The Archbishop of Tororo Archdiocese His Grace Emmanuel Obbo has said that Mother Mary was always by the side of his predecessor Bishop of Soroti Catholic Diocese Emeritus Rt. Rev. Erasmus Desiderius Wandera.
His Grace Obbo made the remarks on Sunday afternoon while presiding over Holy Mass at St. Austin Catholic Church in Mbale.
“Let’s Pray that may our Mother Mary who was on the side bed of Bishop continue to intercede for him. May she also pray for us (the church) Bishop Wandera has left to continue to build the church he has left,” His Grace said.
“We pray God adopts him as his child in heaven as he has called him. For us who have remained behind, we must know that this life is not the final stage of our living and we have to prepare for that painful transition (death). We have the opportunity that we can pray with him (Wandera) because in spirit he listens to us. Whatever u saw in Bishop Wandera, let’s only take the good part of his life and abandon a bad part and say it has happened, it has happened,” Obbo appealed to the christian community.
“Our prayer should now be Lord you know the burdens of our his life don’t abandon him (Wandera). We pray with hope that you reward our Bishop for the great work he has done that he will blessed with internal joy.”
“God in his graceness has internal joy for all mankind especially those who have given their lives before the will of God,” Obbo Added.
He notes that, “Death is a dialogue that God makes with human beings and we don’t question the Lord. Time will come that each one of us will go back to him.”
He also recounted that late Wanderawas a spirited leader.
“When I was coming from Moroto I got a roadblock using a funny stick and that was the time things were tough in Teso. When we reached Awoja the road was blocked and four young men came with a gun they wanted to fire but they saw us with clerical attire. They left us but we returned to use Serere road where we met Bishop (Wandera) but when we asked him where he was going he said he was going to Liberate his priest in Toroma.”
Meanwhile, by press time the remains of the late Bishop had left for Ngora Parish.
Bishop Emeritus of Soroti Catholic Diocese Erasmus Desiderius Wandera died on December 8, 2022 at his residence in Mbale City.
He will be laid to rest on Tuesday with Holy Mass starting at 11:00AM and will be presided by His Grace Emmanuel Obbo A.J the Archbishop of Tororo Archdiocese who was also his successor before he was appointed to head the Archdiocese.