Africa Holds the Future of the Paulines Congregation

by Valerian K. Kkonde

PEARL NEWS SERVICE

 

The Paulines Sisters Superior General Sr. Anna Maria Parenzan
(left) admires a Crested Crane painting on a bark cloth donated to her
by the Cooperators. Right is Sister Theresia Swai the local
Superior. Photo PNS/Valerian Kkonde

The Superior General of the Congregation of the Daughters of St. Paul, Sr. Anna Maria Parenzan, has said that with the growing number of vocations in Africa, there is no doubt that the Continent firmly has the future of the Congregation in its hands. 

Sr. Anna Maria who was in Uganda on a tour of the Communities in the region, made this observation while meeting the Cooperators at the Sisters’ house on Kampala road in Kampala on April 22, 2018.

 “The Congregation of the Daughters of St. Paul is becoming African due to the vocations. In Europe and America there are few vocations and we tell these young sisters that the Congregation is in their hands.”

The Superior General arrived in Uganda from Juba where she had spent three days with the sisters working in South Sudan. She left Uganda on April 24 for Tanzania. Sr. Anna Maria will then visit Malawi, Zambia and then return to Nairobi where she first arrived from the headquarters in Italy. She will hold meetings with the local superiors in the Region.

“I have enjoyed the missionary spirit of African sisters especially in Juba. The sisters are in a difficult situation but they are happy and joyous to spread the gospel, just like St. Paul the Apostle.

“In Kampala we have the gift of young people in the formation house and the apostolate in communications.”

Uganda was the first country in the region where the Paulines Sisters founded their Community. They arrived on 2^nd February, 1964.

The Superior General thanked the Cooperators for accepting to work with the Paulines sisters to proclaim the gospel. She also thanked the sisters for “faithfully performing their evangelisation mission.”

Sr. Parenzan further said that as part of their pastoral work, they attract vocations and also help the young people to use well the media to spread the gospel. She added that she is very grateful to the people of Uganda for their continued encouragement and support to the Paulines Sisters also known as Daughters of St. Paul.

“We want to be the St. Paul living today: living Christ and communicating Christ. It means having a universal heart that thinks about everybody including the young people, the youth, adults and the aged.”

The Superior General observed that her wish and prayer, borrowing the words of Blessed James Alberione the founder of the Paulines Sisters and Cooperators, is that “all who work within the framework of social communication may grow in holiness and wisdom and bear witness to an authentic Christian life.”

The Paulines Sisters manage a bookshop on Plot 57 Kampala Road where they sell books and audio visuals for growth in faith. They also visit different places and present book exhibitions as an opportunity to bring the word of God to the people.  

Masaka Diocese Remains Faithful to Catholic Health Mission amidst Host of Challenges

by Valerian K. Kkonde

PEARL NEWS SERVICE

 

Kitovu Hospital has become a household name for its excellent services in treating for free and restoring the dignity of women suffering from fistula. 
UCMB Photo

Found in the Southern part of Uganda lying West of Lake Victoria- the world’s second largest fresh water Lake- and very near the Equator, Masaka Diocese is characterised by high temperatures and heavy rainfall ranging between 625- 1100 mm per year.

Due to environmental degradation, these seasons are changing drastically. Apart from Sembabule where some farmers practice cattle-rearing on a large scale, and Kalangala where palm oil-growing is replacing fishing as the main source of income, majority people practice subsistence farming subjecting them to abject poverty.

Cash crops include coffee, maize and beans. Households also participate in rearing goats, pigs and cattle. Others participate in poultry.

The Diocese covers nine political districts including Masaka, Lwengo, Kalungu, Bukomansimbi and Kalangala. Others are Lyantonde, Kyotera, Rakai and Sembabule. They range between 11,000 and 15,000 meters in altitude.

The 2014 Uganda Population and Housing Census indicates that this area has an estimated population of 1,890,693.

According to Dr. Joseph Herman Musiitwa the Chairman Diocesan Health Board, the 2016-2017 data collected from 29 diocesan Health Units indicates that the Diocese has remained faithful to the Mission of the Roman Catholic Church while providing Health services.

Dr. Musiitwa states that every achievement, however minimal, is a great fit given the host of challenges in the field and bearing in mind that profit is not their primary concern.

The Diocese owns 32 lower level units. It also has two hospitals: Kitovu and Villa Maria. Of these, 19 are at the level of Health Centre 111 and 12 are at the level of Health Centre 11. Only St. Joseph Kyamulibwa is at the level of Health Centre IV. It also owns Kitovu Mobile a non-facility based AIDS organisation with its headquarters in Masaka Town and operating in five districts.  

Faithfulness to the Roman Catholic Church Mission is mainly measured against four major indicators: Access, Equity, Efficiency and Quality. Performance of these health units is measured against these indicators.

The report indicates that access to these facilities has improved by 2%. In terms of Equity or affordability, the meridian user fee has continued to increase in the last ten years due to the cost of inputs including medicines, employment, transport and power.

“Health units increased fees to fill the gaps created by the rising operational costs, reduction in external donations and the Primary Health care Conditional Grant. It is feared that the services at the Diocesan Health units will eventually become financially inaccessible to the users especially the poor.” Dr. Musiitwa observes.

In terms of technical professional efficiency, where the staff has to produce more and more standard unit of output without compromising on quality, lower level units were less efficient.

Quality of service improved as compliance to the generally accepted standards set by the Diocesan health units improved from 79% to 84.4%. All the Diocesan lower level units met the criteria for accreditation.  

The qualified staff ratio improved from 61% to 62%. It was also found that eight out of 25 units can fully provide Emergency Obstetric Care services compared to the eleven out of 27 units in the previous years.

“This decline is due to the absence of equipment needed to perform the service at the different units.”

While the drug prescription practices improved, the antibiotic rate was high at 27% against the WHO maximum of 15%. But the patient’s satisfaction improved from 79% to 83%.

In the governance, management and accountability structures, an improvement has been registered in financial management from 86% to 90%. In financial audit, units improved from 77% to 90.5%. With the implementation of performance management, the number of units appointing staff formally and giving job description has increased 31% to 64%. This has been boosted by training on how to make staff appraisals.

The Diocesan Health Department successfully organised a Diocesan Health Assembly to conduct a self assessment and suggest a way forward to ensure relevance and sustainability. It attracted officials from the Ministry of Health, district officials in the region, Diocesan officials, Health unit administrators and managers among other partners.

The Diocese however is faced with a big challenge of staff remuneration. It has no sure source of income for the Diocesan Health Officials. It also lacks sufficient and modern office space.

Lack of computers and a reliable and fast internet connection is another major impediment in the Diocese’s quest to provide affordable, accessible and quality health care. Reliable means of transport are also a big challenge.

The Diocesan wholesale pharmacy, for improving access to quality pharmaceuticals has continued to improve.  But space for storage of the pharmaceuticals is becoming insufficient.

“There is need for an additional store to accommodate the increasing volume of pharmaceuticals received and supplied.”

The Diocese has decided to partner with a number of institutions so as to provide reliable and relevant health services. It has partnered with Mildmay Uganda to support Human Resource Project and the DREAMS Projects for reducing HIV infections among adolescents and young women.

Other partners include the Catholic Medical Bureau, Life Net International, Joint Medical Store and Ministry of Health among others.

Doctor Musiitwa maintains that for the Diocese to sustain the achievements registered and bridge the gaps identified, a lot of effort is needed to improve resource mobilisation, ensure adherence to the policy documents and increase the frequency of support supervision visits to the health centres and do strict monitoring of the strategic plan 2017-2021.

“That is the sure way of keeping the Diocesan Health Units relevant to the community.”   

The Family at the Center of Martyrs’ Day Celebrations

by Valerian K. Kkonde

PEARL NEWS SERVICE

L-R Msgr. John Baptist Kauta the Secretary General of the Uganda Episcopal Conference, Archbishop Emmanuel Obbo and Robert Kaminza the Tororo-Kampala Chapter Organising Committee Chairman. PNS Photo

His Grace the Archbishop of Tororo, Dr. Emmanuel Obbo has said that as the Archdiocese prepares to animate this year’s Martyrs’ Day Celebrations at Namugongo on 3^rd June, all the pastoral programmes have been centered on the family.

The Archbishop made the revelation on April 25, 2018 at the Uganda Catholic Secretariat in Nsambya during a Press Conference to update Ugandans and the world on the preparations for the Martyrs’ Day celebrations.

“The Martyrs whom we are honouring came from families and some of them were Family heads. There is no doubt therefore that their Martyrdom had an impact on their families.

“The family members must have shared in their pain but also benefited from the Faith which has been passed on to us.”

His Grace revealed that the pastoral programmes are being run along the sub-theme of “Merciful Parents, Peaceful Families.”

Tororo Archdiocese was chosen by the Uganda Episcopal Conference to organise and animate this year’s Martyrs’ celebrations and have chosen: “Let Us Walk in the Light of God as a Family” as the theme. It is extracted from 1 John 1:5-10.

“This theme ultimately focuses on the Family, also referred to as the domestic Church. It is the smallest unit of the human society in which the Faith of everyone is implanted and in which it grows, drawing from the powerful example of the parents,” the Archbishop added.

Archbishop Obbo went on to say that the preparations are running along three dimensions stressing the centrality of the family, the indispensable role of the Catechist in the evangelisation and sustenance of the family, and lastly the youth.

“The catechists are our immediate pastoral agents at the grass-root where they get n touch with the family unit and sustain its faith.

“The young people, who constitute the majority of the population in Uganda, are a treasure to the Church and they need our care, love and guidance.” 

Preparations and celebrations of the Martyrs Day are projected at UGX 720,000,000 and UGX 390 million has so far been raised, leaving a balance of UGX 330 million.

“We have barely a month left. We continue to appeal to all people of good will and institutions to support this celebration in honour of our Martyrs. The success of Tororo is indeed our success as Ugandans.”

A bank account in Centenary Bank, Tororo Branch has specifically been opened for this celebration. It is in the names of Archdiocese of Tororo Martyrs Celebration and the number is 3100049368. An Airtel Mobile Money number: 0755 420 408 in the same names is also in place.

An official souvenir magazine is being prepared. It will have information about the life of the Uganda Martyrs, special messages, the Order of Mass, readings and hymns. The Archbishop urged individuals and institutions to contact the Social Communications Department of Uganda Catholic Secretariat to advertise in the magazine.

His Grace further revealed that a fundraising dinner has been organised on May 17 at Hotel Africana, Kampala starting at 6.00 pm. One dinner card costs UGX 150,000 while a table of ten people costs two million shillings.

The Chairman of the Organising committee in Kampala, Robert Kaminza, said that a caller tune from the theme song fetches the occasion UGX 500. Those on MTN simply type TUNE 502 7772 and send to 170. Those on Airtel type ACT 766 5003 and send to 157. The caller tune costs UGX 700.

Kaminza also revealed that a car sticker is on sale at a minimum of UGX 5,000 in Kampala to help raise the remaining amount of money.

Archbishop Obbo also urged pilgrims to “go through some kind of health check” before they set off for Namugongo. He however added that a number of individuals and institutions have expressed willingness to offer ambulances and personal vehicles to assist pilgrims.

He revealed that he will on Sunday, 20^th May bless and officially flag off the foot pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Tororo at the Uganda Martyrs Cathedral in Tororo. These pilgrims will start their pilgrimage to Namugongo on 25^th May and officially enter the Shrine on 31^st May.

On April 21, a children’s walk of faith was organised at Uganda Martyrs Catholic Shrine in Namugongo. The children and youth made the pilgrimage to strengthen their faith. The Rector of St. Mary’s National Major Seminary, Ggaba, Fr. Paul Masolo was the main celebrant.

The Uganda Episcopal Conference, Uganda Tourism Board and the Archdiocese of Tororo are organising the Walk of Faith on Saturday, 12^th May along the central theme. It is to be led by the youth.

The one-day pilgrimage was initiated in 2016. It will start in Munyonyo where the Martyrs were condemned, and end at St. Matia Mulumba Church in Old Kampala. This is where St. Matia Mulumba was martyred.

“It is a symbolic walk and spiritual journey to enable our Christians to experience the Martyrs’ pain and last moment on earth. I encourage all of you o come and make this pilgrimage,” the Archbishop said.

Msgr. John Baptist Kauta, the Secretary General of the Uganda Episcopal Conference urged the Press to concentrate on those who come to Namugongo to celebrate the Martyrs’ witnessing of Christ.