In Defense Of The Catholic Church (Archbishop Paul Ssemwogere) And Response to Mr. Francis Ojok’s Letter
In as much as I am not the official spokesperson of Kampala Archdiocese or the Uganda Episcopal Conference which Mr. Francis Ojok implicitly attacks.
As a baptized, practicing Roman Catholic and an ex-Seminarian, I am duty-bound to stand and defend the magisterium and the position of the leaders of the church as dictated by the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
This is proper and in line with the history and Magisterium of the Catholic Church. Cognizant that this very year 2024, it is sixty (60) years since our icons of faith and lay apostolate the Uganda Martyrs) were canonized.
The Uganda Martyrs defended the faith even when Fr. Simon Lourdel Mapeera relocated back to Bagamoyo. This is exactly what the theme of Kampala Archdiocese says “We the Baptized let us journey together in Communion, Participation and Mission, (Eph 4:1-15)”
Righty in his first paragraph Mr. Ojok gives Pope Francis’ call to fight against the scourge of corruption. He also makes very good observations about the dangers of misappropriation of public resources, this is very commendable.
It is not only corruption that the Holy Father castigates, he even makes a more wide net covering at worst not only sin against neighbor but against mother earth in his encyclical: “Laudato si.” Right at the very start of my engagement with Mr Ojok’s letter let me make a disclaimer:
The Catholic Church does not condone sin. Rather the church is cognizant of the frailty of “Man.” this is espoused by what the writer of Genesis 3 says and what St. Augustine of Hippo says in his great exposé “De civitate dei. (City of God), man is inherently sinful. He is prone to lust, adultery, stealing, and lies and at worst (Cain killed Abel: Gen; 4, David took and had Uriah killed because of his wife Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11-12) Ahab and Jezebel had Naboth killed because of his vineyard (1 Kings 21)
In spite of man’s sinfulness, he encounters God’s mercies and the salvific grace. The Church does not take a micro outlook of sin for example corruption alone , it takes a (macro) holistic look at all that impinges on man’s harmony with God and fellow man and this is well defined in the ten commandments (Check exodus 20) That is why Jesus summarizes the law in two (Love of God and neighbor.)
Mr. Ojok would have made a very good treatise (letter) on corruption and sin vis-à-vis the Roman Catholic position therein; unfortunately, he runs over board and trifles his arguments. The Catholic Church does not operate without prayer and guidance of the Holy Spirit if it does then, it would be powerless, useless, and hopeless.
There is no amount of intimidation or scare as Mr. Ojok hankers in his conclusion paragraph that; “the church will lose credibility ….” If the church actors do all “Ad maiorem Dei gloriam- For the greater glory of God.” All will be well.
The Catholic Church in its over 2000 years of existence has seen it all. If it survived the Western Great.
Schism-time of two Popes at one time (20 September 1378-11 November 1417) if it survived the Lutheran/Protestant Reformation of the 16th century. The Church was built on what Jesus called a rock; it will be its founder who will bring it to an end. (Matthew 16:18)
Mr. Ojok and others should take comfort in the fact that there is no single time or moment when the “Holy Spirit” is asleep as much as “mortal humans,” may sleep at work because they are prone to error. The Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus Christ are always at work and around as promised by Jesus that; “I will be with you till the end of time.” (Matthew 28:20)
Mr. Ojok takes a non-Catholic approach when he condemns without the kind eye of recourse to prayer and conversion of the alleged sinner. This is contrary to what the good Savior Jesus teaches us in the story of the woman caught in adultery (John 8: 1-11) “let him who is without sin, cast the first stone” and “go, and sin no more.” The church does not condemn but calls on all to sin no more.
I hope Mr. Ojok has read the political History of Uganda (1962-2024) a history riddled with lots of unfortunate occurrences of sin against God and neighbor. Such as the case of massacres at Mengo in 1966, the Amin Era political assassinations of Acoli and Langis in 1971, the killings during the Luwero 1980 war, the Ombach massacre in 1979, Mukula inferno, and the Kony violence among others.
In all these, the Catholic Church has never sought or advised retribution rather forgiveness and peaceful co-existence for all as children of the same loving. The Catholic Church has been categorical not to condemn, but rather follow the example of the loving Father in the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:31-32) look for the Episcopal letter of Uganda Catholic Bishop’s conference on political violence -1980 elections and Archbishop John Baptist’s approach to violence and post Kony war in northern Uganda.
Mr. Ojok goes petty by tribalising the Mathias Mpuuga case to blackmail Archbishop Paul Ssemwogere by referring to Mpuuga as a Muganda because of the Archbishop being a Muganda, which is unfortunate!
He also drags in the entire Catholic Church by stating “Does the Catholic church in Uganda only find corruption wrong when persons involved are from other tribes?”
This statement looks innocent to a non-critical mind, but upon close look, it is intended to rally all other Ugandan tribes against the tribe to which Archbishop Paul Ssemwogerere and Mpuuga belong! It is a hatred framed complex question, which has been used by many politicians to rally, and ignite hatred against people of central Uganda since 1966, which is very unfortunate and uncalled for in the year 2024, sixty-two years after Uganda’s political independence!
Mr. Ojok may need to read the various pastoral letters of the various Ugandan Roman Catholic Bishops, many even targeting the very tribe he implicitly disparages for example, Archbishop Joseph Kiwanuka’s letter: “The church and the State: Guiding Principles 1961, which even dared to tell off the then powerful Ssekabaka Mutesa 2 and the excessive of KY and the Bataka, during the pre-Uganda’s independence days.
He may need to be educated and read: “In God we trust
: A Christmas Message from the Ugandan Catholic Bishops 1982, Eby’obufuzi Mu Uganda: H.E Emmanuae; Cardinal K Nsubuga 1945-1989, Free and Fair Elections: Uganda Episcopal Conference: The Pastoral Letter of the Catholic Bishops of Uganda on the 2016 General Elections:
I kindly request that Mr. Ojok and those with like minds, make sober and reflective visits to various Catholic places of worship in Kampala Archdiocese at least on Sundays and they listen to what the priests have to say in their summon/homilies. By then they will be able to make an informed opinion on as to whether the priests limit their call to holiness in a segregated–tribal manner.
Roman Catholic priests are taught not to be spiritual comedians in church. They are also taught not to create situations where the sinners feel exposed or disparaged given their privy to people’s past spiritual ills gotten in the confession box (The sacramental seal is inviolable;) also check The Catechism (No. 1467) and the Code of Canon Law (No. 1388.1) also Book IV-Function of the Church Liber (Cann. 959-997. Note:
Mr. Ojok and the like minds cannot for sure, stand to tell us if at all those they allege to have sinned have never visited the “confession box” and got absolution. In spiritual life, there is much, which takes place in the confines of people’s secret experiences with the loving Master Jesus.
Just as the sinful woman who sat at the feet of Jesus with tears soaked face, all looked at her past, but the good Lord Jesus was already aware of her newfound self. We too let us not play the Pharisaic- cards. We cannot be spiritual judges per-excellence given our mundane nature.
In paragraph four, Mr. Ojok states, “by associating with Mpuuga and Abed Bwanika, the Church would get dragged into “the centre of this scandal and compromise its position as a moral voice of our society.”
It is sad that Mr. Ojok fails to read the history of the Church and the teachings of Jesus in similar situations; Matthew 9:9-13; Mark 2:13-17; Luke 5:27-32-The story of Jesus calling Matthew the tax collector to be his disciple, Jesus is seen dining at table with many tax collectors and sinners and the blame he got from the Pharisees for allowing a sinful woman (assumed prostitute) to touch him.(Mathew 26: 6-13, Mark 14:3-9;)
Mr Ojok makes a similar statement like the Pharisees and the bible text sounds as if it is directly quoting Mr Ojok’s letter as shown in (Luke 7 39-40 )-when the gospel write states, “When the Pharisee who had invited him saw how the sinful woman was cleaning Jesus’ feet with her tears and hair, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.” In all these cases, Jesus answers back (Luke 5:32) I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners:
In expanding Pope Francis’ synod of synodality and his interpretation of the church, the Pope says “ Church is ‘field hospital,’ concerned more with those who suffer than with defending its own interests, taking the risk of novelty, in order to be more faithful to the Gospel. By referring the Church as a hospital, it implies that; “It is a place where sinners go for cleansing.” It would be a grave mistake if the Church took the Pharisaic–Ojokian (Francis Ojok) outlook of only associating with the so-called righteous like him Mr. Ojok and the likes.
Vatican City, Dec 2, 2020/04:00am Pope Francis talking to condemned prisoners said: God is patient and never stops waiting for a sinner’s conversion. There is no sin that can completely erase the image of Christ present in each one of us.
The Pope said that notwithstanding people’s grave errors, God like a Father, continues to desire their good and to hope that they will open themselves in the end to the good. Even if their closest relatives have abandoned them, they are always children of God. So in as much as Ojok may wish that the Mpuugas of this world and many others including me, Pope Francis says God’s love is like that of a mother who goes to visit her son in prison because the son is more important than the sin committed.
In addition, indeed during Lent 2024, Archbishop Ssemwogerere visited prisoners at Kitalya and was commended for that. I wish then the Archbishop was reminded that he might meet people he shares a tribe with which would have been lamentable.
Mr. Ojok in paragraphs 6 and 7 says that the Archbishop should prevail on priests not to participate in this scandal. This is not only outrageous but a very tall order and diminishes the very mission of the Catholic Church which is “to reach out to all irrespective of their race status and spirituality” (Mark 16:15)
I doubt if all Archbishop Ssemwogerere actually, Bishop Jjumba the ordinary of Masaka has/have the means to monitor as well as refuse the willing priests from attending or saying mass for a “ practicing Roman Catholic “whom the church has not excommunicated yet.”
By Mr. Ojok saying that joining a thanksgiving mass is joining in a scandal does not only disparage the Catholic Church. It is a wild joke and a sign of ignorance of what Holy Mass is all about: The Church describes Mass as the “source and summit of the Christian life.”
Mr. Ojok is short of the knowledge and the foundation on which the Catholic Church was built. If anything, Mr. Ojok should not forget that the Church was found and built on the most inglorious scandal-the scandal of the “Christ” on a Cross, disfigured and naked for all to see man’s ingratitude to God .(Mathew 27 and 1 Corinthians 1:17-2:5).
We cannot also forget that the gospel was taken to the gentles and Rome in particular by St.Peter and Paul (Saul). While Paul, a former persecutor/murderer of Christians, Simon Peter denied Jesus when confronted by a mere little girl at the door to the courtyard (John 18:17). Second denial: A servant girl, by the fire in the courtyard (Matthew 26:69, Mark 14:66, Luke 22:56). Third denial: A man by the fire in the courtyard (Luke 22:58). Therefore, Mr. Ojok, must not fear, the church is not foreign to scandals.
Holy Mass is about spending time with God, receiving God’s graces and inner strength to live true Christian life. Probably, Mr. Ojok may not know that the name ‘Mass’ comes from the final blessing said by the priest in Latin ‘Ite missa es’ meaning “to send out” as Jesus Christ sent his disciples out to the world to take his teaching to them. Mass involves the priest and all around accepting that they are sinners as shown in the introductory rite of mass: This they do by first repenting “mea culpa” in a Penitential Act (in the form of general confession) of sinfulness by all present. (Psalm 130: 3)
If Ojok had reflected and sincerely had a good intention for the Catholic Church, he should have known that there is no better occasion for any sinner to bloat out their sin than at the Altar or during Holy Mass, cognizant that in any Catholic mass cerebration, the cross with a visible Christ which is indicative of the great sacrifice Jesus gave for us all sinners;
The second part of Mass is called the ‘Liturgy of the Word.’ Where the priest finalizes it with a homily or summons (God talking to his people through his word. It is here that the priest will have a chance to expand on the application of God’s word and the Ten Commandments. Mass is for all sinners and righteous alike.
Mr. Ojok may need to know that the purported Mpuuga thanksgiving is to be occasioned within the jurisdiction of Masaka diocese. Probably, out of ignorance or excitement, Mr. Ojok does not know that the Bishop (ordinary) of Masaka diocese is the Most Reverend -His Lordship Serverus Jjumba.
According to 1017 Code of Canon Law-Book IV-Function of the Church, Mr. Ojok should have addressed his concerns to the Ordinary of Masaka, otherwise, the letter was addressed to the wrong person in as much as Masaka falls within Kampala Archdiocese.
The duty and obligation of Bishops (Archbishop) Canon 375. §1 “By divine institution, Bishops succeed the Apostles through the Holy Spirit who is given to them. They are constituted Pastors in the Church, to be the teachers of doctrine, the priests of sacred worship, and the ministers of governance. (in simple terms the Bishop’s duty is to do with that which is divine), not politics or looking for criminals). That is the work of the police and courts of law.
What does that mean when you read II Vat Council 1969: Gaudium et Spes “the joys and the hopes of peoples”? This document reminds Catholics that they can be open to the world, and to dialogue with the world, because the joys, hopes, and sorrows of human beings are of their concern.
The Church cannot run away from an opportunity to talk to sinners, most especially if they are practicing Catholics, cognizant that the ministers will not go to spaces of those out of their volition deny or reject the Church in life as was the case of Comedian-Kato Lubwama and other Catholics who out of their volition run away from the church. Bishops are guided by the Holy Spirit and the various dictates of the church, not blackmail.
Mr. Ojok also may need to read Rerum Novarum (“Of New Things”), encyclical by Pope Leo XIII in 1891, is a hallmark treatise on Catholic social justice and the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, these will guide his thinking on many of the social justice issues from the standpoint of the Catholic church and how the church or its ordained commissioned ministers respond.
It is my prayer that we reflect on the parable of Pharisee and the tax collector who both went to the temple to pray. The Pharisee prayed about how good he was, but the tax collector asked for God’s mercy, as he was a sinner. Jesus said that it was the tax collector who went home justified before God (Luke 18:9-14)
As we continue on our pilgrimage of faith, may we, Mr. Ojok inclusive, like Bartimaeus (Mark, 10:46–52) always persevere in prayer, especially in our darkest moments, and ask the Lord with confidence: “Jesus have mercy on me. Jesus, have mercy on us!” for we all need God’s kindness and mercy. The church should never run away from an open opportunity to spread the good news and to bring sinners back to the flock.
The Writer is Parishioner of Namugongo Mary Queen of the Martyrs Shrine Parish- Kampala Archdiocese and an alumnus of Katigondo Major Seminary and Nagongera St. Pius X Minor Seminary Tororo Archdiocese.
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