Catholic religious association clocks 50 years

The Association of Catholic Religious(ARU) men and women in Uganda  has launched the celebrations of its 50^th anniversary.

The function took place at the headquarters of the association, in Nsambya, on Wednesday. It was attended by several religious men and women, major superiors of the religious institutes and friends of the religious.

The Chairman of the association, Fr Joseph Kyeyune said that the celebrations had kicked off on November 1, 2017 and, would run till November 3, 2018. He later read a letter, which the religious wrote to proclaim their jubilee.

"This letter will be read on the professions celebration function of the respective religious institutes that affiliate to our association. The jubilee is an opportunity that God has given us to forgive unconditionally those who have wronged us.

"We shall read even more fervently the Word of God and the encyclicals of Pope Francis. We shall seek greater interiority, silence and contemplation, bearing in mind that noise is the devil's trap to derail us away from God who speaks to us in silence. The jubilee year is also a motivation for us to enrich our spiritual lives. The golden jubilee of our association also motivates us to leave our comfort zones, to go out and minister to God's people at the existential peripheries of society," Kyeyune said.

Archbishops John Baptist Odama (2nd L) Emmanuel Obbo ( 3rd L) and Cyprian Kizito Lwanga (4th L) cut cake with the representatives of the Catholic Religious, to launch the year of the golden jubilee of the Association of the Religious in Uganda

 
The function gained unprecedented glory owing to the presence of about 20 Catholic Bishops, who were led by their Chairman, the Most Rev Archbishop John Baptist Odama.

In his message to the religious, Odama said: "All we ask of you is to be nothing else but servants of God's people. Work harmoniously with each other because in God's service there is no competition.  Renew your zeal to work for the Lord who calls us to serve his people in our different capacities."

Some of the Catholic Religious in Uganda pose for a group photo with the Catholic Bishops after the launching of the year of the golden jubilee

 
As a monument for the golden jubilee of their association, the religious are making extensions on their pioneer building, the Mother House. The project of renovating and erecting a second floor on the building will consume sh1bn.

The Association of Catholic Religious in Uganda (ARU), which marks 50 years, brings together 98 Catholic Congregations of religious men and women that work in the different Catholic dioceses of Uganda. The congregations include the White Fathers (Missionaries of Africa), Apostles of Jesus, Comboni Fathers, Holy Cross Fathers, Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Reparatrix, Little Sisters of St Francis, Sisters of Mary of Kakamega, Dominican Sisters, Benedictine Monks, Capuchin Monks and the Carmelite Sisters among others.