'Stop blaming Church for not dipping during baptism'

By Juliet Lukwago                    

 

BUTAMBALA - The Archbishop of Kampala Dr. Cyprian Kizito-Lwanga has told Christians to stop blaming the Catholic Church for not dipping when baptizing, saying the church recognizes the religious tradition, but because of inevitable changes, it had to change with time.

 

The Church recognizes the religious tradition of dipping people during baptism, but because of the scarcity of lakes and rivers in places where the church structures may be built, the institution had to improvise and adopt the present way of pouring water on the forehead of the person being baptized.

 

Lwanga explained: “Dipping persons being baptized is not wrong and the Catholic Church used to do that back in the day, but when the church grew and expanded, it was discovered that in some areas there were no rivers or lakes where people could be dipped.

 

“The Church therefore found it necessary to improvise so that it could fulfill its obligation to baptize the believers.”

 

His comments came during a Holy Mass he led at Our Lady of Assumption parish at Bulo village in Butambala district earlier this week.

 

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Archbishop Lwanga told Christians to work for peace. PHOTO/Juliet Lukwago

 

This was during the Uganda martyrs sensitization campaign for the 50 years jubilee since they (martyrs) were canonized.

 

The occasion that was attended by hundreds of thousands of Christians and non-Christians coincided with the Parish day.

 

Ugandan Catholic leaders believe that the campaign on the martyrs will help followers understand more about them and why they gave in to being killed. Most of them were burnt alive on the orders of Kabaka Mwanga for refusing to denounce their faith.

 

Lwanga told the congregation to work towards realizing peace within households and everywhere else. He also urged the people to avoid squabbles emanating from religious differences.

 

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These young Christians shield themselves from the sun's heat as they followed the Mass. PHOTO/Juliet Lukwago

 

The awareness campaign for the martyrs who were canonized by Pope Paul VI on October 18, 1964 in Rome has so far reached 35 parishes.

 

The parishes are; Namayumba (where the sensitization was launched by the Archbishop of Kampala), Kankobe, Kitakyusa, Namugongo, Nsambya, Ggoli, Lubaga, Mbuya, Matugga, Kibanga, Mpigi, Kigoowa, Wakiso, Nabbingo, Old-Kampala, Katende, Kigoowa, Muduuma,  Nakulabye, Bwaise, Ggombe,  Kamwokya, Buyege,  Busega, Kisubi,  Nabitalo, Kkonge, Kitagobwa, Ndeeba, Gayaza, Kyengera, Nkozi, Kibuye-Makindye and Mwererwe and Bbulo.

 

The awareness team has also visited the convents at Nalukolongo and Ggogonya.