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| Sunrise just after 7.00am |
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| Sunrise just after 8.00am |
Wednesday, 26 October 2016
Sunrise over St. Peter Port
One of the things I missed most whilst in Nebbi was the sea! Here in Guernsey, I am never more than a few minutes from the sea and it is amazing how much I missed seeing the sea everyday. I also missed swimming at Rousse, Cobo and Bordeaux Harbour (but guess I will have to wait for next summer when the sea temperature rises a little more to enjoy that pastime!). In the meantime, I can still enjoy amazing sunrises over St. Peter Port on my way to early Mass,
Safely home
Having arrived back in Guernsey on Friday 21 October 2016, the past few days has been a bit of a whirlwind of catching up with family and friends, unpacking and washing and ironing and also repacking for a holiday in the Holy Land and a Mediterranean cruise.
It has been great to get back to the ordinary and routine things of life (though the return to work remains on hold until after my holiday!).
Love it or hate it - Marmite toast was one of the things I had a craving for whilst in Uganda,
I also missed Walkers crisps,
And, of course, fresh Guernsey milk (coffee and tea never quite tastes the same with UHT milk),
It has been great to get back to the ordinary and routine things of life (though the return to work remains on hold until after my holiday!).
Love it or hate it - Marmite toast was one of the things I had a craving for whilst in Uganda,
I also missed Walkers crisps,
And, of course, fresh Guernsey milk (coffee and tea never quite tastes the same with UHT milk),
Lord's Prayer in Luganda
My last couple of days in Uganda were spent in Entebbe and the local language in this part of Uganda in Luganda.
Attending Mass at the Church of the Sacred Heart in Entebbe gave me the opportunity to hear the Lord's Prayer prayed in yet another language,
Attending Mass at the Church of the Sacred Heart in Entebbe gave me the opportunity to hear the Lord's Prayer prayed in yet another language,
Kitaffe ali mu ggulu,
Erinnya lyo litiibwe,
Obwakabaka bwo bujje,
Byoyagala bikolebwe mu nsi,
Nga bwe bikolebwa mu ggulu.
Otuwe leero emmere yaffe eya buli lunaku.
Otusonyiwe ebibi byaffe,
Nga naffe bwe tusonyiwa abatukola obubi.
Totutwala mu kukemebwa, naye tulokole mu bubi.
Amiina.
Erinnya lyo litiibwe,
Obwakabaka bwo bujje,
Byoyagala bikolebwe mu nsi,
Nga bwe bikolebwa mu ggulu.
Otuwe leero emmere yaffe eya buli lunaku.
Otusonyiwe ebibi byaffe,
Nga naffe bwe tusonyiwa abatukola obubi.
Totutwala mu kukemebwa, naye tulokole mu bubi.
Amiina.
Money, Money, Money
Now that I am safely back in Guernsey, I am catching up with a few final posts.
Looking through my hundreds of photographs, I realise that I didn't post about the Ugandan currency. There are around 4,250 Ugandan shillings to £1 and so I found myself invariably confusing myself about how many zeros I needed to include when attempting to calculate how much something cost in £ sterling!
Looking through my hundreds of photographs, I realise that I didn't post about the Ugandan currency. There are around 4,250 Ugandan shillings to £1 and so I found myself invariably confusing myself about how many zeros I needed to include when attempting to calculate how much something cost in £ sterling!
Thursday, 20 October 2016
All Checked In
The journey begins ...
Safely checked in at Entebbe Airport and relaxing in lounge before the first of the three flights that will see me safely back home in Guernsey.
Unable to resist temptation of a final Nile Special!
Safely checked in at Entebbe Airport and relaxing in lounge before the first of the three flights that will see me safely back home in Guernsey.
Unable to resist temptation of a final Nile Special!
Packed and ready to go!
Today (Thursday 20 October 2016), I leave Uganda. My flight back to Gatwick Airport, via Dubai, leave Entebbe Airport at 3.30pm (local time) and so I have finished my packing and had a final breakfast.
Breakfast is in served in the guesthouse's gardens with amazing views across the northern shore of Lake Victoria,
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| Luggage packed and ready to go! |
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| View across Lake Victoria from my guesthouse |
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| The northern shore of the lake through the mango trees |
Blessed Daudi Okelo and Jildo Irwa
Today
(20 October 2016) is the feast of two further Ugandan Martyrs - Daudi Okelo and Jildo Irwa. Both were two young Ugandan catechists
at the beginning of the 20th century. They belonged to the Acholi tribe and
they lived and were martyred in the years immediately following the foundation
of the mission of Kitgum by the Comboni Missionaries in 1915.
Daudi Okelo was born around 1902 in Ogom-Payira, a small village on the road Gulu-Kitgum. The son of pagan and at 14-16 years of age he attended the instruction to receive baptism. He was baptised by Fr. Cesare Gambaretto on 1 June 1916 and received his first holy communion on the same day and was confirmed on 15 October 1916. After completing his formation, Daudi accepted to be enrolled as a catechist.
Jildo Irwa was born around 1906 in the village of Bar-Kitoba, North-West of Kitgum, from pagan parents: Ato, his mother, and Okeny, his father who later became a Christian. He was baptised by Cesare Gambaretto on 6 June 1916, at the age of between 10 and 12 years; on the same day he received his first Holy Communion and was confirmed on 15 October 1916.
In early 1917, Antonio, the catechist in charge of Paimol, died. Daudi went to Fr. Cesare, then superior at the mission of Kitgum, offering to take Antonio's place. Daudi's appointment was announced in late 1917 and Jildo Irwa was to go with him as his assistant. Before setting off, the two of them went to Fr. Cesare who informed them of the difficulties of their work, like the long travelling distance as the village was about 80 km from Kitgum and, in particular, the frequent in-fights of the local people, instigated also by gangs of raiders and traders of slaves and gold, sporadically visiting the area. To all this Daudi is alleged to have answered: "I am not afraid to die. Jesus, too, died for us!" and Jildo repeated these words.
Each day, at dawn, Daudi beat the drum to call his catechumens for morning prayers and, for Jildo and himself, also for the Rosary. He taught them the prayers and the catechism's questions and answers, repeated often in a sign-song like manner during the lesson, to facilitate the memorising. It was a matter of teaching the first elements of faith, the so-called Lok-odiku (the words of the morning), namely the essential parts of the catechism. To this activity Daudi added the visits to the nearby small villages from where the catechumens were coming, busy during the day in assisting their parents to look after the cattle or work in the fields. At sunset, Daudi gave the signal for common prayer and the Rosary, always closing with a song to Our Lady. On Sunday, he held a longer prayer service, often enlivened by the presence of catechumens and catechists of the area.
During the weekend of 18 to 20 October 1918, long before dawn, five people headed for the hut where Daudi and Jildo were staying with the clear intention of killing them. A village elder confronted the new comers telling them they were not allowed to kill the catechists, as they were his guests. Daudi appeared at the door of his hut and entreated the elder not to get involved. Then the intruders entered into Daudi's hut and insisted with him that he gave up teaching catechism. Realising that Daudi was not giving in to their threats, they dragged him outside, pushed him to the ground and pierced him with their spears. He was about 16-18 years old.
Jildo showed the same determination as Daudi and challenged their attackers, "We have done nothing wrong. For the same reason you killed Daudi you must also kill me, because together we came here and together we have been teaching God's word". Having said this, somebody grabbed him, pushed him outside the hut and, placing him at a distance of two steps, pierced him through with a spear. Then one of them struck Jildo's head with a knife. He was about 12-14 years old.
Daudi Okelo was born around 1902 in Ogom-Payira, a small village on the road Gulu-Kitgum. The son of pagan and at 14-16 years of age he attended the instruction to receive baptism. He was baptised by Fr. Cesare Gambaretto on 1 June 1916 and received his first holy communion on the same day and was confirmed on 15 October 1916. After completing his formation, Daudi accepted to be enrolled as a catechist.
Jildo Irwa was born around 1906 in the village of Bar-Kitoba, North-West of Kitgum, from pagan parents: Ato, his mother, and Okeny, his father who later became a Christian. He was baptised by Cesare Gambaretto on 6 June 1916, at the age of between 10 and 12 years; on the same day he received his first Holy Communion and was confirmed on 15 October 1916.
In early 1917, Antonio, the catechist in charge of Paimol, died. Daudi went to Fr. Cesare, then superior at the mission of Kitgum, offering to take Antonio's place. Daudi's appointment was announced in late 1917 and Jildo Irwa was to go with him as his assistant. Before setting off, the two of them went to Fr. Cesare who informed them of the difficulties of their work, like the long travelling distance as the village was about 80 km from Kitgum and, in particular, the frequent in-fights of the local people, instigated also by gangs of raiders and traders of slaves and gold, sporadically visiting the area. To all this Daudi is alleged to have answered: "I am not afraid to die. Jesus, too, died for us!" and Jildo repeated these words.
Each day, at dawn, Daudi beat the drum to call his catechumens for morning prayers and, for Jildo and himself, also for the Rosary. He taught them the prayers and the catechism's questions and answers, repeated often in a sign-song like manner during the lesson, to facilitate the memorising. It was a matter of teaching the first elements of faith, the so-called Lok-odiku (the words of the morning), namely the essential parts of the catechism. To this activity Daudi added the visits to the nearby small villages from where the catechumens were coming, busy during the day in assisting their parents to look after the cattle or work in the fields. At sunset, Daudi gave the signal for common prayer and the Rosary, always closing with a song to Our Lady. On Sunday, he held a longer prayer service, often enlivened by the presence of catechumens and catechists of the area.
During the weekend of 18 to 20 October 1918, long before dawn, five people headed for the hut where Daudi and Jildo were staying with the clear intention of killing them. A village elder confronted the new comers telling them they were not allowed to kill the catechists, as they were his guests. Daudi appeared at the door of his hut and entreated the elder not to get involved. Then the intruders entered into Daudi's hut and insisted with him that he gave up teaching catechism. Realising that Daudi was not giving in to their threats, they dragged him outside, pushed him to the ground and pierced him with their spears. He was about 16-18 years old.
His
body was then left unburied until a few days later some people, tying a rope
around the neck, dragged the body over a nearby empty termite hill. The mortal
remains, collected in February 1926, were later placed in the mission church of
Kitgum, at the foot of the altar of the Sacred Heart.
Jildo showed the same determination as Daudi and challenged their attackers, "We have done nothing wrong. For the same reason you killed Daudi you must also kill me, because together we came here and together we have been teaching God's word". Having said this, somebody grabbed him, pushed him outside the hut and, placing him at a distance of two steps, pierced him through with a spear. Then one of them struck Jildo's head with a knife. He was about 12-14 years old.
The
martyrdom of these two young catechists from Uganda is very meaningful for Uganda
as tribal conflicts continue today. The two young lay catechists who together
carried out and remained faithful to their assignment to spread the Gospel by
words and deeds. Furthermore, by courageously accepting to move to a place
outside the influence of their own ethnic clan, they have become in their
environment a sign of the universal and apostolic Catholic Church. Finally,
having lived during a period of tribal fights, colonial interests and still
flourishing domestic slavery, they represent the integrity of a Gospel that
always protects and safeguards personal dignity and promotes peace among
peoples, ethnic groups and cultures. For this, even today they are remembered
in their land as Christ's true "witnesses by blood".
Lord, you enkindled in the hearts of the blessed
catechists David and Jildo
an ardent desire to proclaim the Gospel,
and through their martyrdom strengthened the early growth of the Church in Uganda.
By their example, strengthen us in our faith,
and grant that we may share it with our brothers and sisters.
Through their intercession, give us the grace we need in this moment,
and may we all come to enjoy the fruits of your redemption.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ,
your Son who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.
an ardent desire to proclaim the Gospel,
and through their martyrdom strengthened the early growth of the Church in Uganda.
By their example, strengthen us in our faith,
and grant that we may share it with our brothers and sisters.
Through their intercession, give us the grace we need in this moment,
and may we all come to enjoy the fruits of your redemption.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ,
your Son who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.
Amen
Wednesday, 19 October 2016
Sundown
Tonight (Wednesday 19 October 2016) there was a great sunset over Lake Victoria as I settled down for a final Nile Special before starting the long journey back to Guernsey tomorrow,
Heading Home
Today (Wednesday 19 October 2016), is my last full day in Uganda as I start my long journey back to Guernsey tomorrow.
I have had a quite day at the Carpe Diem Guesthouse near Entebbe Airport. A time to relax and reflect on a busy and amazing few weeks in Uganda. It seems but a short while since I landed at Entebbe on 2 August 2016 and began this journey (perhaps I am getting old!).
These last 10 weeks of so have been amazing. I have seen and learnt so much - about myself, my faith life, development aid and the challenges of day-to-day life in one of the world's Least developed Countries. I have met some truly amazing people and forged friendships that I am sure will last for many years to come. Of course, I have missed family and friends and the routine of life and work in Guernsey.
Throughout my time here in Uganda, I am deeply grateful for the support I have received from family and friends not just at home but around the world. I know that without this support, encouragement and most of all the prayers of so many, I would not have been able to enjoy my time so much. Knowing that so many people were supporting me has kept me going when I have felt lonely and far from home (especially when the internet connections at Caritas Nebbi were down!).
I don't know how the experience of the last few weeks may have changed me. It would have been all too easy to make major and life-changing decisions here in Uganda but now is not the time to make such decisions. I know I need to return home, to resume "normal life", to get back to work, to catch up with family and friends and then to reflect and discern what I may be being called to do going forward.
Thank you to all who have read my blog. I have enjoyed writing it and will, over the coming weeks, spend time rereading all I have posted. I won't sign off just yet as the journey home is yet to come.
Please keep me in your prayers and thoughts that my journey will be a safe one and I will make all my connections and arrive safely back at Guernsey Airport around 11.00am on Friday 21 October 2016 and be reunited with my family.
I have had a quite day at the Carpe Diem Guesthouse near Entebbe Airport. A time to relax and reflect on a busy and amazing few weeks in Uganda. It seems but a short while since I landed at Entebbe on 2 August 2016 and began this journey (perhaps I am getting old!).
These last 10 weeks of so have been amazing. I have seen and learnt so much - about myself, my faith life, development aid and the challenges of day-to-day life in one of the world's Least developed Countries. I have met some truly amazing people and forged friendships that I am sure will last for many years to come. Of course, I have missed family and friends and the routine of life and work in Guernsey.
Throughout my time here in Uganda, I am deeply grateful for the support I have received from family and friends not just at home but around the world. I know that without this support, encouragement and most of all the prayers of so many, I would not have been able to enjoy my time so much. Knowing that so many people were supporting me has kept me going when I have felt lonely and far from home (especially when the internet connections at Caritas Nebbi were down!).
I don't know how the experience of the last few weeks may have changed me. It would have been all too easy to make major and life-changing decisions here in Uganda but now is not the time to make such decisions. I know I need to return home, to resume "normal life", to get back to work, to catch up with family and friends and then to reflect and discern what I may be being called to do going forward.
Thank you to all who have read my blog. I have enjoyed writing it and will, over the coming weeks, spend time rereading all I have posted. I won't sign off just yet as the journey home is yet to come.
Please keep me in your prayers and thoughts that my journey will be a safe one and I will make all my connections and arrive safely back at Guernsey Airport around 11.00am on Friday 21 October 2016 and be reunited with my family.
Tuesday, 18 October 2016
Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy - Holy Doors
During my time in Uganda I have passed through two Holy Doors. A Holy Door (Porta Sancta) traditionally refers to an entrance portal located within the Major Papal Basilicas in Rome. The doors are normally sealed by mortar and cement from the inside so that they cannot be opened. They are ceremoniously opened during Jubilee Years designated by the Pope, for pilgrims who enter through those doors may piously gain the plenary indulgence attached with the Jubilee year celebrations.(for more information about Holy Doors click here).
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| The Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Nebbi (the central door has been designated as the Holy Door for this diocese) |
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| The Holy Door at the Basilica of the Ugandan Martyrs |
Shrine of the Ugandan Martyrs
Today (Tuesday 18 October 2016) has been a very special day as I had the opportunity to visit the Shrine of the Ugandan Martyrs (see my post for more information about these incredible witnesses of the Gospels - click here). The Shrine is on the outskirts of Kampala and has been erected on the site of the martyrdom of St. Charles Lwango and his companions.
The church is built in the typical style for churches in this part of Uganda and was a beautiful and deeply prayerful building,
A deeply moving and prayerful experience.
The church is built in the typical style for churches in this part of Uganda and was a beautiful and deeply prayerful building,
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| The exterior of the Basilica (not unlike the Cathedral of Christ the King in Liverpool) |
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| The Basilica's interior |
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| The high altar which is built over where St. Charles Lwango was martyred |
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| Close up of a relic of St. Charles Lwango |
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| The tabernacle and beautiful mural of St. Charles Lwango and his companions |
Outside the Basilica, there is a powerful sculpture showing the martyrdom of St. Charles Lwango,
A deeply moving and prayerful experience.
St. Charles Lwanga and His Companions
St. Charles Lwanga
and many other martyrs for the faith died between 15 November 1885 and 27
January 1887 in Namugongo, Uganda. St. Charles Lwanga and his companions
were beatified in 1920 and canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1964.
In 1879, Catholicism
began spreading in Uganda when the White Fathers, a congregation of priests
founded by Cardinal Lavigerie were peacefully received by King Mutesa of
Uganda. Mission priests from Europe soon began preparing catechumens
for baptism and before long a number of the young pages in the king’s court had
become Catholics.
However, on the death of Mutesa, his son Mwanga, a corrupt man who ritually engaged in pedophilic practices with the younger pages, took the throne. When King Mwanga had a visiting Anglican Bishop murdered, his chief page, Joseph Mukasa, a Catholic who went to great length to protect the younger boys from the king’s lust, denounced the king’s actions and was beheaded on November 15, 1885.
Charles Lwanga, a 25 year old man, wholly dedicated to the Christian instruction of the younger boys, became the chief page, and just as forcibly protected them from the kings advances.
On the night of the martyrdom of Joseph Mukasa, realizing that their own lives were in danger, Lwanga and some of the other pages went to the White Fathers to receive baptism. Another 100 catechumens were baptized in the week following Joseph Mukasa’s death. The following May, King Mwanga learned that one of the boys was learning catechism. He was furious and ordered all the pages to be questioned to separate the Christians from the others. The Christians, 15 in all, between the ages of 13 and 25, stepped forward. The King asked them if they were willing to keep their faith. They answered in unison, “Until death!”
They were bound together and taken on a two day walk to Namugongo where they were to be burned at the stake. On the way, Matthias Kalemba, one of the eldest boys, exclaimed, “God will rescue me. But you will not see how he does it, because he will take my soul and leave you only my body.” They executioners cut him to pieces and left him to die alone on the road.
On 3 June 1886, the Feast of the Ascension, Charles Lwanga was separated from the others and burned at the stake. The executioners slowly burnt his feet until only the charred remained. Still alive, they promised him that they would let him go if he renounced his faith. He refused saying, “You are burning me, but it is as if you are pouring water over my body.” He then continued to pray silently as they set him on fire. Just before the flames reached his heart, he looked up and said in a loud voice, “Katonda! – My God!,” and died. His companions were all burned together the same day all the while praying and singing hymns until they died. There were 22 protomartyrs in all. The last of the protomartyrs, a young man named John Mary, was beheaded by King Mwanga on 27 January 1887. The persecutions spread during the reign of Mwanga, with 100 Christians, both Catholics and Protestants, being tortured and killed.
Three Popes, Blessed Pope Paul VI, St. Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis have visited the shrine of St. Charles Lwanga and his companions. In August 1969, Blessed Paul VI said,
"But, you will ask me, why should the Martyrs be honoured? And I answer you: It is because they have performed the most heroic, and therefore the greatest and most beautiful of all actions; they have, as I said, laid down their lives for their Faith, that is, for their religion and for the freedom of their conscience. Therefore they are our champions, our heroes, our teachers. They teach us how real Christians should be. Listen to me now: Should a Christian be a coward? Should he be afraid? Should he betray his own Faith? No! Of course not! Your Martyrs teach us just how true Christians should be, especially young Christians, African Christians. For Christians must be courageous, they must be strong, they must, as Saint Peter wrote, “be firm in the faith” (1 Pet. 5, 9). Your Martyrs teach us how much the Faith is worth! But, you ask me, is Faith worth more than life?
Yes, indeed! Faith is more valuable than our present life, which is a mortal life; whereas Faith is the beginning of the immortal life of happiness, that is, of the life of God in us. Do you know this most important truth? You answer: Yes! because you have learned that Faith is accepting the Word of God; and whoever accepts the Word of God begins to live of God Himself.
Now, you may ask me: Is Faith enough, to be living in God and to be saved?" (click here to read Blessed Paul VI's sermon in full)
In February 2003, St. John Paull II, in his sermon said,
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| St. Peter's Basilica, Rome on occasion of the canonisation of St. Chales Lwanga and his comapions |
However, on the death of Mutesa, his son Mwanga, a corrupt man who ritually engaged in pedophilic practices with the younger pages, took the throne. When King Mwanga had a visiting Anglican Bishop murdered, his chief page, Joseph Mukasa, a Catholic who went to great length to protect the younger boys from the king’s lust, denounced the king’s actions and was beheaded on November 15, 1885.
Charles Lwanga, a 25 year old man, wholly dedicated to the Christian instruction of the younger boys, became the chief page, and just as forcibly protected them from the kings advances.
On the night of the martyrdom of Joseph Mukasa, realizing that their own lives were in danger, Lwanga and some of the other pages went to the White Fathers to receive baptism. Another 100 catechumens were baptized in the week following Joseph Mukasa’s death. The following May, King Mwanga learned that one of the boys was learning catechism. He was furious and ordered all the pages to be questioned to separate the Christians from the others. The Christians, 15 in all, between the ages of 13 and 25, stepped forward. The King asked them if they were willing to keep their faith. They answered in unison, “Until death!”
They were bound together and taken on a two day walk to Namugongo where they were to be burned at the stake. On the way, Matthias Kalemba, one of the eldest boys, exclaimed, “God will rescue me. But you will not see how he does it, because he will take my soul and leave you only my body.” They executioners cut him to pieces and left him to die alone on the road.
On 3 June 1886, the Feast of the Ascension, Charles Lwanga was separated from the others and burned at the stake. The executioners slowly burnt his feet until only the charred remained. Still alive, they promised him that they would let him go if he renounced his faith. He refused saying, “You are burning me, but it is as if you are pouring water over my body.” He then continued to pray silently as they set him on fire. Just before the flames reached his heart, he looked up and said in a loud voice, “Katonda! – My God!,” and died. His companions were all burned together the same day all the while praying and singing hymns until they died. There were 22 protomartyrs in all. The last of the protomartyrs, a young man named John Mary, was beheaded by King Mwanga on 27 January 1887. The persecutions spread during the reign of Mwanga, with 100 Christians, both Catholics and Protestants, being tortured and killed.
Three Popes, Blessed Pope Paul VI, St. Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis have visited the shrine of St. Charles Lwanga and his companions. In August 1969, Blessed Paul VI said,
"But, you will ask me, why should the Martyrs be honoured? And I answer you: It is because they have performed the most heroic, and therefore the greatest and most beautiful of all actions; they have, as I said, laid down their lives for their Faith, that is, for their religion and for the freedom of their conscience. Therefore they are our champions, our heroes, our teachers. They teach us how real Christians should be. Listen to me now: Should a Christian be a coward? Should he be afraid? Should he betray his own Faith? No! Of course not! Your Martyrs teach us just how true Christians should be, especially young Christians, African Christians. For Christians must be courageous, they must be strong, they must, as Saint Peter wrote, “be firm in the faith” (1 Pet. 5, 9). Your Martyrs teach us how much the Faith is worth! But, you ask me, is Faith worth more than life?
Yes, indeed! Faith is more valuable than our present life, which is a mortal life; whereas Faith is the beginning of the immortal life of happiness, that is, of the life of God in us. Do you know this most important truth? You answer: Yes! because you have learned that Faith is accepting the Word of God; and whoever accepts the Word of God begins to live of God Himself.
Now, you may ask me: Is Faith enough, to be living in God and to be saved?" (click here to read Blessed Paul VI's sermon in full)
In February 2003, St. John Paull II, in his sermon said,
"Truly the Uganda Martyrs became light in the Lord! Their sacrifice hastened the rebirth of the Church in Africa. In our own days, all Africa is being called to the light of Christ! Africa is being called again to discover her true identity in the light of faith in the Son of God. All that is truly African, all that is true and good and noble in Africa’s traditions and cultures, is meant to find its fulfilment in Christ. The Uganda Martyrs show this clearly: they were the truest of Africans, worthy heirs of the virtues of their ancestors. In embracing Jesus Christ, they opened the door of faith to their own people (Cf. Acts. 14: 27), so that the glory of the Lord could shine on Uganda, on Africa.
Here at Namugongo, it is right that we give thanks to God for all those who have worked and prayed and shed their blood for the rebirth of the Church on this Continent. We give thanks for all who have carried on the work of the Martyrs by striving to build a Church that is truly Catholic and truly African." (click here to read St. John Paul II's sermon in full)
In November 2015, Pope Francis
said,
"I think of Saints Joseph Mkasa and Charles
Lwanga, who after being catechized by others, wanted to pass on the gift they
had received. They did this in dangerous times. Not only were their lives
threatened but so too were the lives of the younger boys under their care.
Because they had tended to their faith and deepened their love of God, they
were fearless in bringing Christ to others, even at the cost of their lives.
Their faith became witness; today, venerated as martyrs, their example
continues to inspire people throughout the world. They continue to proclaim
Jesus Christ and the power of his Cross.
If, like the martyrs, we daily fan into flame the
gift of the Spirit who dwells in our hearts, then we will surely become the
missionary disciples which Christ calls us to be. To our families and friends certainly,
but also to those whom we do not know, especially those who might be
unfriendly, even hostile, to us. This openness to others begins first in the
family, in our homes where charity and forgiveness are learned, and the mercy
and love of God made known in our parents’ love. It finds expression too in our
care for the elderly and the poor, the widowed and the orphaned.
The witness of the martyrs shows to all who have
heard their story, then and now, that the worldly pleasures and earthly power
do not bring lasting joy or peace. Rather, fidelity to God, honesty and
integrity of life, and genuine concern for the good of others bring us that
peace which the world cannot give. This does not diminish our concern for this
world, as if we only look to the life to come. Instead, it gives purpose to our
lives in this world, and helps us to reach out to those in need, to cooperate
with others for the common good, and to build a more just society which
promotes human dignity, defends God’s gift of life and protects the wonders of
nature, his creation and our common home." (click here to read Pope Francis' sermon in full)
Crossing the Line
The main road from Masaka to Kampala crosses the Equator and so en route back from Masaka today (Tuesday 18 October 2016) we stopped off to "play the tourist" and take the obligator pictures with one foot in the northern and the other in the southern hemisphere,
Also took the chance to check out which way water flows down the plug hole north and south of the Equator,
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| Loving the road markings! |
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| Crossing the Line! |
Also took the chance to check out which way water flows down the plug hole north and south of the Equator,
Brexit
I guess that heading home later this week means I will need to catch up on current affairs outside Uganda!
This post a Facebook friend shared with me is a good place to start,
This post a Facebook friend shared with me is a good place to start,
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| This just arrived. I didn't order it. There are no instructions. Nobody knows how to assemble it or even what it's for. How do I send it back? |
Kitovu Mobile and Guernsey's Overseas Aid & Development Commission
Yesterday (Monday 17 October 2016), I visited a HIV/AIDS project in Masaka (a sprawling town about 2.5 hours drive south of Kampala) which Guernsey's Overseas Aid & Development Commission (OA&DC) had supported in 2014 with a grant of £40,000.
Kitovu Mobile has been working with people with HIV/Aids for nearly 30 years and throughout this time have been supported by the Catholic development agency, CAFOD (www.cafod.org.uk). Masaka is located on the main route from East African ports in Kenya to Kampala and beyond to Northern Tanzania, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. As a result Masaka was what has been termed an "AIDS hotspot" and initially the medical authorities and NGOs providing health care in the area were seeing many people becoming ill with a previously unknown disease in the mid to late 1980s for which they could find no treatment and lead to 1,000s dying an protracted and painful death. Many more children were left orphaned as their parents dies of AIDS and it was the "fortunate" ones who had a grandparent able to care for them or an older female sibling who took over her late mother's role.
Kitovu Mobile's work was initially focused on supporting those dying from AIDS at the time when the source and nature of the infection was still unknown and appeared unresponsive to the drugs available. Overtime, Kitovu Mobile has adapted and developed its work as the scale and knowledge of HIV/AIDS has become better understood and effective treatments have been discovered.
The OA&DC was asked to support a project which was at the core of Kitovu Mobile's and
enhanced its comprehensive Care & Treatment Program (CCTP) to increase access to quality HIV prevention, treatment and care services to the targeted beneficiaries. The primary purpose of the grant was to help Kitovu Mobile to meet the demand of the changing HIV epidemic and the need to increase universal access to care. The project enabled Kitovu Mobile to initiate the adaptation of the ‘’system strengthening approach’’ through the establishment of three satellite clinics.
In addition, CAFOD had advised the OA&DCC that grant had increased the capacity of Kitovu Mobile's community volunteers in responding effectively to HIV prevention strategies and nearly 200 "expert clients" had attained adequate skills in basic HIV care, treatment and support and act as ambassadors for positive living and HIV prevention in their communities.
The purpose of my visit was to meet with staff from Kitovu Mobile and see how the grant from Guernsey was continuing to ensure that the outcomes achieved during the funding period were continuing today and would do so for many years to come.
Meeting with the staff, it was clear that they were committed to the organisation and very proud of the work they were undertaking and the lasting and positive impact it was having on the lives of so many people in this area. I also visited one of the clinics the funding from Guernsey had supported,
Whilst it was great to meet the team and hear first hand how Kitovu Mobile has responded to the AIDS epidemic and adapted its services and role as the disease has become better understood and new effective treatments identified, what I found most moving was the testimonies from three of the "expert clients" I met and who spoke on behalf of over 60 other clients (of all ages from babies with their mothers to elderly men and women) about how the services through Kitovu Mobile had given them hope and life.
One of the "expert clients" said the only thing he could parallel his experience with was the passage of St. Matthew's Gospel where the man is carried to Christ on a stretched and is cured and walks away his life and health restored. He said that in the early days, he and others had been carried to Kitovu Mobile's clinic but today they walked by themselves and brought their children and grandchildren. He said he had tested positive for HIV in 1991 but today, with the medicines he receved he was well and able to work and support his family. The two other "expert clients" who spoke gave similar testimonies and it was clear from their body language and the reactions of the others crammed into the clinics waiting area that these three people spoken on behalf of them all. I was left swallowing hard and fighting back the tears. I saw with my own eyes how Kitovu Mobile's mission statement based on St. John's Gospel "I come that they may have life and life in its fullness" (ch. 10 v .10) is being achieved day after day.
Finally the
Kitovu Mobile has been working with people with HIV/Aids for nearly 30 years and throughout this time have been supported by the Catholic development agency, CAFOD (www.cafod.org.uk). Masaka is located on the main route from East African ports in Kenya to Kampala and beyond to Northern Tanzania, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. As a result Masaka was what has been termed an "AIDS hotspot" and initially the medical authorities and NGOs providing health care in the area were seeing many people becoming ill with a previously unknown disease in the mid to late 1980s for which they could find no treatment and lead to 1,000s dying an protracted and painful death. Many more children were left orphaned as their parents dies of AIDS and it was the "fortunate" ones who had a grandparent able to care for them or an older female sibling who took over her late mother's role.
Kitovu Mobile's work was initially focused on supporting those dying from AIDS at the time when the source and nature of the infection was still unknown and appeared unresponsive to the drugs available. Overtime, Kitovu Mobile has adapted and developed its work as the scale and knowledge of HIV/AIDS has become better understood and effective treatments have been discovered.
The OA&DC was asked to support a project which was at the core of Kitovu Mobile's and
enhanced its comprehensive Care & Treatment Program (CCTP) to increase access to quality HIV prevention, treatment and care services to the targeted beneficiaries. The primary purpose of the grant was to help Kitovu Mobile to meet the demand of the changing HIV epidemic and the need to increase universal access to care. The project enabled Kitovu Mobile to initiate the adaptation of the ‘’system strengthening approach’’ through the establishment of three satellite clinics.
In addition, CAFOD had advised the OA&DCC that grant had increased the capacity of Kitovu Mobile's community volunteers in responding effectively to HIV prevention strategies and nearly 200 "expert clients" had attained adequate skills in basic HIV care, treatment and support and act as ambassadors for positive living and HIV prevention in their communities.
The purpose of my visit was to meet with staff from Kitovu Mobile and see how the grant from Guernsey was continuing to ensure that the outcomes achieved during the funding period were continuing today and would do so for many years to come.
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| Members of the Kitovu Mobile team |
One of the "expert clients" said the only thing he could parallel his experience with was the passage of St. Matthew's Gospel where the man is carried to Christ on a stretched and is cured and walks away his life and health restored. He said that in the early days, he and others had been carried to Kitovu Mobile's clinic but today they walked by themselves and brought their children and grandchildren. He said he had tested positive for HIV in 1991 but today, with the medicines he receved he was well and able to work and support his family. The two other "expert clients" who spoke gave similar testimonies and it was clear from their body language and the reactions of the others crammed into the clinics waiting area that these three people spoken on behalf of them all. I was left swallowing hard and fighting back the tears. I saw with my own eyes how Kitovu Mobile's mission statement based on St. John's Gospel "I come that they may have life and life in its fullness" (ch. 10 v .10) is being achieved day after day.
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| One of the three "expert clients" who spoke on behalf of the many others gathered to meet me |
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| Some of the many clients who came to greet me |
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| The packed waiting room |
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| One of the several mothers who came with her baby girl |
To summarise all I heard and saw yesterday, I would highlight three points that I believe demonstrate the importance of the work Kitovu Mobile is undertaking and that Guernsey has supported:
- In the last 4 years, no babies of women with HIV?AIDS receiving support from Kitovu Mobile have delivered babies with the infection because of the antenatal and delivery care received;
- Many of the clients have had the HIV/AIDS infection for over 20 years but remain healthy and able to support and care for their families; and
- Kitovu Mobile continues to respond to the challenges HIV/AIDS presents; e.g. the incidence of cancer amongst those living with HIV/AIDS is very high and so Kitovu Mobile is working hard to introduce cancer screening to enable earlier detection and so offer better treatment outcomes alongside offering palliative care for those with cancer.
Finally the
Monday, 17 October 2016
Seven New Saints
Yesterday
(Sunday 16 October 2016), Pope Francis canonised seven new saints of the
church. Pope Francis said that each one
"struggled to the very end with all their strength," which they
received through perseverance and prayer and "… they remained firm in
faith, with a generous and steadfast heart. Through their example and their
intercession, may God also enable us to be men and women of prayer”.
One, an Argentine "gaucho priest," St. Jose Gabriel del Rosario Brochero had ridden on a donkey when traveling thousands of miles to minister to the poor and the sick.
St. Jose Sanchez del Rio, a 14-year-old Mexican boy martyred for refusing to renounce his faith during the Cristero War of the 1920s.
St. Salomone Leclerq, who was killed after refusing to renounce his faith at the height of the French Revolution.
The French Carmelite writer and mystic, St. Elizabeth of the Holy Trinity, had given the Church a great example of a life devoted to prayer. St. Manuel Gonzalez Garcia, a Spanish bishop who spent his life devoted to Eucharistic adoration, smiled radiantly.
St. Ludovico Pavoni, the Italian founder of the Sons of Mary Immaculate, who dedicated his life to the vocational and spiritual education of the poor and hearing impaired, and St. Alfonso Maria Fusco, the Italian founder of the Congregation of the Baptistine Sisters of the Nazarene and of the Little House of Providence, a home for abandoned children.
In his homily, Pope Francis said the central theme of the Sunday readings was prayer, an important aspect in the lives of the newly canonized saints and something that obtained for them "the goal of heaven." He reflected on the day's first reading which recalled Moses raising his arms in prayer while the Israelites fought Amalek's army. When Moses' arms would fall from weariness, the tide would turn against Israel. Just as Aaron and Hur held Moses arms up until the Israelites won the battle, the pope said, so should Christians "support one another" in the "commitment to prayer." "Weariness is inevitable," he said. "Sometimes we simply cannot go on, yet, with the support of our brothers and sisters, our prayer can persevere until the Lord completes his work."
Like Moses who grew weary, yet was sustained by Aaron and Hur, Christians must remember they are not alone in the church, the pope said. "We are members of the body of Christ, the church, whose arms are raised day and night to heaven, thanks to the presence of the risen Christ and his Holy Spirit. Only in the church, and thanks to the church's prayer, are we able to remain steadfast in faith and witness," he said.
Looking at the day's Gospel reading, the pope said Jesus' parable of the widow who persists in seeking justice reveals "the mystery of prayer" which involves crying out persistently and not losing heart. "To pray is not to take refuge in an ideal world, nor to escape into a false, selfish sense of calm. On the contrary, to pray is to struggle, but also to let the Holy Spirit pray within us," the pope said.
Pope Francis prayed that "the example and intercession of these luminous witnesses sustain the commitment of each one in your respective areas of work and service for the good of the church and the civil community."
One, an Argentine "gaucho priest," St. Jose Gabriel del Rosario Brochero had ridden on a donkey when traveling thousands of miles to minister to the poor and the sick.
St. Jose Sanchez del Rio, a 14-year-old Mexican boy martyred for refusing to renounce his faith during the Cristero War of the 1920s.
St. Salomone Leclerq, who was killed after refusing to renounce his faith at the height of the French Revolution.
The French Carmelite writer and mystic, St. Elizabeth of the Holy Trinity, had given the Church a great example of a life devoted to prayer. St. Manuel Gonzalez Garcia, a Spanish bishop who spent his life devoted to Eucharistic adoration, smiled radiantly.
St. Ludovico Pavoni, the Italian founder of the Sons of Mary Immaculate, who dedicated his life to the vocational and spiritual education of the poor and hearing impaired, and St. Alfonso Maria Fusco, the Italian founder of the Congregation of the Baptistine Sisters of the Nazarene and of the Little House of Providence, a home for abandoned children.
In his homily, Pope Francis said the central theme of the Sunday readings was prayer, an important aspect in the lives of the newly canonized saints and something that obtained for them "the goal of heaven." He reflected on the day's first reading which recalled Moses raising his arms in prayer while the Israelites fought Amalek's army. When Moses' arms would fall from weariness, the tide would turn against Israel. Just as Aaron and Hur held Moses arms up until the Israelites won the battle, the pope said, so should Christians "support one another" in the "commitment to prayer." "Weariness is inevitable," he said. "Sometimes we simply cannot go on, yet, with the support of our brothers and sisters, our prayer can persevere until the Lord completes his work."
Like Moses who grew weary, yet was sustained by Aaron and Hur, Christians must remember they are not alone in the church, the pope said. "We are members of the body of Christ, the church, whose arms are raised day and night to heaven, thanks to the presence of the risen Christ and his Holy Spirit. Only in the church, and thanks to the church's prayer, are we able to remain steadfast in faith and witness," he said.
Looking at the day's Gospel reading, the pope said Jesus' parable of the widow who persists in seeking justice reveals "the mystery of prayer" which involves crying out persistently and not losing heart. "To pray is not to take refuge in an ideal world, nor to escape into a false, selfish sense of calm. On the contrary, to pray is to struggle, but also to let the Holy Spirit pray within us," the pope said.
Pope Francis prayed that "the example and intercession of these luminous witnesses sustain the commitment of each one in your respective areas of work and service for the good of the church and the civil community."
Sunday, 16 October 2016
Gift from Bishop Sanctus
On Friday 14 October 2016 (my last evening in Nebbi), Bishop Sanctus kindly invited me to supper at Bishop's House.
I was a very relaxed evening and we were joined by Father Denis and Alfred from Caritas and Mgr. Richard, the Vicar General. Bishop Sanctus gave me a simple but lovely gift of a small wooden storage jar which he had filled with local beans,
I presented Bishop Sanctus with a small donkey made by Guernsey Toys. I explained that Guernsey people are referred to as donkeys because we are a stubborn people and he kindly suggested that perhaps determined was a better word to describe this donkey-like characteristic!
I was a very relaxed evening and we were joined by Father Denis and Alfred from Caritas and Mgr. Richard, the Vicar General. Bishop Sanctus gave me a simple but lovely gift of a small wooden storage jar which he had filled with local beans,
I presented Bishop Sanctus with a small donkey made by Guernsey Toys. I explained that Guernsey people are referred to as donkeys because we are a stubborn people and he kindly suggested that perhaps determined was a better word to describe this donkey-like characteristic!
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| Bishop Sanctus' episcopal crest |
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