With just a few weeks to go for the arrival of His Holiness Pope Francis in Uganda, the Uganda Episcopal Conference (UEC) held its first Press Conference on the Papal visit on October 19, 2015 calling upon all the Christians to do penance and undertake acts of charity for the poor so as to receive the papal blessing in a worthy manner.
The Holy Father, who will fly in from Kenya, is expected to arrive at Entebbe International Airport at exactly 4.50pm on November 27 and visit various places in Kampala for an Apostolic Mission before his departure to the Central African Republic on November 29.
“Pope Francis will be the third Supreme Pontiff to visit us, no other country in Africa has had such a privilege,” said Most Rev. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, the Archbishop of Kampala and Spokesperson of UEC adding. “His visit is primarily pastoral and spiritual.”
While addressing members of the press, Archbishop Lwanga reiterated several key points that were published earlier this month in a Pastoral message by the Catholic bishops of Uganda. He further said the Pope’s visit and presence during the celebrations requires everyone to prepare in a special way in order to worthily receive his blessings.
“We encourage all Catholics to do acts of charity towards the poor, practice works of penance, seek reconciliation and love one another as Christ has loved us. Christians should also avoid and fight vices such as polygamy, adultery and drug abuse among others and care for the environment in line with the aspirations of the Pope contained in his encyclical (Laudato Si),” he explained.
As a gesture to unite the faithful in prayer, the bishops also asked that before the final blessings at every Mass, as well as in personal, family or community prayer, people recite one Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be for the intention of the Pope and the success of his visit.
Meanwhile, the Apostolic Nuncio in Uganda, His Excellency Michael August Blume, said the Pope’s visit to Africa was as a result of a process that started at The Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of bishops in October 2009.
“A document titled, The Church in Africa in service to Reconciliation, Justice and Peace was produced at that Assembly. In his visits to Africa, the Holy Father will emphasize and put into practice his own, and the Vatican’s diplomacy of making peace,” the Apostolic Nuncio stated.
Pope Francis’s visit in the three countries will be held under the theme, “You will be my witnesses.” While in Uganda he will pay a courtesy visit to State House in Entebbe for a meeting with the Ugandan President, H.E. Yoweri Museveni before proceeding to Munyonyo Catholic Shrine where he will meet the Catechists and the teachers.
He will also visit the Anglican and Catholic Shrines to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the canonization of the Uganda Martyrs, who were burned to death for their faith between 1885 and 1887. The Pope is scheduled to also have a meeting with the youths, the elderly, poor and vulnerable at other places.
By Jacinta W. Odongo, Media Officer Uganda Episcopal Conference