They Became Light In The Lord

Today the Church celebrates the feast of St. Charles Lwanga and his companions. In a homily given at the Shrine of the Holy Uganda Martyrs of Namugongo, St. John Paul II said:

This was the place of darkness, Namugongo, where Christ’s light shone bright in the great fire which consumed Saint Charles Lwanga and his companions. May the light of that holocaust never cease to shine in Africa!

The heroic sacrifice of the Martyrs helped to draw Uganda and all of Africa to Christ, the true light which enlightens all men (Cf. ibid. 1: 9). Men and women of every race, language, people and nation (Cf. Rev. 5: 9) have answered Christ’s call, have followed him and have become members of his Church, like the crowds which come on pilgrimage, year after year, to Namugongo.

…Truly the Uganda Martyrs became light in the Lord! Their sacrifice hastened the rebirth of the Church in Africa. In our own days, all Africa is being called to the light of Christ! Africa is being called again to discover her true identity in the light of faith in the Son of God. All that is truly African, all that is true and good and noble in Africa’s traditions and cultures, is meant to find its fulfilment in Christ. The Uganda Martyrs show this clearly: they were the truest of Africans, worthy heirs of the virtues of their ancestors. In embracing Jesus Christ, they opened the door of faith to their own people (Cf. Acts. 14: 27), so that the glory of the Lord could shine on Uganda, on Africa.

Here at Namugongo, it is right that we give thanks to God for all those who have worked and prayed and shed their blood for the rebirth of the Church on this Continent. We give thanks for all who have carried on the work of the Martyrs by striving to build a Church that is truly Catholic and truly African.

St. Charles Lwanga and companions, on this day of your feast, please pray for the Church in Africa, that she may continue to flourish. 

Papal Intentions for August

Pope Francis’s general intention for this month is, that “parents and teachers may help the new generation to grow in upright conscience and life.” Let us pray that they fulfill their vocations to be living witnesses to the faith.

The Holy Father’s missionary intention for this month is, that “the local Church in Africa, faithfully proclaiming the Gospel, may promote peace and justice.” In the face of many troubles, let us pray that the people of Africa find peace in spreading the Word of God.

Let us pray with Pope Francis, then, for the manifestation of the faith in our homes, in our schools, and especially in the African Church. For pastoral comments on these intentions, see the Vatican news site.

Serving The True Master

Today the Church celebrates the feast of St. Josephine Bakhita, a modern day saint who found her way to God in the face of horrific suffering. During the homily for her Canonization, Blessed John Paul II said:  

"The law of the Lord is perfect, ... it gives wisdom to the simple" (Ps 19: 8). 
These words from today's Responsorial Psalm resound powerfully in the life of Sr. Josephine Bakhita. Abducted and sold into slavery at the tender age of seven, she suffered much at the hands of cruel masters. But she came to understand the profound truth that God, and not man, is the true Master of every human being, of every human life. This experience became a source of great wisdom for this humble daughter of Africa.

In today's world, countless women continue to be victimized, even in developed modern societies. In St. Josephine Bakhita we find a shining advocate of genuine emancipation. The history of her life inspires not passive acceptance but the firm resolve to work effectively to free girls and women from oppression and violence, and to return them to their dignity in the full exercise of their rights.

Oh St. Josephine Bakhita, so simple and so childlike, pray for us on this day of your feast, that we may be like you in the face of hardship. 

The Continent of the Family

The Blessed John Paul II Shrine is full of life during this Christmas Octave. Lights are dancing, green trees are sparkling, and visitors are filled with hopeful anticipation of the work to come—particularly the exhibit on the life and legacy of Blessed John Paul II. 

The Shrine is currently hosting another exhibit, which is especially meaningful today on this Feast of the Holy Family. Nearly 100 African Crèches, or Nativity scenes, are on display at the Shrine, as well as other statues and artwork from 23 African countries and tribes. This Christmas Across Africa Exhibit includes wood and stone sculptures, Coptic icons, banana leaf Nativity scenes, polished stones, and papyrus paintings. The beautiful statue of the Holy Family in the picture above comes from Zimbabwe and was carved from black serpentine stone.

It is fitting, of course, to have crèches on display during the Christmas season. It is even more fitting to have these particular crèches on display at the Blessed John Paul II Shrine, for the late Holy Father was very fond of the young and vibrant Church of Africa. He traveled to African countries quite often, and he found that the Christian sprit was very much alive there, especially in African families. In a homily given during his 1995 visit to Kenya, John Paul II said:

In the past I have been able to visit most of these countries, meeting the great African family of peoples. Where it has not yet been possible I hope some day to go. The question is often asked: why does the Pope visit Africa so often? One reason stands out: Africa is the continent of the family, and the future of the Church’s evangelizing mission passes through the family.

This “Christmas Across Africa” Exhibit reminds us that Africa is “the continent of the family,” where the Holy Family stands as a model for love and evangelization. In that same homily, Blessed John Paul II said, “In transmitting the Gospel spirit, Christian families have a perfect model in the Holy Family of Nazareth.” With his trust, patience, and courage, St. Joseph protected and provided for the Blessed Mother and the Son of God. The Blessed Mother humbly nurtured the Son of God and led Him to His true purpose in the Father. As a Son, Jesus brought Mary and Joseph together in love and carried them both to Eternal Life with the Father.

Pope Encourages Young Churches, “Continent of Hope”

Pope Benedict XVI addressed two very important groups last week, encouraging new and vibrant parts of the Church to be steadfast in the Faith while also sharing it joyfully.

In a September 5 message to the Pan-African Congress of Catholic Laity, he called on lay Catholics there to evangelize their “continent of hope.”

“The love for life and for the family, a sense of joy and sharing, the enthusiasm of living the faith are all values that I have seen during my travels in Africa and that are still etched in my heart,” he said. And joy, which rejects the dark relativism crippling other parts of the world, should lead the African lay faithful to be “’ambassadors’ of the Good News.”

Later in the week, Pope Benedict passed on a similar message to 100 recently consecrated mission-territory Bishops.

“The Church is born of the mission and grows with the mission,” he said, and “the faith is a gift to be welcomed into our hearts and lives, one for which we must always thank the Lord.”