Archbishop Ssemogerere urges new priests, deacons to stand with Ugandans in distress

What the report says

Archbishop of Kampala Paul Ssemogerere has called on newly ordained priests and deacons to stay close to Ugandans experiencing hardship, uncertainty and anxiety, with particular attention to people in prisons and detention centres. The message was delivered during a Holy Mass at Rubaga Cathedral in Kampala, where he ordained nine priests and six deacons in a ceremony attended by family members, clergy, religious leaders and many Catholic faithful.

According to Nile Post, Ssemogerere told the new clergy that their ministry should be defined by service, humility and listening rather than status or recognition. He urged them to provide pastoral care, comfort and hope to people in distress, and to make prayer, faithful administration of the sacraments and commitment to the Catholic Church central to their work.

The ordination rite included the presentation and examination of the candidates, promises of obedience, and the laying on of hands. The six deacons received the Book of the Gospel, while the nine new priests were anointed and presented with vessels used in Mass. The Archbishop also thanked parents, seminary formators and others who supported the candidates through formation.

The development matters because it highlights the Catholic Church’s emphasis on pastoral care at a time when, as Ssemogerere noted, many Ugandans are facing difficult circumstances.