At Religious Profession, Ugandan Archbishop Emphasizes Nuns’ Power to “transform” Society

Founded in Northern Uganda in 1930 by Bishop Angelo Negri, Italian-born member of the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus (MCCJ), LSMIG members have the mission “to witness to the love of Jesus Christ to most vulnerable especially women, children, youth and the aged.”

The Catholic Nuns whose first group of Sisters professed in 1945 realize their mission “through Catholic education, health, pastoral and social services to the poor and the most vulnerable in the society.”

In his homily during the January 6 event, Archbishop Odama said that the presence of LSMIG members in his Metropolitan See is perceived as God's deliberate choice to spur positive change.

The 76-year-old Catholic Archbishop who started his Episcopal Ministry in May 1996 thanked LSMIG members for their services and encouraged them to “awaken the rest of the women's power.”

He urged every baptized person “to take seriously their role of playing Jesus’ part in transforming the modern society.”

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“We have four characteristics of the Catholic Church; the Catholic Church is one, holy, universal, and from the apostles. I, therefore, challenge the Catholics to make the church the instrument of transformation to bring humanity as one,” Archbishop Odama added during the event saw LSMIG members take their perpetual profession, and others celebrate their Silver, Golden, and Diamond Jubilees.

He also weighed in on some of the ills bedevilling Uganda, emphasizing the need to respect human life and to address the challenge of corruption in the East African nation.

“We are tired of corruption; we have talked about it; leaders have said corruption should stop,” the Ugandan Catholic Archbishop lamented, and added, “Despite all efforts being made, corruption is not being stopped.”

He continued, “Corruption does not stop because Ugandans have failed to acknowledge that their corrupt actions are hurting their colleagues,”

Archbishop Odama also noted with concern about increasing cases of suicide. He said, “Suicides are still going on even in our region. Human beings are taking lives into their own hands forgetting that the owner of life is God Himself.”