By Christopher Oola
Raphael P’Mony Wokorach, the Archbishop designate of Gulu Catholic Archdiocese has arrived in Gulu a head of his installation tomorrow Friday at St. Joseph Cathedral in Gulu city.
Pope Francis appointed Wokorach archbishop on March 22, 2024 making the Ugandan the 2nd such prelate of the archdiocese since its creation in 1999. He replaces Archbishop Emeritus John Baptist Odama who retired after clocking 75 years.
Before his appointment, Archbishop Wokorach, 63 a member of the Comboni Missionary has been Bishop of Nebbi Catholic Diocese since March 2021.
Christians, cultural and political leaders this morning bid farewell to him from Our Lady of Trust Parkwach catholic parish and escorted him up to Pakwach Bridge.
Mungu Martin, a faithful from Nebbi Diocese, says it was so painful for him seeing Bishop Wokorach leaves Nebbi Diocese since he has been a good shepherd. Austin Robert Omoti, the LC5 Chairperson Pakwach, says Bishop Wokorach served all in Nebbi district irrespective of religious and political affiliations.
Archbishop Wokorach was later welcomed by Christians from Gulu Archdiocese at Pakwach Bridge where he cut a ribbon symbolizing his entrance to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Gulu.
Wokorach lauded the Christians for the warm welcome to the Gulu Archdiocese and noted that it marks a history of great unification between the Acholi and Alur after years of past differences.
Nwoya District Chairperson Emanuel Orach in his welcome remarks said the archbishop’s apostolate journey to the archdiocese should help in addressing the current challenges the Acholi Sub-region faces amongst them poverty, and disunity among leaders. He particularly requested the archbishop to help in mobilizing Christians to fight poverty which has skyrocketed among the populace within the Acholi Sub region.
Archbishop Wokorach was ordained as a priest on Sept. 25, 1993, at WaduLai Parish under Nebbi Diocese by Gulu Archbishop Emeritus Martin Luluga.
The Central Organizing Committee says (COC) they are expecting to host about 5,000 people for the installation of the new Archbishop. According to COC about 2,500 of the congregation will attend the event from inside the Cathedral while others will be hosted from outside in tents.
Archbishop Wokorach was born on January 21 1961 in Arua and attended his Primary education at Ragen Primary School. He later joined St. Peter Paul Pokea Minor Seminary in Arua between 1975 to 1979. From 1980-1992, Archbishop Wokrach went to St. Joseph Omabchi for his advanced-level education. Between 1983 and 1987, Wokorach joined Uganda Marty’s National Major Seminary in Gulu where he studied Philosophy and obtained a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Pontifical Urdaniana University in Rome, Italy. From 1989-1993,
