Campusers ask Pope Francis for chance

Oct 19, 2015

When Pope Francis became pope in 2013, many had hope that he would bring reforms in the Catholic Church.

When Pope Francis became pope in 2013, many had hope that he would bring reforms in the Catholic Church. Mathias Mazinga asked some Catholic university students what they would ask him to change if they met him November 27-29 when he will be in the country.

 
Allow priests to marrytrue
David Lukwago,President of Law Society, Nkumba University
I would ask him to allow priests an option to marry. No matter your intentions or convictions, the body will always demand. Why should the men of God burn with passion in silence? We now read stories in the media about priests with children! I think we must accept the reality. After all, having a wife doesn't affect the priestly ministry. Aren't the married priests in the Orthodox Church serving well? Marriage is a healthy thing, which will help our priests to stabilise. Marriage is also Biblical. Major prophets of God like Abraham, Moses, Jeremiah had wives! Marriage will make priesthood more convenient and effective.
 
Reduce money demands in church
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Christine Nabaweesi,University of Kisubi
I would request Pope Francis to find a way to limit the cash collections in Church. Collections have become so many. On a Sunday you may be asked to make about seven collections; tithe, Bishop's Annual Appeal Fund, Namugongo Shrine re-development fund, offertory, church building, and so many others. One of my friends has stopped going to Church because she is weary of the many contributions demanded! Currently some schools even force students to pay money for various projects, on top of the school fees. Our Church leaders should work out an arrangement with the government to have some of the Church projects funded by tax-payers' money, like it is in some European countries. I would further ask Pope Francis to lift the ban on sex before marriage. Prospective spouses need to be sure that their partners are sexually active. It is risky for marriage to precede sex. If a man happens to be impotent, the marriage will not survive. So, it is desirable that a girl enters into marriage with the certainty that her husband is sexually active.
 
Make women priests

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Ritah Namawejje,Nkozi University
I would thus ask Pope Francis to consider allowing women to join the ranks of Catholic ministerial priesthood. I have the conviction that women can make good priests. Although Jesus' Apostles were all male, we see notable women in the Bible, for example Esther, Mary and Mary Magdalene, who served God with total faith and dedication.
 
Focus on charity

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Andrew Sakaya,Makerere University
Pope Francis should ensure that the Church exercises practical charity. Some priests are more concerned with constructing buildings than helping poor people.  We also see a lot of superficial charity, which is given just to show off.  I desire to see genuine charity, as it existed during the early Church.
 
Children of unwedded parents
Winnie Namukwaya,Nkumba University
 
The Pope should instruct our Bishops to start allowing children, whose parents are not married in Church, to become priests or religious Brothers of Sisters. This is very unfair and discriminative. You cannot victimise a person for the mistakes of my parents. I wanted to be a nun but they refused me because of that. I have also seen many young men being refused to join the seminary! I would further tell Pope Francis to revise the tradition of the evangelical councils. When the Catholic religious men and women are commissioned, they take the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, which are renewed periodically, before taking the perpetual vows. This is very inconveniencing. I think the religious men and women should take their vows once. The religious men and women should take only the perpetual vows.
 
Make prayers more interesting

Ruth Namuyiga,Nkumba University
Prayers should be made more interesting and appealing to the youth. I would like to see more charismatic preachers like Fr. Raymond Kalanzi. The preaching and music should be lively. Overnight prayers should not be limited to a few prayer centres like Mount Zion, Bukalango! I would like to see prayer vigils even at Rubaga Cathedral! The Pope should also allow abortion in some circumstances like rape. He should also sanction divorce in some instances, for example if a wife discovered her husband to be a night dancer, a murderer or terrorist. Divorce should also be granted to a husband, who has been perpetually denied sex by her wife.
 
Change system of penance

Joanita Nambogo, Makerere University
I think Pope Francis should allow us to confess our sins directly to God, without going to a priest. You know, much as they are anointed, priests remain human. So, there are certain sins you may fear to tell them. You may even be tempted to lie to them. It is thus better to state our sins directly to God, to avoid lying while we are confessing.
 
Allow divorce for stressed marriages

Immaculate Nakuya,University of Kisubi
 
Pope Francis should consider sanctioning divorce in some circumstances. Many enter marriages after men have deceived them that they work, when actually they are jobless and cannot sustain them. Others deceive that he are single when actually they have several women and concubines. A previously honourable husband may also change like become a drug-addict! Staying with such a deceitful man, who will ruin your life! I have heard that the Church's ecclesiastical tribunals look into such matters, but ultimately, all they can grant you is a separation, which doesn't give you the license to re-marry anyway!
 
Legalise the use of condoms

Despina Nakitto,Nkumba University
 
Pope Francis should allow us to use condoms. You know temptations for sex are inevitable. But that is dangerous yet condoms would save the situation. Having unprotected sex exposes us to diseases and unwanted pregnancy, which may lead to the temptation of abortion, which is also very undesirable. The issue of celibacy should also be revised. God created us male and female, to have children and fill the earth. So, marriage is a Biblical design.
 
Allow inter religion marriages


Molly Nakiijja,Makerere University Business School
The Pope should ease the procedure of mixed marriages. For example, if I wanted to get married to a Born-again Christian, there is a long procedure that I have to go through. In fact, in most cases they demand that a non-Catholic partner first converts to Catholicism. Owing to this problem, many couples have ended up not marrying officially in Church, which is an added evil.
 
Improve the conditions of nuns
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Allen Nassali, MUBS
I am not comfortable with the living conditions of most nuns. The nuns are poor compared to the priests. When I was studying at St. Theresa Bwanda, many of my friends wanted to become nuns. But they later gave up the idea because of the unpleasant conditions of living. I also got discouraged because I could not see how my parents would benefit from me with all that poverty. The priests, on the other hand, lead an affluent life-style. They dress elegantly, drive posh cars and at times flock up-scale hotels to have a beer. Can anyone account for this incredible disparity in the life of nuns and priests? The pope should address this issue.
 
Abolish prohibitive fees

Achileo Kato, Makerere University
Pope Francis should abolish fees on marriage, baptism cards and certificates. You may not be able to realise how these fees inconvenience the Christians when you are in Kampala. But there in the rural areas, these fees have made it difficult for people to access sacraments.
 
He should stop undue extremism


Freda Adimo,Kyambogo University

Pope Francis should work fast to stop tendencies of undue extremism that are cropping up in our church. For example, here in our chapel at Kyambogo, it is a taboo to dress in trousers if you are a girl. You will actually be harassed. I have heard that even at Rubaga Cathedral, one female journalist was thrown out because she was wearing trousers. Are we moving towards a Police Church? I think we should be allowed to dress in the way that makes us feel comfortable, provided we remain descent. How can a girl in a mini-skirt be more acceptable than the one in trousers? Pope Francis should also let his priests to marry, to avoid scandalous problems. Last week I read about one Catholic priest in Eastern Uganda, who stabbed himself after discovering that his mistress had another man! Those who cannot control themselves should marry. If priests live out celibacy out of convenience, we shall continue to have problems like homosexuality.
 
Order bibles every Sunday



Ronald Busingye, Nkozi University
Pope Francis should pass the policy for all Catholics to carry the Bible on Sunday. Catholics generally don't read the Bible. They don't follow the readings on Sunday. They just wait for what the priest reads for them. This is wrong. Christians should have time to read the word of God for themselves and by themselves. If Bibles are very expensive, at least the parish-priests should publish the Sunday readings on pamphlets. Christ the King Church, Kampala has tried out this and it has worked.
 

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