The West Nile Catholic Parish of Moyo in Arua Diocese has marked 100 years existence since it was established by the Comboni missionaries in 1917.
The colourful centenary celebration held at the parish on Saturday were presided over by the Papal Nuncio Augustine Blume and attracted hundreds of Catholic faithful from Arua and Nebbi Dioceses.
President Yoweri Museveni, in a speech read for him by the Vice President Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi, lauded the Catholic Church and the Moyo Catholic Parish, saying they have acted as an important conduit for attitude change towards development.
The President, who made a contribution of Shs20 million, noted that the current time entails hard work coupled with justice and integrity that must be taught to the next generation ‘as the only way to preserve the nation from infiltration by the current global moral decadence’.
The President also acknowledged the work of the Comboni missionaries who arrived in Uganda in 1917, saying their humanitarianism laid a strong foundation for the Catholic Church to participate in the social-economic changes in education, health and economic development opportunities.
Further, the President implored the people of West Nile to maintain peace and security.
In his speech the Bishop of Arua Diocese Sabino Ocan Odoki also paid tribute to the Comboni missionaries and appreciated the support and unity of the faithful in the Diocese ‘despite the challenges they have been facing’.
