Proselytsm

A quick search in number of dictionaries for the meaning of ‘proselytism’ may give you something  that goes like this: ‘...any effort to persuade a person to give up one point of view in favor of another’. This could be political, (or social?) but very often religious. The most common synonym given for “proselytize” is “convert”.

“Is there anything wrong with conversion?”, someone may ask. Many would respond, “of course not”. And they would point out that if you have “to go and tell”, then your aim is to get results. Some of these results will be the conversion of souls!! When you come back you will show that your efforts yielded fruits.

But, Pope Francis is said to have preached that “Evangelization is not proselytism.” Does he not believe in converting souls? To avoid getting confused, read this clarification  by Dr. Jeff Mirus:

‘In the Church's lexicon, proselytism typically refers to conversion efforts that fail to respect the prospective convert’s freedom and dignity. High pressure tactics; telling lies about the other person’s current religion; comparing the weaknesses of another’s religious community with only the strengths of one’s own; attempting to convert children in opposition to their parents; offering worldly inducements to change one’s religious allegiance—these are what Catholics would call proselytism.’ The Doctor continues:

“In contrast, a sincere effort to share one’s faith so that others might freely choose to embrace it is considered a virtue. Terms with positive connotations are used to describe such generosity: evangelization, apologetics, catechesis, personal witness, or even simply “winning converts”.

So, the pontiff is in no way opposed to converting souls. Amen.

Mon 30, Apr 2018 12:04 pm

St. Jude Thaddeus Devotion

Doing it the Grassroots way

The Head of the Lay Apostolate Movements Department, Ms Florence Kyomugisha, has revived the Association of St. Jude Thaddeus in Naggulu Parish.

Not all who have a devotion to St Jude are members of St. Jude Association just as not all who are devoted to Our Lady are members of the Legion of Mary. Neither does it mean that all Parishioners of Our Lady and St. Jude Parish are automatically members of the Association. One has to choose to be a member, register and get a membership card. 

The Association has been in limbo for some time. When Florence was elected to head the Parish Department of the Lay Apostolate Movements, she put the revival of the Association of St. Jude, top on the list of “things to do” during the first year of her term.

She called a meeting of the Association and only three turned up! She was disappointed but not deterred. The next meeting she called, raised the attendance to five, then seven……… and now she has over forty members. They meet every second Sunday of the month at 8:30 a.m. (after the 7:00 a.m. Mass).

The members are preparing to make a grand re-entrance on the stage of active Lay Movements very soon.

Success to you Florence and all the members of the Association.

Tue 24, Apr 2018 08:04 am

A massage to members of our Parish Council

Dear councilors,

Greetings and best wishes to you all. Those of you who have a special devotion to St. Jude Thaddeus, congratulations upon successfully concluding the first annual Novena to the beloved Saint. Need I point out that as lay leaders in our church, you share in the ministry of this apostle? As he is known for solving impossible cases, you too are sent to contribute to the solving of so many hard problems among the people you were elected to serve. May he be a shining example as well as an intercessor for you in that mission.

To our mothers (of course I mean all women) among you , I say; we prayed for you on the International Women’s day, Thursday 8th March. We are proud of you and acknowledge the fact that you have come out to take positions of responsibility, not only in the civil society but also in our church. Our Ssaabakristu, our head Catechist, head of the Good Samaritan Ministry, just to mention a few, are women. My prayer for you is: ‘May God give you eyes to see, courage to rise and believe in His providence, peace amidst the storms of daily life and success as you carry out His duties’.

Now to all of you councilors, we have now passed the mid point of Lent (which always falls on Thursday of the Third Week of Lent). As leaders you have the big responsibility of being exemplary before those you serve in your communities or departments, and guiding them in what has to be done during such seasons as this one of Lent.

We have the 4th and 5th Week of Lent plus Holy Week still ahead, use those weeks to do some special Lenten activity in your community or department, so that at the end of the season, you will have something to show to the Almighty, as your achievement during the Lenten Season of the first year of this kisanja (term).

Blessings to you all.

Tue 13, Mar 2018 08:03 am

Lent, Conversion, Penance

Last Sunday marked the fifth day of Lent. So far we have received Lenten messages from: the Holy Father, the Archbishop of Kampala, a number of religious leaders and other people who consider it meaningful to wish us a fruitful Lenten season. It goes without saying that in order to benefit from this time of grace, one has to seriously embrace the spirit of the season. To achieve this, we are continually invited to work towards a conversion of heart, a purification of our souls and have a new beginning.

In the Roman Catholic Church, we have the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Penance) as a bridge that makes us cross from the world of sin to the world of the virtuous; from isolation to communion.

The Sacrament of  Reconciliation

The Catechism of the Catholic Church calls it: the sacrament of conversion, Penance, Confession, Forgiveness,  Reconciliation (CCC Nos. 1423-1424).

It was instituted by Jesus Christ in his love and mercy (John 20: 20 – 23). It is here that we meet the loving Jesus who offers sinners forgiveness for offenses committed (after Baptism) against God and neighbor. It also permits sinners to reconcile with the Church, which also is wounded by our sins.

When we go to receive this Sacrament, we meet Christ in his Church very much willing to absolve and restore us to new life.

We know that we receive the graces of Christ in all sacraments by means of visible signs; these signs are acts of worship, symbols of the grace given and recognizable gestures through which the Lord bestows his gifts.

With the Sacrament of Penance, the forgiveness of sins and the restoration of grace are the gifts received through an outward sign. In the first place, that sign is seen when the priest extends his hands (very often one hand is raised, and may not even be clearly seen if the Sacrament is given in the “confessional”). In the second place, the sign is heard when the priest pronounces the words of absolution.

Why go to a priest for confession?

We hear a number of people asking: “why can’t a person just confess to God and seek forgiveness in the privacy of one’s own heart?” Even those who do not put the question, they very often have it in their minds.  Some simply say: “For me, "I just tell my sins to God and he forgives me."

We have all the reasons to go to a priest. I would like to let a religious Educationist, Louis Kloster, give us the reasons. Let us see what he says:

“Firstly, we need to admit to and acknowledge our sins. For example, it is very important for an alcoholic to admit, in confidence and within the supportive presence of others at an AA meeting, that he or she is an alcoholic. That is the first step in dealing with the problem and changing unhealthy habits and behaviors. In the same way, when a person has to verbalize one’s sins to a priest, and admit that one has hurt God and others, the person is more inclined to change for the better and to strive for what is good.” He goes on to say:

“Secondly, our sins affect not just ourselves but other people in our community. When we cheat, slander, or steal from someone, the other person is hurt. However, that sin may have a ‘ripple effect’. Sometimes we are not even aware of all who have been affected by our sins. For example, when children disrespect their parents, their younger brothers and sisters may begin to imitate the bad behavior. When we confess our sins to the priest, the priest represents the whole community: all those people we have hurt by our sins, knowingly and unknowingly. By expressing our sorrow to him, we express our contrition and remorse to the whole community.”

The story of Adam and Eve may also shed some light on the matter. In the beginning, Adam and Eve enjoyed a good and right relationship with God, but they chose to disobey God, eating from the forbidden tree of knowledge. That was the first – the original – sin. Like any sin, it separated Adam and Eve from a loving relationship with God. However, God sent His Son Jesus, who taught us about love and eventually died on the cross for the sins of humankind – past, present, and future. Through Jesus Christ and his death on the cross, our sins are forgiven and we are reconciled with God. When we confess our sins, the priest is actually taking the place of Jesus. As with any sacrament, Jesus is working through the priest, and through him, Jesus is again helping us restore a loving and right relationship with God.

Scripture also provides part of the answer to the question. In the gospels, Jesus forgave sinners. Just before Jesus ascended into heaven, he instructed his apostles to forgive sins, saying: “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” He then breathed the Holy Spirit upon them, saying: “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained” (John 20: 20 – 23). This power and authority to forgive sins – in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit – has been passed on to the leaders of our Church – our bishops and priests – for two millennia.

Through reconciliation, there is yet another benefit that we would not receive if confessing to God by ourselves: the gift of wise counsel and encouragement which the priest offers.” — L. Kloster, (louiklos@lw-west.ab.ca)

Tue 20, Feb 2018 12:02 pm

THE LENTEN SEASON

THE LENTEN SEASON

In ‘The General Instructions on the Roman Missal, under - the Universal norms on the liturgical year  Nos. 27-31,  we find the following:

- Lent is ordered to preparing for the celebration of Easter…..,

- The days of Lent run from Ash Wednesday up to but excluding the Mass of the Lord’s Supper (Evening Mass of Holy Thursday).

- From the beginning of Lent until the Paschal Vigil, no Alleluia.

- The Sundays of this time of year are called the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th Sundays of Lent.

- The 6th Sunday, on which Holy Week begins, is called “Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord.”

- Holy Week commemorates Christ’s Passion....

ASH WEDNESDAY

- On Ash Wednesday, we begin Lent, ashes are distributed and everywhere it is observed as a day of fasting,

 - Following the example of the Ninevites, who did penance in sackcloth and ashes, our foreheads are marked with ashes to humble our hearts and reminds us that life passes away on Earth

- Ashes also symbolize grief for 

our having sinned and caused division from God...

- Ash Wednesday takes place 46 days before Easter Sunday …

FSTING & ABSTINENCE

- Canon 1251: Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday ….

- Canon 1252: All persons who have completed their fourteenth year are bound by the law of abstinence; all adults are bound by the law of fast up to the beginning of their sixtieth year…. But even those who are not bound by the law of fasting  and abstinence should be educated in an authentic sense of penance…..

PARISH LENTEN PROGRAM

A detailed Lenten programme will be given on Sunday I of Lent.

On Ash Wed: Mass and distribution of ashes, 6:15 a.m.; 7:00 a.m.; 01:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m.

We shall also be having: Holy Hours with special penitential psalms and Lenten exhortations on Thursday evening; Stations or Way of the Cross on Fridays, Lenten recollections, home visits, community Masses and a penitential service.

The 1st annual Solemn Novena to St. Jude also takes place in this season.

Sun 11, Feb 2018 10:02 am

A massage to our Parish Council

(To all members of Naggulu Parish Council;)

Beloved parish councilors, before  I go any further, I would like, superfluous as it may seem, to very briefly remind you of the Catholic Church organizational structure.

It all begins with our Lord. When Jesus Christ started his Mission on earth, he announced: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel (Mk 1:15).” Some three years later, just before his ascension, he commissioned the eleven apostles with the following words: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Mt 28:16-20).”

On Pentecost day, filled with the Holy Spirit, the apostles went out among the people and began spreading Jesus’ message, thus establishing the beginning of the Church.

As the church spread and grew, the Apostles appointed ministers to assist them and some of them to be their successors, these are called Bishops. They are gathered around the Pope and share with him the responsibility for the governance of the universal Church.

Once a Bishop is ordained, he is assigned to a Diocese and every Diocese is in turn divided into geographical areas or communities which we all know as parishes.

A Bishop cannot be in all the parishes, he therefore ordains priests and commissions some of them as Parish Priests to represent him in the parishes.

We can refer to a Parish as: (i) a group of Christians called together by God through Baptism to share in the mission of Jesus; or (ii) Eucharistic people gathered with the leadership of the Parish Priest.

Brothers and sisters, members of the parish council, bear with me as we continue to walk along this  seemingly unnecessary path. Though to some of you this may seem to be a diversion from my message to you, don’t get bored. My intention is to leave no one behind. I know that some of you have not had the opportunity to put things together so as to see where your role and responsibility as parish councilors come from. That’s the group this ‘diversion’ is for.

So, by virtue of our baptism, all of us making up the parish community, are called upon to share with the Parish Priest and his assistants, the responsibility of spreading and strengthening the kingdom of God on earth. Now, to regularly and systematically gather the entire parish community and draw up plans for effecting the mission Jesus Christ entrusted to the church, is not only unpractical but also next to impossible. Hence the need for organizational structures of collaboration. That’s where the parish council comes in.

It is out of necessity to form an intermediary group representing and is in contact with the parishioners.  This group, called the Parish Council, plans with the Parish Priest for the fulfillment of the mission of the church in that particular parish and beyond. Parish Councilors must never forget that they have been called by God and that their parish is part of a diocese which is part of an Episcopal conference and ultimately under the Holy Father.

Let me here point out to you councilors, that since the Parish Priest is the representative of the Bishop in the Parish, and his role in the life and development of the parish is central, his involvement in the work of the parish council is essential. Parish Council decisions must have his approval. According to Canon 536, he is to preside over the Parish Council during meetings. [In Kampala Archdiocese, however, the Parish Priest delegates the role of chairing the meetings to the leader of the laity (Ssaabakristu) while he as head of the parish, guides the meeting and has the last word on any decision taken in the meeting.]

TO BE CONTINUED.

Tue 30, Jan 2018 09:01 am

Merry Christmas dear Parishioners

Dear brothers and sisters , we have reasons to thank God as we celebrate Christmas. He has come among us and as you know, great things happen when God mixes with man; thank you Emmanuel . We have had many blessings from the Lord since we celebrated last year’s Christmas; ma God’s name be praised.

Now I turn to you dear fellow Parishioners. Thank you for loving your God and your church. Thank you for the prayers you have made to God. Thank you for the people towards whom you have accorded charity.

Thank you for the love you have extended to your neighbors, for the gifts you offered to the church, for the contributions towards building the city, for the services in the various departments at the church, for the love you have showered to your priests. And above all for the steps you have taken to grow stronger in your faith. I pray that God’s birth brings about newness in our lives and May 2018 be a year of great achievements in our lives, in our families and homes, at work and at our schools

May God make special visits to each one of you, I mean to each one of us!

Fr. Joseph Kaseeta

Assistant Parish Priest.

Wed 27, Dec 2017 15:12 pm

Joy to the World, a Saviour is born!!!

Christmas time is here once again!  A time when we come together as one family to give thanks to God!

We share love, togetherness, peace and joy in totality, as we sing Alleluia!!!  to welcome the new born child in our midst. Let us open our hearts to receive Him, extend this love to the disadvantaged in our community, open our doors to welcome the needy and challenged into our homes! It is indeed a season of great joy.

On behalf of the Parish Council and on my own behalf, allow me to convey our warm greetings to you all, at this special time of Christmas. May the new born child be a source of  light in our lives and may we extend this light to our brothers and sisters through our peaceful and loving actions!

We give thanks to God for our Parish, and for all that he has enabled us to achieve through the year, not forgetting the various challenges faced, but as believers we know that He remains good and mighty in all situations.

I take this opportunity to thank our Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Godfrey Kyeyune, his Curates Rev. Fr. Peter Byangwa and Rev. Fr. Joseph Kaseeta, our Head Catechist Madam Immaculate Namakula and team, the Parish Council members; the Parish Staff and all Parishioners for your dedicated service to God through our Parish, may the Almighty God bless each one of you.

Allow me to welcome in a special way the newly elected Parish Leaders for the period 2017-2020, thank you for your selfless offer to serve God; we seek His mercy and guidance as we carry out our responsibilities in the respective departments, in order for us to fulfill our evangelization mission.

We sometimes get caught up in the materialistic details of Christmas, and pay a lot of attention to the food, drink, parties, new outfits, detail, which is very much in order; however, we also need to embrace the deeper meaning of Christmas! Christ is the reason for the season, and therefore, may our lives be deeply touched and transformed by God’s love as we extend peace, joy, love, togetherness, respect and forgiveness to our brothers and sisters.

During this festive season, kindly take a moment and reflect on His birth, the meaning of Christmas which will help us rediscover the glory of the season. Let us cleanse our souls from the burdens we carry, we cannot please everyone all the time, but we can surely try to please God!

Wishing you all and your families, Christmas joy and a New Year filled with new blessings of God’s goodness.

Margaret Sheila Matovu

Chairperson – Head of the Laity

Wed 27, Dec 2017 15:12 pm

Advent Season 2017

We have been pointing to the coming of Advent for the last two Sundays. The Season is finally here. Today we celebrate the first Sunday of Advent. Welcome to the Advent Season.

As usual we wish to refresh our minds about our Catholic practices so that we may fully rejoice in them. Regarding Advent, the Catechism of the Catholic Church says:

“When the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the long preparation for the Savior's first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for his second coming. By celebrating the precursor's birth and martyrdom, the Church unites herself to his desire: ‘He must increase, but I must decrease’ (Jn 3:30)" (524).

The ancient expectancy of the Messiah talked about in the Catechism, is what we have begun to celebrate and make present today. Throughout Advent, as we listen to the readings from the Old Testament, we are going to spiritually be one with our ancestors in faith and share in their long preparation for the coming of the Savior. Our sharing in their preparation will renew our desire to receive him when he comes at the end of time; this will be brought out very well by the readings from the New Testament, which will remind us that Jesus will come again as judge of all.  Thus the season we have begun is a season of expectant hope and royalty. We await in joyful expectation the coming Our Lord and Savior.

Activities for the Season at Our Lady and St. Jude

1. Celebration of the Eucharist

Daily Masses  -  Monday to Friday [6:30 a.m.; 7:00 a.m.; 1:00 p.m.], Saturdays [6:30 a.m.; 7:00 a.m.;] with Advent homilies/reflections/exhortations.

Sunday Masses — the usual Sunday programme. Follow the homilies as we walk the Advent journey.  

2. Advent Wreath

Our Advent wreath, which has been blessed on this first Sunday of Advent, will remain in position for the entire Season. Make use of this symbol.

3. Holy hour with Vespers

Every Thursday evening (5:30 p.m.) there will be exposition of the blessed sacrament, as is always the case, for an hour. During the exposition we shall:

- recite psalms, listen to the word of God and have exhortations/reflections with Advent themes.

The hourly service before the Blessed Sacrament will be preparing us to be awake as we wait in joyful expectation for the coming of our Saviour Jesus Christ as Emmanuel (God with us) and as one who comes to judge the living and the dead.

We shall be therefore expected to progress towards a renunciation of all ways which prevent us from receiving Jesus when he comes in our lives.

4. Penance

Although this is not a penitential season, all the same as a way of giving a chance to as many faithful as possible who would like to make their peace with God during this season of Advent, we shall retain our normal Saturday morning confessions (7:30 a.m.) and also encourage every one to use any available opportunity to request for the Sacrament of Penance.

5. Visiting the Sick and Elderly

The Liturgy leaders and the Good Samaritans will team up to visit  the sick and elderly in our communities .

We are all encouraged to be part of this arrangement. You can either point out a sick/elderly person, donate something for these people or join the team as they make the visits. It is also praise worthy to make your personal programme of visiting an elderly or a sick person in your community.

6. Recollections

We encourage leaders of Departments to arrange for special days of recollection. For example Catholic Men’s Gui8ld; Catholic Women’s Guild; The Youth; Children; Choirs etc…....

May the Season of Advent 2017, prepare us to joyfully meet Our Lord when he comes.

Wed 06, Dec 2017 08:12 am

Message from the Parish Priest

Welcome to Our Lady and St Jude Parish Naggulu website.  I hope you will find here the information you need.

The Parish is one of the over sixty Parishes of the Archdiocese of Kampala. We are eager to welcome you to take part in the various activities and ministries of Naggulu Parish, St. Jude’s devotion and the proceedings of St. Jude’s City. Such activities as, the daily and Sunday celebration of the Eucharist, celebration of Sacraments and various prayers.

Our church, is open all day, and it is good to see many people popping in, especially in the Adoration Chapel, for a short visit and finding peace and quiet with the Lord. Conveniently situated next to the church is Our Lady’s grotto, where a good number of the faithful come and say something to the Blessed Virgin.

The parish community has an active lay involvement, with clergy working in a collaborative way, closely united with the Archdiocese to make sure that grass root evangelization  is effected.

Our Catholic Nursery School and St. Jude Primary School, both situated on Church land are signs that we are serious about building strong foundations for our Church and Nation.

The Parish Pastoral Council joins me in welcoming you to this website.

May God bless you as you explore these pages.

Fr. Godfrey Kyeyune

Tue 28, Nov 2017 13:11 pm