Catholic Church issues Pope Francis's letter on joy of love

The Catholic Church in Uganda has released the Pope Francis letter "Amoris Laetitia" which means the joy of love.

The letter was released on Friday at Catholic Secretariat at Nsambya by Papal Nuncio, Archbishop August Michael Blume.

He was joined by the chairman of Episcopal conference, Archbishop John Baptist Odama, archbishop of Kampala, Dr Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, bishops Joseph Franzelli of Lira, bishop of Arua, Sabino Ocan Odoki and secretary of episcopal conference, Msgr John Baptist Kauta.

Releasing the letter, Blume said that "the joy of love" is a pastoral document inspiring and encouraging the Christian faithful by assisting them to understand, appreciate and live the vocation of marriage and the family in the spirit of love, peace and joy amidst their challenges.  

He said that Pope Francis calls upon couples to form consciences and not replace them as challenges pastoral agents to contextualize and re-examine some of the approaches used that he describes as inadequate for the experience of marriage and family today.  

"This document as the Pope himself states seeks to encourage everyone to be a sign of mercy and closeness wherever family life remains imperfect," Blume said. 

He said that Pope's letter underscores the virtue of love as fundamental for a meaningful and lasting marriage and family life.

The family is the place where love ought to be experienced and ought to be fruitful through the transmission of life and the rearing of children in fulfillment through the transmission of life and the rearing of children in God's plan for humanity. 

He said that on his pastoral care towards families Pope Francis highlights the roles and clerics and parents as well as the rights of children while emphasizing marriage and family as the first environment for experiencing relevant education and socialization. 

Blume warned Ugandans against copying European cultures which he said l destroy their marriages.He added that importance and beauty of the family and marriage based on mutual love, more pastoral kindhearted approach to individuals, couples and families who find themselves in difficult and irregular situations, overcoming the temptation to just judge and condemn them, call for personal judgment in the light of the word of God, guidance of the church so that the faithful may decide in conscience and take the right decision.

Papal Nuncio to Uganda, Archbishop August Michael Blume addressing press at Nsambya Secretariat

However, Archbishop Odama stated that the challenges and know-hows for the families are migration, unemployment, pornography, abuse of minors, lack of respect for elderly, anti-violence, individualism, poverty, cohabitation, prostitution, abortion, abuse of the dignity and rights of human person, alcohol, ideological denial between wife and husband.

Although, the archbishop Lwanga said that abuse of the dignity and rights of human person by individuals and some cases by those in authority is the cause of most of challenges in families in Uganda. 

"Domestic violence like physical, emotional, economic and sexual, according to Uganda police annual report 2014, the most common forms of abuse is domestic violence leading to loss of lives and property, mob-action, injuring, assassination, abuse of children in homes, corporal punishments, sexual violence and human trafficking," Lwanga said.  

He added that lack of proper parental care, guidance and education of children, as parents and families have relegated their roles of parenting, and unsuitable use of technologies also has led to increase in people and children accessing pornographic material, prostitution, drug abuse, and other life styles detrimental to the institution of marriage and the family. 

Lwanga said that inconsistency between the faith professed and the daily life of many Christians who continue to live a double life which is evident in polygamy, adultery, cohabitation, and fornication.

He noted that poverty, migration, land conflicts, climate change, single parenthood, witchcraft, diseases especially HIV/Aids, and natural causes have negatively affected and increasingly burdened to the families and marriage today. 

"Ensure by the help of Pope's letter of love, utilize the media to propagate the church teaching on marriage and family it will assist youth and people to understand live their sexuality as a gift and responsibility according to the plan of God," Lwanga added