Special Issue October/Nov. 2012 Published by the Communications Department and printed by the Arua Diocese Printing Services, P.O. Box 454, Arua No. 127 CELEBRATING OUR HERITAGE A pastoral letter by the Catholic Bishops of Uganda on the occasion of the golden jubilee of Uganda’s Independence. (Abridged edition) Dear Brothers and Sisters, 1. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice in it and be glad (Ps. 118:24). As believers in the one God Independence who is guiding the history of human- kind, of all nations and of each per- son, we greet you with this joyful ac- clamation from the liturgy of Easter, the day of the Resurrection of Jesus our Saviour. We repeat it with re- newed joy and gratitude, fifty years later, as we celebrate the Golden Ju- bilee of our beloved country, Uganda. We have so many reasons to be grate- ful to God who has walked with us throughout our long journey of histo- ry. 2. The celebration of fifty years of independence should not be simply an event but, rather, an opportunity for us to celebrate the Lord’s deliver- ance and providence (Ex.13:16). 50 Years 3. Through all this time, in the events of our history as a nation, God has led and guided us. in our country. Since independence, formity with a truly God-fearing na- the Church has not only grown in 4. It is in the context of our own Exo- tion. dus as a nation that we, your bishops, number but also in her commitment to the service of the entire country. considered it worthwhile writing to PART ONE: you this pastoral letter so that we may THE CONTRIBUTION OF 8. It is in the ‘consolation of the Holy reflect together on the great wonders Spirit’ that the Church has grown. the Lord has done for us (Lk. 1: 46- THE CATHOLIC CHURCH The Spirit has led the Church in 55), and plan together the destiny of 6. Looking at all the struggles, Uganda to where and what it is to- our nation. achievements and failures of our day. 5. As reflected in our national motto, country, we, your bishops, invite you 9. In the words of Tertullian, The For God and my Country, Ugan- to reflect upon the contribution of the blood of the Martyrs is the seed of da is a God-fearing nation. Over 99% Catholic Church to the history and Christianity, the Church in our na- of the population subscribe to any of building of our country. tion has grown through the interces- the established religions in our coun- sion of the Martyrs, Charles Lwanga try. Hope and trust in God have kept The Growth of the Church and his Companions, Daudi Okello us going and growing together as a 7. Evangelization will never be possi- and Jildo Irwa. We pray that their nation for the last fifty years. In many ble without the action of the Holy blood continues to bless our country instances, however, our lived experi- Spirit.1 This proclamation has been with many holy men and women. ence as a nation has not been in con- truly and affirmatively realized here 10. In terms of local Clergy, the first Arua Diocese Bulletin 1 October/November 2012 ordination of two Ugandan priests took place in Masaka in 1913. The number of diocesan priests is current- ly estimated at 1850. 11. In 1939, Uganda witnessed the ordination of the first-ever African bishop from the south of the Sahara in the person of Archbishop Joseph Kiwanuka. 12. Vocation to religious life continue to grow in both local and internation- al congregations to totaling approxi- mately 3200 men and women. The number of catechists exceeds 13,000. 13. With the number of personnel available, though not yet sufficient, the Church is slowly becoming self- evangelizing and self-ministering. 14. From being a mission Church, in fulfillment of Pope Paul VI’s prophecy in 1969 calling upon Africa to be mis- sionary to herself, the Church in Uganda has moved to become mis- sionary to other lands. 15. We are grateful to God for the vi- brant Church with structures com- prising of four Ecclesiastical Provinc- es, 19 dioceses each with its own ca- nonical organization. 16. Associations and Ecclesial Move- ments are visible in the day-to-day life of the Church. Rt. Rev. Sabino Ocan Odoki, bishop of Arua Diocese, which is part of Gulu Ecclesiastic Province 17. Following the guidelines of the Second Vatican Council, the Word of odorus Nankyama and Leslie Brown God has been brought closer to the tion. people through the translation of the respectively, founded the Uganda Bible in local languages. 21. In faithfulness to her teaching Joint Christian Council (UJCC). The role, and in the effort to guide and Catholic Church has been an active Social Teaching of the Church animate the politics and life of our member of this ecumenical organiza- nation, often characterized by conflict tion, whose purpose and focus is to 18. The Catholic Social Teaching and violence, the Uganda Episcopal promote peaceful coexistence and states clearly that the Church in her Conference has published various collaboration among Christians in mission must reach out to all, espe- pastoral letters in response to the Uganda. cially to the poor and the marginal- challenges and problems facing our ized, of society so as to proclaim the 24. In the year 2000, following in the country. God of life and build a civilization of footsteps of the Pontifical Council for love. Inter-Religious Dialogue and inspired Ecumenism and by the World Council of Religions for 19. Already one year prior to inde- Inter-Religious Dialogue Peace, the Inter-Religious Council of pendence (November 1961), Arch- 22. The second Vatican Council ush- Uganda (IRCU) was formed. Its pur- bishop Joseph Kiwanuka in his pasto- ered in a new spirit of relationship pose was mainly to promote dialogue ral letter, The Church and State: between religions. The documents: and peace among people of different Guiding Principles, emphasized the The Decree on Ecumenism and The religions. Since its inception, the importance of a proper relationship Decree on Relationship of the Church Catholic Church has been an active between the Church and the State in with Other Religions have influenced member. the growth and development of our the position of Catholics towards oth- country. er Christian believers and other world Women’s Promotion 20. Indeed, at some moments in the religions, including African Tradition- 25. In an effort to uplift and further history of our country, such relation- al Religions. In response to this, the empower the position and role of ship has not always been clear and Episcopal Conference has established women in society, the Episcopal Con- smooth. In the struggle for power, two full-fledged departments for Ecu- ference has established a National political, ethnic and religious affilia- menism and Inter-Religious Dialogue. Women’s Desk and encouraged its tions have sometimes been used in 23. In 1963, the Catholic, Orthodox formation in all the dioceses. turn to create division and fuel con- and Anglican Churches, through the 26. During the past fifty years, Catho- flict at the expense of the common Archbishops Joseph Kiwanuka, The- good and the building of a united na- lic women have contributed a lot to October/November 2012 2 Arua Diocese Bulletin the transformation of our society and contribution to our country. In the in the growth and activities of the past, newspapers and magazines such Church. Today, they hold various po- as Munno and Leadership played an sitions of responsibility and leader- important role in the formation of our ship in the social, economic and polit- people through the provision of infor- ical life of the nation. Particularly rel- mation, even at times when freedom evant is their contribution in the of expression was at risk. Today, 13 health and education. radio stations spread through- out the country and 1 television Education station, together with a network of 27. The Catholic Church is proud of bookshops and diocesan bulletins, the enormous contribution made in continue the same task. the education sector of our nation. HIV and AIDS Health Among the many things to celebrate, 33. For the last 30 years now, Uganda we mention the prominent schools 31. The Church continues the healing like any other country in Africa, has and institutions established by the mission of Jesus. Right from the be- been struggling with the devastation Church and often run by religious ginning of evangelization in Uganda, caused by HIV and AIDS. congregations. These include approx- the Church has invested in health ser- imately 139 Pre-Primary Schools, vices with a holistic approach to the 34. In our Pastoral Letter, The AIDS 4775 Primary Schools, 594 Secondary healing of the human person. Today, Epidemic: Message of the Catholic Schools, 150 Tertiary Institutions we have the largest non-state network Bishops of Uganda, published in among which are 5 Major Seminaries, of health service providers in the 1989, we advised that HIV and AIDS the Philosophical Centre in Jinja run country, comprising of 30 hospitals should not be looked at in isolation, by the religious congregations, Ugan- (23% of the total number), 252 health but rather in relation to many chang- da Martyrs University, Nkozi, with its centres (13%), 28% of total hospital es in people’s attitude towards family campuses and centres spread across beds, and 13 institutions training life and the loss of moral values. This the country, and Rubaga Catholic So- nurses and midwives (39%), while still remains our position.