By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
NATIONAL
The Bishop of Fort portal catholic diocese Rt Rev. Robert Muhirwa has asked christians in the catholic church to stop worshipping both God and the devil as they become double dealers of their faith.
Bishop Muhirwa made the remarks while sharing a sermon at the celebrations of the Uganda Martyts at Namugongo Catholics shrine on Friday.
Giving an example of St. Charles Karooli Lwanga, the matter who abandoned witchcraft and taught his fellows like Saint Gyaviira Musoke Mayanja – a martyr who grew up in the family that was worshipping Buganda traditional gods also known as “Lubaale” and whose father Ssemalago Mubiru was a renown traditional healer to Mayanja to abandon devil worshipping that had gone far into his blood since childhood and accepted to convert to catholic dogma, which he later died of his faith on the orders of Kabaka Mwanga II, the Bishoo expresses worries on many catholic families that still worship small gods and witchcraft.
“Some christian families are still worshipping traditional gods, let’s emulate St Gyaviira and let’s not be double dealers of our faith,” Bishop Muhirwa said.
Using the example of Saint Joseph Balikuddembe (killed on 15 November 1885), after he pleaded with Kabaka Mwanga not to kill Bishop Hannington of the Anglican church and was seen as bringing bad omen and misfortunes to his Kingdom; the Bishop has challenged politicians to stand for the virtue of justice and plead to save lives.
He challenged leaders to respect human life and stand for justice of the oppressed persons for example those imprisoned unjustly.
Saint Denis Ssebugwawo and other martyrs like Gyaviira and who objected to preserving the virtues of purity and chastity after they defied the King’s homosexual advances about him and was speared by the King, the Bishop decried increasing cases of sexual abuses in the country.
“During the COVID-19 lockdown, over half a million young girls were defiled, put under pregnancy some of was done by their own relatives. This is a case of incest, it is exposing the rot which we have in our families. There are a many cases of sex abuses in schools including higherinstitutions of learning where teachers make advanced students for the sake of marks. There are also sexual harassment at workplaces, higher HIV AIDS 6,5% in some regions prevalences and faithfulness among the married couples.” decried the Bishop.
He has implored christians to preserve the virtues of purity and chastity and turn away from sexual immoralities.
.” We’re not doing well in regards to keeping the 6th commandment. The Lord is calling us to repent and learn from the Uganda Martyrs to strive for purity and chastity,” he urged.
Notable dignitaries in attendance are Pope Nuncio to Uganda Luijji Bianco, Prime Minister of Uganda Rt Hon Robinah Nabbanja, the King of Tooro Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, the kingdom that houses Fort portal catholic diocese, representatives from Bunyoro and Busoga Kingdoms, ministers, family of former Tanzanian president Julius K Nyerere and among the notable dignitaries at the ongoing celebrations of the 3rd June 2022, Uganda Martyrs celebrations at the Namugongo Catholic Shrine.
