28 years out of Uganda, Fr. Wokorach returns as Bishop

Jul 19, 2021 Irene Lamunu Mission 0

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Bishop Wokorach Raphael is the Bishop elect for Nebbi Diocese. His
appointment was announced to him on 24th March 2021. He has worked
for 28 years outside Uganda. He sat down with our reporter and narrated
his mission experience outside Uganda since his Priestly ordination in
1993 at Wadelai Parish.

Irene Lamunu

Bishop Wokorach Raphael was born on 21st January 1961 in Ojigo village in Wadelai Nebbi Diocese. When he was ready for school, his parents took him to Ragem Primary school which was run by Comboni Missionaries. He said at that time learners would attend schools according to their religions since there was a lot of religious segregation. In Ragem Primary school he begun Primary one and also completed Primary seven. Later he attended Saint Peter and Paul Minor Seminary at Pokea in Arua where he completed his O-level. For his A-level, Bishop Wokorach went to St. Joseph’s College Ombachi. In his earlier life, he had been an altar server, all schools he had attended had a very priestly and missionary context although that was not the reason he got inspired to become a priest. Bishop Wokorach said one day during Mass as an altar server, a priest preached about eternal life telling them that one would not die if they chose the life with God.
He took it literally that priests do not die so he decided at an early age that he would become a priest so that he would not die. Unfortunately, two years into the Minor seminary, a priest died and that brought confusion to him but it did not discourage him from pursuing his dream. He had built a conviction, although he was confused to either become a missionary or diocesan priest. Fr John Baptist Oparigui who was already with the Comboni Missionaries wrote to him and convinced him to join the Comboni missionaries. “The feeling of becoming a priest came early, and I built a deeper conviction on what priestly life was all about over the years,” said the Bishop. He was later introduced to the Vocation Director of Comboni Missionaries who was Fr Lawrence that time. He was given orientation and things began moving very fast. In 1983 he was admitted at Alokolum major Seminary in Gulu where he stayed until 1987. After Alokolum he went to Novitiate in Tartar Kenya from 1988 to 1989. In 1989, he made his first vows. After his first vows, he went to scholasticate in Nairobi a place he lived from 1989 until 1992 when he was ordained deacon in Nairobi in 1993 He was ordained Priest in Wadelai Parish by Rt. Rev Martin Luluga. His first assignment as a missionary was in Democratic Republic of Congo in Kisangani town. He worked in Kisangani for seven years, 2 and a half years at the parish with the youth and the remaining four and a half years he was assigned to work as a Zone Vocations Promoter and also worked at Comboni Postualancy in Kisangani. In 2000 he left Kisangani and was asked to go to Rome for a year for further studies at Pontifical Urban University. After Rome, he was assigned for his second assignment in Lome Togo at the formation house for brothers where he worked for three years then taken to a Formation House in Chicago USA for four years, from 2003-2007. In 2007, he was assigned to Nairobi Comboni Scholasticate where he worked until 2017. In 2017 the Holy See appointed him as the Pontifical Commissary of Apostles of Jesus. A post he has held until June 2021. Bishop Wokorach has worked outside Uganda for 28 years from the time of his ordination as a priest. He said he was preparing himself to return to Uganda after his term in office as the Pontifical Commissary. As he was eagerly looking forward to returning home and anticipating what he was going to do he desired to return to Uganda to work, he had tuned himself for his return and he was not expecting any other thing. On 24th March 2021, the Apostolic Nuncio to Uganda Archbishop Luigi Bianco sent him a message to go to his office since Bishop Wokorach was in Uganda at that time visiting the Apostles of Jesus. When he got to Nuncio’s office, he broke the news to him. Bishop Wokorach
said he was surprised by the news but he started getting questions
This was a new field he was not prepared for, it aroused different
sentiments of confusions, unveiled a sense of unworthiness. But the image of Mary gave him the strength. He said he got strength from the journey of Mary when God called her and she was not prepared for the assignment. He noted that he will be present and have a spiritual walk with the people of Nebbi Diocese and also help Christians grow spiritually

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