaries.

He said the coming of the Holy Spirit should open the “locked doors” in people’s hearts, particularly those created by anger, fear and divisions that prevent people from connecting with one another.

The Bishop encouraged Christians to allow the Holy Spirit to drive out fear and renew them for mission, reminding them that Confirmation is not simply a ceremony but a call to Christian witness.

He further urged the newly confirmed to remain firm in their Catholic faith and to use the gifts they have received through the Holy Spirit responsibly.

Ngetta looks towards 100 years

The Parish Day also marked an important milestone in the history of Ngetta Parish, which was established in 1930 and is recognised as the mother parish of Lira Diocese.

Welcoming Bishop Wanok and the faithful, Ngetta Parish Priest, Fr. Constanz Opiyo MCCJ, said the parish was grateful to God for sustaining its Christian journey for 96 years.

“We remain with just four years to celebrate 100 years of faith,” Fr. Opiyo said, noting that the preparations for the centenary had already begun.

According to the parish history, the first mission in Lango was established at Ngetta in 1930, following the transfer of the mission from the Mill Hill Fathers to the Comboni Missionaries.

The mission was officially handed over to the Comboni Missionaries on April 30, 1930, and was placed under the patronage of St. Peter Claver.

Fr. Opiyo said the centenary preparations began in 2024 with annual fundraising initiatives aimed at strengthening the parish’s infrastructure and supporting its development.

In 2024, the fundraising focused on renovating the parish hall, while the 2025 fundraising supported its completion.

This year, each chapel has been encouraged to undertake fundraising to develop its own facilities, while the parish continues with other initiatives aimed at improving its infrastructure.

Fr. Opiyo said the parish still has several buildings and facilities requiring renovation and used the Parish Day to present mattresses and other gifts donated by Christians.

He explained that the mattresses were intended to replace old ones used by catechumens and participants in parish programmes.

“We still have a lot to do. We have a plan of how we want the parish to look like and every year we are working towards that,” he said.

A legacy of missionary faith

As Ngetta prepares for its centenary, Fr. Opiyo also called on Christians to remember and emulate the missionaries who laid the foundation of the Catholic faith in the area.

He highlighted the missionary example of St. Peter Claver, who devoted his life to serving enslaved people in Cartagena, Colombia, ministering to their physical and spiritual needs and defending their human dignity.

Fr. Opiyo said the saint’s missionary courage provides an important example for Christians as Ngetta prepares to celebrate a century of faith.

He urged the faithful to appreciate the contribution of the many missionaries who served in the area, including those who remained buried within the communities where they ministered.

“We pray that we may emulate their example of faith and the courage to go out on mission,” he said.

584 confirmed for the future of the Church

The Laity Coordinator of Ngetta Parish, Geofrey Norah Okello, thanked God for guiding the parish since its establishment in 1930 and described the Confirmation of 584 children as another significant milestone in its journey of faith.

Okello encouraged the newly confirmed to take seriously the responsibility that comes with receiving the Holy Spirit and to remain committed to their Catholic faith.

He said the young Christians should allow the Holy Spirit to guide their lives and avoid actions that could destroy their future, so that they can grow into responsible members and future leaders of the Church.

He also thanked the Parish Council, Parish Priest, deacons, religious and Christians for contributing to the success of the Parish Day.

Okello said the Parish Council remains committed to working under the guidance of the Parish Priest to promote both the spiritual growth and development of Ngetta Parish.

He also presented a request from Christians of St. John Bosco Acwau Chapel, asking for the chapel to be elevated to a Eucharistic Centre.

The Christians said the elevation would bring Mass and other Eucharistic celebrations closer to them, given their location within Lira City and the distance to Iwor and Abongo Den.

As Ngetta Parish continues its journey towards 100 years of Catholic faith, the celebration brought together its rich missionary heritage, present pastoral growth and renewed focus on preparing the younger generation to carry the faith into the future.

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