Pope’s Visit Necessitated by History and Challenges on African Continent

by Valerian Kkonde

PEARL NEWS SERVICE

Lubaga Cathedral is one of the venues to be visited by Pope Francis. Photo by Valerian Kkonde/PNS

NSAMBYA CATHOLIC SECRETARIAT (KAMPALA) - Apostolic Nuncio to Uganda His Excellence Archbishop Michael August Blume has reiterated the role of the Uganda Martyrs in uplifting the country’s image on the world stage.

The Nuncio reaffirmed this while addressing the Press on the Pontiff’s itinerary on the Continent which will start on 25^th November in Kenya, to the end of the month in the war- ravaged Central African Republic (CAR). Uganda will host Pope Francis from November 27^th to 29.

“Many Bishops’ Conferences in Africa made requests to host the Pope but Uganda was chosen because of the Martyrs.”

In Uganda, Pope Francis will visit Munyonyo, Namugongo Anglican Martyrs’ Shrine and the Roman Catholic Martyrs’ Shrine where he will celebrate Mass. He will also visit Kololo where he will meet the youth, Nalukolongo Charity home and Lubaga Cathedral where he will first meet the Roman Catholic Bishops and then the priests, religious and the seminarians.

“Pope Francis will go to Munyonyo because that is the site where the drama of the Martyrs begun. Andrew Kaggwa, Denis Ssebuggwawo and Pontian Ngondwe were martyred here separately.

“Andrew Kaggwa is the Patron of Catechists and here the Holy Father will meet Catechists and teachers. Nalukolongo is the place where the first missionaries worked with the handicapped.

“In Kololo, the Holy Father will meet the young people because they are an important group in the Church and the country. The Pope will encourage them to live and preach the Gospel.”

Archbishop Blume further confirmed that the Pope, in Kenya, will visit a large slum in Nairobi. He also said that he will visit a mosque and a refugee camp in CAR.

“You should pay great attention to what the Pope says wherever he goes. He has special messages for us all. The words are well chosen and will continue to be studied. These encouraging words should comfort us for many more years.”

On the Pope’s position on marriage, the Apostolic Nuncio said that the international press had made a mess on this and cautioned the Ugandan media against doing the same.

“It is no question of making divorce easy for Roman Catholics.”

The Archbishop of Kampala, His Grace Cyprian Kizito Lwanga also stressed that “marriage is based on consent and that the Pope’s message about marriage is to help where marriages are failing and to reduce the time when handling marriage issues.”

Archbishop Lwanga, who is also the spokesperson of the Uganda Episcopal Conference, said that the Pope’s visit will put Uganda in a privileged place as the only African country to be visited by three Popes.

Stressing that the Pope’s visit is primarily pastoral and spiritual, he added that the Pontiff is coming “to celebrate the 50^th Anniversary of the Canonisation of the Uganda Martyrs who laid down their lives as an example that remains to encourage all of us on our spiritual journey.”

Archbishop Lwanga made reference to the Bishops’ pastoral message which is meant to “prepare Roman Catholics to worthily receive the Pope’s blessings.”

In their message, the Bishops call on everyone to daily recite the “Our Father…,” “Hail Mary…,” and “Glory be to the Father…” at the end of every Mass and in every family for the intentions of the Pope and the success of his visit. Christians are also called upon to do acts of charity towards the poor and to practice works of penance. Christians are further called upon to seek reconciliation, avoid and fight vices such as polygamy, witchcraft, domestic violence, drug abuse and intolerance among others.

The Archbishop said that the government had contributed to the construction of the Munyonyo and Namugongo Martyrs’ Shrines and also to finance, to substantial completion, the construction works at Namugongo. President Yoweri Museveni sponsored the costs for the Vestments to be used during Mass at Namugongo.