WHERE HAS THE BEAUTY GONE? PART II

Friends, in the last article, we made a review on the question; "Where has the beauty gone?" Specifically looking at the trends in the Church, one may wonder whether, today's Church is one and the same as that which gave us the light, faith and life 30 years ago when we were yet infants. Pondering on this makes me restless,  as such, I started taking a serious research on the same, hoping that the beauty of the Church that brought me up comes back to the fullest.

My first area of recourse is the person who inspired me as a 5 year old to the calling I am pursuing now. Born to a Catechist and a very devoted Mother, I had several opportunities of interacting with Priests from my childhood up-to-date. One of these (Priests) sowed the seed of Priestly vocation in my heart, many of those who would later succeed him watered and is still watering it.

Among those who watered and weeded this seed are Rev. Fr. Caesar Okello (R.IP). As a young boy, one of the characters which I was notorious of was that of being stubborn. Aware of this as a 12year old boy, I went to Father during one of his visits in the Chapel where my father was serving at; I cried my heart out to him ... Father I want to be a Priest but people say I am too stubborn. He embraced me, looked at me straight in the eyes and said; "stubborn boy, the Priest you are seeing was a very stubborn boy too". He then narrated to me about having a brother who was considered a worthy candidate to the Priesthood than himself and how he but not his brother made it to the Priesthood therefore quenching my thirst at the moment and drying my tears. 

Other Priests who continued with watering this seed includes Frs. Innocent Valente Opio (Current Vicar General of Lira Diocese), Alfred Okello (Parish Priest of Bala and his Curates; Frs. Jacob Ray Komakech, Lawrence Sunday Ogwang and Tobby Okello); Fr. Ambrose Achir who together with his curates recommended me to join the Major Seminary and  the then Deacons Douglas Owera and Moses Owani who trained me on  the desired etiquettes required of a candidate to the Priesthood before I started Seminary formation. This watering process is still ongoing and I am glad that this seed has started flowering, thanks to the works of the Katigondo Seminary formation team and now the one of Ggaba Seminary. Pray that these flowers mature into good fruits.

God's ways is always unpredictable but lived in experience of inspiration, wonder and belief. One of this experience in my life is having the person who sowed the seed of desire in my heart way then in 1995 back as my Parish Priest, now in this office for 3years. What an experience will it be, if he be the one to present me (God willingly) for Priestly ordination after more than 30 years had passed since depositing this seed!!! 

Recently, in one of the Tea Breaks I posed the question at hand; "where has the beauty gone?" to him. As an experienced Priest, Fr. Carlo Ojuka, though noticing the changes in the Church today never lamented like me his apprentice. Instead he gave some practical ways through which the beauty can be restored, these includes;

1. Promoting the Holiness of Priests

2. Restructuring and empowering of Parishes and specifically in Mission work

3. Promoting and ensuring the active lay apostolate 

4. Liturgical renewal, and

5. Promotion of Theological, Philosophical and Socio-economic research especially in Seminaries.

Father Carlo noted that having competent human resource is very essential in this process. He looked at the Seminaries as a resource which have to be utilized effectively if the mission for restoration is to be fruitfully accomplished because; it is these Seminaries which produce Pastors for the Church and also (should) give the Church guidance on current Theological and associated trends in both the Church and the world. 

Giving the example of John Mary Waliggo, Father Carlo tasked Seminaries to consider the roles they are playing in so far as advising the Bishops are concerned and how they are contributing to bringing back the beauty in the Church especially in Uganda where there are National Seminaries. He said, if the professors were to fully utilize the resources they are having especially the Seminarians whose energy and intellectual capacity can be tapped through engaging them in practical research, study time, intellectual Symposiums among others, then, the Church would be filled with timely, relevant and practical approaches to many challenges that she is currently facing or may face in future. 

We will continue to analyze and expound on the suggestions raised by my Parish Priest above with hope that, if they are fully understood, accepted and practically embraced; the beautiful experience which characterizes the Church we (those above 30 years) experienced may come to life back again for the good of humanity and the Glory of God.

Seminarian Issac Opio

Theology II, Ggaba National Seminary

Lira Catholic Diocese