“Jesus was born and lived in a concrete family, accepting all its characteristic features, and conferred the highest dignity on the institution of marriage, making it a sacrament of the new covenant,” UEC members say.
They cite Pope Francis’ March 2016 Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation on love in the family, Amoris Laetitia (“The Joy of Love”), saying, “The couple that loves and begets life is a true, living icon – capable of revealing God the Creator and Savior.”
In their statement, Uganda’s Catholic Bishops express their awareness of the challenges families face today amid pressures of modernity, technological advancements, and economic hardships, which they say have strained family life.
Other challenges families grapple with, UEC members say, include the rising cost of living, limited access to education and healthcare, violent conflicts, political divisions, inadequate parental guidance, child abuse, youth unemployment, widespread poverty, and distorted views on human sexuality among others.
“Many families are disintegrating under the weight of these challenges, leaving children with fewer options for parental support and upbringing,” they lament, and advocate for collective approach in addressing contemporary challenges.
The Catholic Church leaders call upon relevant government officials to enforce laws that safeguard family values, including Article 31 of Uganda’s Constitution, which they say guarantees the right to marry in line with the various marriage Acts intended to stabilize society.
UEC members caution against passing laws that undermine the family’s core values.
In their Christmas message, UEC members also encourage prayer and action to address the country’s social, political, and economic challenges. They say Christmas is “a perfect occasion to commit these situations to God and renew efforts toward building a united, peaceful society.”
Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.
