By Sr. Laura Kareo
The Formation Ministry of Religious in Uganda, (FoMRU), a conduit through which the consecrated persons are formed and empowered organized a five-day workshop, October 24 –28, 2023. With the motive to empower consecrated persons with new approaches for effective socio-pastoral ministry and evangelization in the contemporary world, the workshop was hosted at the Association of Religious in Uganda, (ARU) Secretariat. The workshop was guided by the theme “In the footsteps of the Master – Jesus.” “We said, His life is our life, His mission is our mission and so we need to do this mission of our master the exact way He wants us to do. So we need to know Him well, to love Him and be ready to serve Him faithfully to the end.”
Fr. Frederick Tusingire, the facilitator of the workshop explained. Fr. Tusingire added that the workshop is focused on the activities of priests and religious because the evangelizing mission is their work and their priority as well. “Our first job is to evangelize just like is the real mission of the Church that Jesus left with the Church. We as religious are supposed to be on the frontline of this and whatever we do should be facilitating or contributing to the mission. So, whether we build schools, hospitals and teach, we are contributing to the work of evangelization.” Fr. Tusingire emphasized.
In the workshop, the participants assessed their performance and the various challenges faced in the course of their work and identified the best ways to overcome challenges that come their way in their line of duty. Therefore, the religious sisters and brothers came with all they received from the field to address them to make them effective in their mission. In this way, a lot was shared about what each one was doing. “We also focused on reporting back, in the context that we have to report back to Jesus what we are going through.
This is done in the form of prayer especially through the Eucharist, reporting back to the superiors and account for all that we do.” Fr. Tusingire said. The workshop was convened for the first time, a reason that prompted the sisters’ wish to have more of such regularly. On the last day of the workshop, participants shared on a topical discussion concerning signs of the time. They looked at what is happening today and how best they can address those issues.
Sr. Mary Philda Adokoroch, LSMIG, shared, “The workshop has impacted me and I’m challenged by the roles and duties of consecrated persons. Especially on how they should minister and work with the people of God and follow the signs of time. What is on ground and dealing with it, is yet another challenge. However, I will not remain the same as I go back to my community.”
The participants also affirmed that they can address issues, especially in marriage life in case a person approaches them as religious persons to seek advice on challenges in marriage. Sr. Philda argues that some sacramentally married persons need a deeper understanding of their faith while others may need counseling. “Any consecrated person in the Church should see this as the greatest privilege.
An occasion like this one which helps us to renew our zeal and approach to our mission should be appreciated and taken seriously. Sr. Philda vehemently remarked. According to Sr. Laura Kareo, “This workshop widened my knowledge of evangelization in our Mother Church which says, the Church exists in order to evangelize because it is the mission of Christ, her identity. This is extracted from the book of Pope Paul VI in his encyclical Evangeli Nuntiandi, 46. We exist to evangelize in order to make Christ known, loved, and served on earth among his people.”
The participants learnt that evangelization is about re-awakening the baptized all the time. The non-baptized need to believe in Jesus and all need to hear the message of salvation. Sr. Laura Kareo professes that re-evangelization is needed to help people love Christ and His mission more, that will be new evangelization because ultimately people may repent and believe in Him and follow Him (Mk 1:15).
Conclusively, since Jesus is the greatest missionary, our job as missionaries is to collaborate in the work of this great mission to walk in His footsteps. This applies to every Christian especially, the religious. As evangelizers, we need to make a lot of sacrifices in order to evangelize effectively. We need to keep our daily personal communal and liturgical prayers to remain connected with Him.
We have to cultivate the virtues of prudence, humility, simplicity, and care about those around us to live a good community life and bear fruit in the field by reaching out to others to deepen their faith. We have also agreed to sensitize parents to care for their children with love and inculcate Christian faith in them.
