Vatican City, 28 November 2015 (VIS) –
Early this morning, the Pope visited the Anglican shrine at Namugongo
(under the jurisdiction of the Church of Uganda), erected in the
place where 25 Ugandans, Catholics and Anglicans, were martyred
between 1884 and 1887. Their relics are conserved in a chapel
adjacent to the holy building, situated just a few kilometres from
the Catholic shrine. Francis was welcomed by the Anglican archbishop
Stanley Ntagali, and he unveiled a commemorative plaque near the
recently restored chapel. He then went to the place where the martyrs
were condemned, tortured and killed. Forty bishops of the Ugandan
Anglican episcopate were present in the chapel. After praying a few
minutes in silence, the Holy Father took leave of Archbishop Ntagali
and travelled the three kilometres between the Anglican and Catholic
shrines by popemobile.
The national Catholic shrine of
Namugongo stands in a large natural park where religious ceremonies
are often held in the open air, due to the large numbers of faithful.
The shape of the Church recalls that of the traditional huts of the
Baganda or “Akasiisiira” ethnic group, and is supported by 22
pillars commemorating the 22 Catholic martyrs. In front of the main
entrance to the Basilica, below the great altar, there is the place
where Charles Lwanga was burned alive in 1886. The church was
consecrated by Blessed Paul VI during his apostolic trip to Uganda in
1969, and is a destination for pilgrims throughout the year, but
especially on 3 June, the day of Charles Lwanga's martyrdom.
Before celebrating the Eucharist,
Francis entered the Basilica and prayed before the altar which holds
the relics of Charles Lwanga. He then toured the area by popemobile
to greet the thousands of faithful who attended the votive Mass for
the fiftieth anniversary of the canonisation of the martyrs of
Uganda, and pronounced the following homily:
“From the age of the Apostles to our
own day, a great cloud of witnesses has been raised up to proclaim
Jesus and show forth the power of the Holy Spirit. Today, we recall
with gratitude the sacrifice of the Uganda martyrs, whose witness of
love for Christ and his Church has truly gone 'to the end of the
earth'. We remember also the Anglican martyrs whose deaths for Christ
testify to the ecumenism of blood. All these witnesses nurtured the
gift of the Holy Spirit in their lives and freely gave testimony of
their faith in Jesus Christ, even at the cost of their lives, many at
such a young age”.
“We too have received the gift of the
Spirit, to make us sons and daughters of God, but also so that we may
bear witness to Jesus and make him everywhere known and loved. We
received the Spirit when we were reborn in Baptism, and we were
strengthened by his gifts at our Confirmation. Every day we are
called to deepen the Holy Spirit’s presence in our life, to 'fan
into flame' the gift of his divine love so that we may be a source of
wisdom and strength to others”.
“The gift of the Holy Spirit is a
gift which is meant to be shared. It unites us to one another as
believers and living members of Christ’s mystical Body. We do not
receive the gift of the Spirit for ourselves alone, but to build up
one another in faith, hope and love. I think of Saints Joseph Mkasa
and Charles Lwanga, who after being catechised by others, wanted to
pass on the gift they had received. They did this in dangerous times.
Not only were their lives threatened but so too were the lives of the
younger boys under their care. Because they had tended to their faith
and deepened their love of God, they were fearless in bringing Christ
to others, even at the cost of their lives. Their faith became
witness; today, venerated as martyrs, their example continues to
inspire people throughout the world. They continue to proclaim Jesus
Christ and the power of his Cross”.
“If, like the martyrs, we daily fan
into flame the gift of the Spirit who dwells in our hearts, then we
will surely become the missionary disciples which Christ calls us to
be. To our families and friends certainly, but also to those whom we
do not know, especially those who might be unfriendly, even hostile,
to us. This openness to others begins first in the family, in our
homes where charity and forgiveness are learned, and the mercy and
love of God made known in our parents’ love. It finds expression
too in our care for the elderly and the poor, the widowed and the
orphaned”.
“The witness of the martyrs shows to
all who have heard their story, then and now, that the worldly
pleasures and earthly power do not bring lasting joy or peace.
Rather, fidelity to God, honesty and integrity of life, and genuine
concern for the good of others bring us that peace which the world
cannot give. This does not diminish our concern for this world, as if
we only look to the life to come. Instead, it gives purpose to our
lives in this world, and helps us to reach out to those in need, to
cooperate with others for the common good, and to build a more just
society which promotes human dignity, defends God’s gift of life
and protects the wonders of nature, his creation and our common
home”.
“Dear brothers and sisters, this is
the legacy which you have received from the Ugandan martyrs – lives
marked by the power of the Holy Spirit, lives which witness even now
to the transforming power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This legacy
is not served by an occasional remembrance, or by being enshrined in
a museum as a precious jewel. Rather, we honour them, and all the
saints, when we carry on their witness to Christ, in our homes and
neighbourhoods, in our workplaces and civil society, whether we never
leave our homes or we go to the farthest corner of the world”.
“May the Uganda martyrs, together
with Mary, Mother of the Church, intercede for us, and may the Holy
Spirit kindle within us the fire of his divine love! Omukama abawe
omukisa. God bless you!”.
No comments:
Post a Comment