Family Responsible for Social Immorality

PRIZE LETTER
WE often blame teachers or the education to our children; that it has not founded the young generation on values and morals. For a building to stand, it must bear a very strong foundation.

But, it is the family that is enjoined with the duty to inculcate human values. In olden days, a child belonged not just to a family, but society as well. From that conception came the African saying: “It takes the whole village to raise a child!”

Parents and society are responsible for the upbringing of children. But alas, this has ceased to be. Not more do many people believe it is in the family that correct behavior is learned so as to live well in society.

The Second Vatican Council spoke of the family as “a domestic Church,” an “untouchable shrine,” where a person matures in his/her affections, in solidarity and in spirituality. Once the family is disturbed, then society faces many consequences that come with family breakdown.

Today, we are witnessing a crisis in work and in the economy, accompanied by marriage instabilities and laxity in child upbringing. Conflicts of couples, generational conflicts, conflicts occasioned between the times of the family and of work, occupational crises; all these and other situations create a complex situation. It influences not only our social living, but also impacts on the human formation, especially of children.

Suffice to say, the deviant behaviour today, especially among youth or other dishonest practices by powerful leaders, are a result of family breakdown a multitude of factors pointing to individualism. Blessed John Paul II once espoused: “Relationships between the members of the family community are inspired and guided by the law of ‘free giving’ by respecting and fostering personal dignity in each and every one as the only basis for value, this free giving takes the form of heartfelt acceptance, encounter and dialogue, disinterested availability, generous service and deep solidarity…,” which is actually insufficient in our time.

The mobility of parents leaving children with maids, while others are herded off to boarding school at tender ages, does not give chance to children to treasure home learned values, the foundation of other values. Because they have not appreciated family values, they find it difficult to treasure them, even when later exposed to them at school.

At school, the teacher faces an overwhelming number of children, to have an impact on individual wants. Children thus rely often on peers, who are themselves usually ill-equipped in terms of values.

The family must pass from a mere object to being an active subject capable of presenting the “human face” that society must have. If this is true for the family, it assumes even greater importance in the ecclesial community. For this, I call on all parents – the first teachers – to revitalize family values if morality and human-based values are to prevail in us all. That is if we desire a future of responsible citizens!

SR. MARIA E. MIREMBE NAKKU, (IHMR),
Kisubi Brothers University, UMU

To Know Christ’s Love
HAVE we ever realised the love that the Holy Trinity has for us? Have we ever flashed on the love of Christ Jesus? If we are not sure lets check on the series. Christ the Lord offered His precious life for us to be saved from death.

Christ the Lord accepted to be spat on, abused just for our sins. Christ’s love for us is the beginning of the love we have for the best material on earth. In Him we find life, the truth and also the way – to our heavenly Father.

Why then, can’t we portray Jesus Christ the Son of the heavenly Father, as favourably? Have we ever thought that it is a miracle that we continue to live, whereas others die? It may be hard to grow in the love of Christ, but it is worth trying.

SEM. TORRES OKELLO, S.4.
St. Joseph’s Minor Seminary,
Aboke

The Bible is a Community Book
President Museveni has often argued against instituting chaplaincies in army barracks, basing on the prevailing divisions within different faith communities. While officiating at the exhibition in celebration of 400 years of King James’ Version of the Bible at Bible House on July 15, 2011, former
Uganda’s Prime Minister, Apollo Nsibambi, castigated people who misinterpret the Bible as being
responsible for the lamented divisions.

The Bible is a holy book that guides the life and mission of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church of Christ (Matthew 28:20). It is primarily applied while the community gathers at liturgy to humbly and prayerfully listen to both the readings and preaching by a minister (Luke 2:46-47 and 4:16-27). Whoever departs from the faith of the community, therefore, does so heretically.

Whereas Scripture is central to our knowledge of the life and teachings of Jesus, as St. Jerome testifies, it is also true that the Word of God is more than the Bible, because the latter was edited (John 21:24-25, Like 1:1-4). In 2 Thessalonica 2:15, St. Paul emphasizes the importance of both the scriptures and the oral tradition.

Reading and interpreting the Bible must be done in the same spirit with the living tradition of the Church, in order to guarantee the harmony, which exists between the faith of the Twelve Apostles and of the Church in every age.

In writing and assembling of the Bible (canon) the Church demonstrates her authority to give the authentic interpretation to the Bible. It is this same authority that she has exercised to combat heresies.

The claim that scripture is the sole rule of faith (“sola scriptura”) or “me and my Bible” by Martin Luther (1483-1546), is said to be a very divisive heresy. It implicitly belittles the whole of God’s revelation by making it subject to one’s own personal interpretations and beliefs.

It rejects Church authority, while engendering individualism, relativism and disunity of the Church. Jesus gave his disciples the Holy Spirit to guide them in the truth and to ensure unity among them (cf. John 16:13, 2 Tim 1:14, John 17:20-123, Ephesians 4:3-4).

Though many people claim to possess the gift of the Holy Spirit to interpret the Scriptures, it is not possible for all of the conflicting interpretations to be correct. Scripture itself testifies that obtaining a true interpretation is not an automatic certainty (2 Peter 3:16).

MSGR. JOHN WYNAND
KATENDE,
Episcopal Vicar for Public Relations,
Kampala Archdiocese.

My Concern for Young People
BASING on common experience, there is need for the youth to know how much ‘gold’ lies at this stage of life. I feel offended seeing fellow young people bury their lives in alcohol. It is like an infertile fertilizer, which is going to leach all the morals and proper decision-making for our future adults.

And this is growing into a world of people who believe that wishes are right, freedom is license to doing anything you please, and all what matters is what you want, think, and feel! What an un-teachable and untouchable generation we shall be!

Some youth are today recklessly drinking, without due concern for the future and society. Unaware that we are damaging our lives, biologically and physically, we remain backward doing not more than gambling with our health and future.

Rather than treating alcohol and all bad decisions with due caution and respect for their power
to harm, youth are instead trained to complain that they can’t drink whatever they want.

Even worse, some partypoopers have the nerves to say they can’t get wasted.

There’s no burden on them anymore to act mature. The expectation of self-control and accountability are all but wiped out. We young people ought to know this stage is not for relaxing. The world awaits a ready-made material, fully baked to make things happen. Trust and value yourself, to avoid regrets in future.

DEOGRATIAS KIIBI
KATEREGGA,
St. Mary’s National Seminary,
Ggaba.

Inquiry on the Xaverian Movement
I AM happy that you are working with the Xaverian Movement in Uganda. I am the chairperson of
the Xaverians in the Archdiocese of Lusaka, Zambia. The movement is doing very fine in this part of the continent. It is growing in numbers every day.

My intention of writing to you is to put me in contact with the Xaverian Movement in Kampala, and Uganda in general. I would love to interact with those working with that group so that we can continue to communicate and create a network with us.

As I salute you: ‘Charity! Forever!’

CHRISTOPHER LUNGU,
Lunguchristopher@gmail.Com
Archdiocese of lusaka,
Zambia

Faith, Source of all Achievements
TO have faith is to be sure of things we desire. It is with faith that we receive, even in the face of challenges, provided we ask in God’s name. It is by faith that we understand the universe was created by God’s Word – when the unseen created that, which is seen.

It was by faith that the biblical Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than his brother Cain. God Himself approved of Abel’s gifts. Indeed by means of his faith, Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.

Faith also helps us know what is in the future and we believe that after death we rise again, as Jesus did. Having faith is no joking matter, but belief in God the Father Almighty, who enables great things to happen in our lives.

Even for those harbouring desires of leading Uganda start by bearing faith in themselves. It is
through faith that one can be what he or she wants to be tomorrow, but only in trust of God. If you want to be somebody great in future, found your faith in God.

SEM. INNOCENT FREDRICK
OGWAI,
St. Joseph’s Minor
Seminary , Aboke
Lira Diocese.

Blessings Follow Help to Others
GOD’S blessings come on earth through helping one another. We need to learn to help each other
in times of trouble and happiness. The bible says those who love their brothers and sisters live in the light.

You and I must work hard to help the poor and needy. I sympathize with my brothers and sisters in parts with great famine, and conflicts or wars. If I think deep about this, I shed tears for my brothers and sisters who are living in conditions of want.

Bad situations happen because some people, who are better off, are neglecting those who are deprived, and are not bothered by the humanitarian conscience. Brothers and sisters, in this world, we must learn to help one another in time of troubles, because that is how we please the Lord, who pours His blessing on us.

Possessions and comfort are transient. If the Lord gives you riches, they are to be used to serve
also other people, because help to the poor people is help to Jesus. But misuse of and greed for resources is simply evil.

Let us help one another and do what pleases and is right to God. I pray the good Lord blesses you, as you help one another, and make His kingdom come.

SEM. JOSEPH EMMANUEL OGWAL,
St. Joseph’s Minor Seminary, Aboke,
Diocese Lira.

Man is the Goal of Society
ALL revolutions begin with a transformation of consciousness. The problem of man cannot be
solved scientifically without a clear statement of the relationship between man and society, but
through collectiveness.

Man is the highest of all God’s creatures on earth. He strives for things other creatures around him cannot possess. He is a kind of superdense living atom in the system of social reality. He equates himself to God, a thing to be pondered about.

For happiness’s sake, he strives for it in all angles. His magnanimity is always present and manifested in his actions. He is restless till the sole goal is achieved. He wills for something, for it attracts him.

Governments and rulers must take man’s reason and will into consideration when they make the laws by which man is to be directed. Do well and avoid evil for judgment is at hand. Flexibility to all is a necessity.

Whatever that is promised will never be broken. Short time happiness, longtime suffering! The individual is free, where he not only serves as a means of achieving the goals of the ruling class and its party, but is also himself, the chief goal of society.

RONALD MAYANJA,
Theology Year I,
St. Mbaaga’s Major Seminary, Ggaba.