Cordial Greetings from Our Lady of Africa Church Mbuya!

This piece of information acts to help you during this Corona Virus Pandemic that started on February and is still stretching on.

Pope Francis sends a message to mark the 57th World Day of Prayer for Vocations, celebrated on 3 May.

Pope Francis begins his message by recalling a letter he wrote last year in which he chose four key words – pain, gratitude, encouragement, and praise – as a way of “thanking priests and supporting their ministry”.

At the Angelus on Sunday, Pope Francis invited all Christians to join together in praying the Our Father as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Pope Francis on Sunday called for all Christians to respond to the coronavirus pandemic “with the universality of prayer, of compassion, of tenderness”, adding, “Let us remain united. Let us make our closeness felt toward those persons who are the most lonely and tried”.

For the first time in its eighty-year history, the North American Province (NAP) of the Comboni Missionaries has elected an African as its leader. Father Ruffino Ezama, originally from Arua, Uganda, began his three-year term as provincial superior in January 2020.

On a bright, cool January afternoon, the Comboni Mission Center chapel filled with the gentle murmur of friendly voices praying in solidarity for Father Ruffino Ezama as he began his term of office. The special Mass gathered friends and supporters to thank outgoing Provincial Father John Converset for his years of service, and to pray for Father Ruffino as he takes on this new challenge.

Last week, Monday, November 11, 2019, Pope Francis announced resignations and new appointments, he appointed members as well as consultors of the Vatican-based Pontifical Council for Culture, among them, is our very own from Uganda Sr. Dominica Dipio belonging to the Missionary Sisters of Mary Mother of the Church and a professor and head of the Department of Literature at Makerere University.

“For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God” (Rom 8:19)

Dear Brothers and Sisters

Each year, through Mother Church, God “gives us this joyful season when we prepare to celebrate the paschal mystery with mind and heart renewed… as we recall the great events that gave us new life in Christ” (Preface of Lent I). We can thus journey from Easter to Easter towards the fulfilment of the salvation we have already received as a result of Christ’s paschal mystery – “for in hope we were saved” (Rom 8:24). This mystery of salvation, already at work in us during our earthly lives, is a dynamic process that also embraces history and all of creation. As Saint Paul says, “the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God” (Rom 8:19). In this perspective, I would like to offer a few reflections to accompany our journey of conversion this coming Lent.

“Because of the increase of iniquity, the love of many will grow cold” (Mt 24: 12)

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Once again, the Pasch of the Lord draws near! In our preparation for Easter, God in His providence offers us each year the season of Lent as a “sacramental sign of our conversion”.  Lent summons us, and enables us, to come back to the Lord wholeheartedly and in every aspect of our life.

 Through an understanding of the story behind Christ's Holy Cross, as presented by Holy Tradition, God comes into our lives, and we develop a personal relationship with Him which changes the way we see the world around us. Moreover, the blessed message behind this story not only has a direct, positive, transformative impact on us; but also infuences on our  faith, vocations, relationships, families and efforts to behave as one family of God.

The mystery of the Cross ought to occupy our Christian life.  Throughout the history of the Church, the Saints focused on the profound reality of the mystery of the Cross.

The Epiphany of Our Lord is the Christian feast traditionally celebrated the 12th day after Christmas, January 6th.  The word “epiphany” comes from the Greek epiphainen, a verb that means "to shine upon," "to manifest," or “to make known.” Thus, the feast of the Epiphany celebrates the many ways that Christ has made Himself known to the world, mainly the three events that manifested the mission and divinity of Christ:  the visit of the Magi (Matthew 2:1-12), the baptism of Jesus (Mark 1:9-11), and the miracle at Cana (John 2:1-11).

“I thought I was happily married, until she told me she was leaving.” To where? I asked thinking that she was going for shopping at Nakumatti, where she usually goes every Saturday afternoon. I was wrong.

This time she was going for good.