EASTER EXPERIENCE IN KIVUBUKA OUTSTATION

What it is to be a person of the ‘towel and basin’!

On Easter Sunday 27th March 2016, Gabriel Ouma and I, who are the pastoral agents of St. Mary’s Kivubuka centre, Jinja Diocese, were privileged to go with Fr. Yago Abeledo, Br. Venancio Echevarria, and Sem. John Paul Ngabirano. 

Some members of the Christian community with seminarians Simon and Gabriel with Br. Veanacio and Fr. Yago

On arrival, the Christians happily welcomed us. Fr. Yago started administering the sacrament of reconciliation. Mass followed with 19 infants readily presented for baptism. During baptism, the main celebrant challenged parents to be role models to their children and all the other children as possible as they can.  He further challenged parents to always know that their prime role as Catholics is proper upbringing of children in the Catholic faith. He also appealed to the godparents to not only help the baptised children materially but also in spiritual growth.

Brother Venancio sharing the Word of God

Fr. Yago giving the sacrament of Baptism

An enriching reflection was given by Br. Venancio Echevarria. He said that “when we look to the crucified and living Christ, we can find peace with God and with our own selves”. He further said that, “we become fully human and we know that in both positive experience and negative experience of pain and suffering in ourselves, Christ always sustains us”. Using the words of Pope Francis, Br. Venancio Echevarria called upon Christians not to get locked in their personalities because of sin, not to lose their confidence and never to give up because God can change all the situations.  Finally, he sturdily reminded people that, “EASTER IS FOREVER”.

Visiting the elderly after Mass

After mass we visited some Christians’ families. We managed to visit an old sick lady to whom Fr. Yago administered the sacrament of Anointing of the sick. Her family members were delighted and grateful for the restored new strength of the Risen Lord, to their family member.  Christ is Risen indeed!   

Simon Peter Kahinda