VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
YEAR XXV - # 212
DATE 28-11-2015
Summary:
- Francis in Uganda: despite our different beliefs, we must all seek truth and
work for justice and reconciliation
- At the Munyonyo Shrine: may the martyrs obtain for you the grace to be wise
teachers
- Homily at the Namugongo shrines: we honour the Ugandan martyrs when we carry
on their witness to Christ
- Francis to the young people of Kenya: tribalism is defeated by listening,
opening one's heart, and dialogue
- Video message: true change begins in ourselves
- Other Pontifical Acts
___________________________________________________________
Francis in Uganda: despite our different beliefs, we must all seek truth and
work for justice and reconciliation
Vatican City, 28 November 2015 (VIS) - Yesterday afternoon Pope Francis
arrived
in Uganda, the second leg of his apostolic trip in Africa. He was awaited at at
the airport by President Yoweri Kaguta Museweni, representatives of the
religious and civil authorities, and a group of dancers who performed a
traditional dance in his honour. From the airport the Pope transferred to the
State House in Entebbe, where he privately greeted the family of the president,
who was also Head of State during St. John Paul II's visit to the country. He
then met with the authorities and the diplomatic corps of Uganda.
In his address in the Conference Hall, Francis emphasised that his visit was
intended to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the canonisation of the
martyrs of Uganda by his predecessor Pope Paul VI, but at the same time he
hoped
it would also be "a sign of friendship, esteem and encouragement for all the
people of this great nation".
"The Martyrs, both Catholic and Anglican, are true national heroes. They bear
witness to the guiding principles expressed in Uganda's motto - For God and My
Country. They remind us of the importance that faith, moral rectitude and
commitment to the common good have played, and continue to play, in the
cultural, economic and political life of this country. They also remind us
that,
despite our different beliefs and convictions, all of us are called to seek the
truth, to work for justice and reconciliation, and to respect, protect and help
one another as members of our one human family. These high ideals are
particularly demanded of men and women like yourselves, who are charged with
ensuring good and transparent governance, integral human development, a broad
participation in national life, as well as a wise and just distribution of the
goods which the Creator has so richly bestowed upon these lands".
"My visit is also meant to draw attention to Africa as a whole, its promise,
its hopes, its struggles and its achievements", he continued. "The world looks
to Africa as the continent of hope. Uganda has indeed been blessed by God with
abundant natural resources, which you are challenged to administer as
responsible stewards. But above all, the nation has been blessed in its people:
its strong families, its young and its elderly... the living memory of every
people".
Francis praised Uganda's "outstanding concern" for refugees, which has enabled
them "to rebuild their lives in security and to sense the dignity which comes
from earning one's livelihood through honest labour. Our world, caught up in
wars, violence, and various forms of injustice, is witnessing an unprecedented
movement of peoples. How we deal with them is a test of our humanity, our
respect for human dignity, and above all our solidarity with our brothers and
sisters in need".
"I hope to encourage the many quiet efforts being made to care for the poor,
the sick and those in any kind of trouble. It is in these small signs that we
see the true soul of a people. In so many ways, our world is growing closer;
yet
at the same time we see with concern the globalisation of a 'throwaway culture'
which blinds us to spiritual values, hardens our hearts before the needs of the
poor, and robs our young of hope".
He concluded, "As I look forward to meeting you and spending this time with
you, I pray that you, Mr. President, and all the beloved Ugandan people, will
always prove worthy of the values which have shaped the soul of your nation.
Upon all of you I invoke the Lord's richest blessings. Mungu awabariki!".
___________________________________________________________
At the Munyonyo Shrine: may the martyrs obtain for you the grace to be wise
teachers
Vatican City, 28 November 2015 (VIS) - Following his encounter with the
leaders
of Uganda, the Pope travelled 38 kilometres by car from Entebbe to Munyonyo,
the
place where King Mwanga II (1884-1903) chose to exterminate the Christians of
Uganda and where in May 1886 the first four martyrs were killed, including St.
Andrew Kaggwa, patron of Ugandan catechists. Every year catechists gather in
the
area of the shrine of Munyonyo, now entrusted to the Conventual Franciscans,
where a new Church able to hold a thousand people is being built. Among the
catechists attending the meeting with the Holy Father there was also a
representation of teachers from the Uganda National Council of Laity, as
laypeople have played, and continue to play, a very important role in the
evangelisation of the country.
Upon arrival, the Pope was received by the superior of the Franciscans and by
Archbishiop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga of Kampala, who accompanied him to the
churchyard where he planted and watered a tree, along with the archbishop and
leaders of the Orthodox and Protestant confessions to underline the ecumenical
aspect of the Ugandan martyrs. Indeed, dozens of Anglicans were killed during
the reign of King Mwanga II, alongside twenty-two of his servants, pages and
functionaries who were converted to Catholicism by the missionaries of Africa.
After blessing the new statue of St. Andrew Kaggwa, located in the place of
his
martyrdom, the Pope addressed the catechists, first thanking them for their
sacrifices in fulfilling their mission. "You teach what Jesus taught, you
instruct adults and help parents to raise their children in the faith, and you
bring the joy and hope of eternal life to all", he said. "Thank you for your
dedication, your example, your closeness to God's people in their daily lives,
and all the many ways you plant and nurture the seeds of faith throughout this
vast land. Thank you especially for teaching our children and young people how
to pray".
"I know that your work, although rewarding, is not easy. So I encourage you to
persevere, and I ask your bishops and priests to support you with a doctrinal,
spiritual and pastoral formation capable of making you ever more effective in
your outreach. Even when the task seems too much, the resources too few, the
obstacles too great, it should never be forgotten that yours is a holy work.
The
Holy Spirit is present wherever the name of Christ is proclaimed. He is in our
midst whenever we lift up our hearts and minds to God in prayer. He will give
you the light and strength you need! The message you bring will take root all
the more firmly in people's hearts if you are not only a teacher but also a
witness. Your example should speak to everyone of the beauty of prayer, the
power of mercy and forgiveness, the joy of sharing in the Eucharist with all
our
brothers and sisters".
"The Christian community in Uganda grew strong through the witness of the
martyrs", he continued. "They testified to the truth which sets men free; they
were willing to shed their blood to be faithful to what they knew was good and
beautiful and true. We stand here today in Munyonyo at the place where King
Mwanga determined to wipe out the followers of Christ. He failed in this, just
as King Herod failed to kill Jesus. The light shone in the darkness, and the
darkness could not overcome it. After seeing the fearless testimony of Saint
Andrew Kaggwa and his companions, Christians in Uganda became even more
convinced of Christ's promises".
"May Saint Andrew, your patron, and all the Ugandan catechist martyrs, obtain
for you the grace to be wise teachers, men and women whose every word is filled
with grace, convincing witnesses to the splendour of God's truth and the joy of
the Gospel", the Pontiff concluded. "Go forth without fear to every town and
village in this country, to spread the good seed of God's word, and trust in
his
promise that you will come back rejoicing, with sheaves full from the harvest.
Omukama Abawe Omukisa! God bless you!".
Yesterday evening in the nunciature of Kampala Pope Francis received the
president of South Sudan, Salva Kiir. The director of the Holy See Press
Office,
Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., underlined that the audience represented a
"special
gesture" demonstrating the attention with which the Pope follows the troubled
events in this country, the youngest in Africa (independent since July 2011),
and whose founders included the Catholic bishop Cesare Mazzolari, who died
shortly after its birth. South Sudan has not yet known peace, although the
ideals that inspired its independence included peacemaking between ethnic
groups
and with Sudan.
___________________________________________________________
Homily at the Namugongo shrines: we honour the Ugandan martyrs when we carry
on
their witness to Christ
Vatican City, 28 November 2015 (VIS) - Early this morning, the Pope visited
the
Anglican shrine at Namugongo (under the jurisdiction of the Church of Uganda),
erected in the place where 25 Ugandans, Catholics and Anglicans, were martyred
between 1884 and 1887. Their relics are conserved in a chapel adjacent to the
holy building, situated just a few kilometres from the Catholic shrine. Francis
was welcomed by the Anglican archbishop Stanley Ntagali, and he unveiled a
commemorative plaque near the recently restored chapel. He then went to the
place where the martyrs were condemned, tortured and killed. Forty bishops of
the Ugandan Anglican episcopate were present in the chapel. After praying a few
minutes in silence, the Holy Father took leave of Archbishop Ntagali and
travelled the three kilometres between the Anglican and Catholic shrines by
popemobile.
The national Catholic shrine of Namugongo stands in a large natural park where
religious ceremonies are often held in the open air, due to the large numbers
of
faithful. The shape of the Church recalls that of the traditional huts of the
Baganda or "Akasiisiira" ethnic group, and is supported by 22 pillars
commemorating the 22 Catholic martyrs. In front of the main entrance to the
Basilica, below the great altar, there is the place where Charles Lwanga was
burned alive in 1886. The church was consecrated by Blessed Paul VI during his
apostolic trip to Uganda in 1969, and is a destination for pilgrims throughout
the year, but especially on 3 June, the day of Charles Lwanga's martyrdom.
Before celebrating the Eucharist, Francis entered the Basilica and prayed
before the altar which holds the relics of Charles Lwanga. He then toured the
area by popemobile to greet the thousands of faithful who attended the votive
Mass for the fiftieth anniversary of the canonisation of the martyrs of Uganda,
and pronounced the following homily:
"From the age of the Apostles to our own day, a great cloud of witnesses has
been raised up to proclaim Jesus and show forth the power of the Holy Spirit.
Today, we recall with gratitude the sacrifice of the Uganda martyrs, whose
witness of love for Christ and his Church has truly gone 'to the end of the
earth'. We remember also the Anglican martyrs whose deaths for Christ testify
to
the ecumenism of blood. All these witnesses nurtured the gift of the Holy
Spirit
in their lives and freely gave testimony of their faith in Jesus Christ, even
at
the cost of their lives, many at such a young age".
"We too have received the gift of the Spirit, to make us sons and daughters of
God, but also so that we may bear witness to Jesus and make him everywhere
known
and loved. We received the Spirit when we were reborn in Baptism, and we were
strengthened by his gifts at our Confirmation. Every day we are called to
deepen
the Holy Spirit's presence in our life, to 'fan into flame' the gift of his
divine love so that we may be a source of wisdom and strength to others".
"The gift of the Holy Spirit is a gift which is meant to be shared. It unites
us to one another as believers and living members of Christ's mystical Body. We
--- MPost/386 v1.21
* Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS=Huntsville AL=bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)
|
