CATHOLIC CHURCH UNDERSCORES NEED OF PRESERVING CULTURAL VALUES

Archbishop Ssemogerere walks from Kasana Cathedral moments after participating in Mass for priests and the religious belonging to the Lugave clan
 
URN NEWS
 
The Catholic Church has emphasized the necessity of upholding cultural norms and values. His Grace Paul Ssemogerere, Archbishop of Kampala Archdiocese, exemplifies the importance of preserving traditional culture while upholding its principles.

In the 1980s, the late Msgr. Timothy Ssemogerere of the Masaka Catholic Diocese launched an effort to ensure that all priests and religious men and women maintained their cultural values while married to the Church.  
 
Msgr. Ssemogerere of the Lugave (Pangolin) clan sought to ensure that all Lugave clan norms were adhered to by all priests in the clan.

He organized them as they welcomed the initiative, which gained traction as it was extended to the entire Kampala Ecclesiastical Province, which includes five dioceses: Kampala, Masaka, Lugazi, Kiyinda-Mityana, and Kasana-Luwero.

After accepting this plan, all priests and religious men and women from the Lugave clan committed to meet annually on a rotating basis in a different diocese to discuss ways to grow the Lugave clan.   

On Saturday, Archbishop Ssemogerere from the Lugave clan met with priest colleagues belonging to the same clan from Kampala, Lugazi, Masaka, Kiyinda-Mityana, and Kasana-Luweero, the diocese that sponsored this year's summit.

During Mass at Our Lady of Fatima, Queen of Peace Kasana Cathedral to conclude this year's convention, Rev. Fr. Aloysious Ssebugulu from Masaka Diocese, who presided, stated in his sermon that culture should not be ridiculed, but rather coexist with religion.

He emphasized the significance of their meeting as religious leaders who belong to the Lugave clan.   According to Fr. Ssebugulu, there is no difficulty, as some have stated, with a priest cherishing culture, especially when participating in last funeral rites. He claims that meeting in such a way is beneficial since it promotes oneness.

Fr. Ssebugulu further highlighted that religious leaders reflect both society and religion, emphasizing the importance of critics understanding this concept.

During the celebrations of priests' final funeral rituals, Archbishop Ssemogerere has emphasized the importance of coexistence of culture and religion on multiple occasions.

After Mass, Rev. Fr. Denis Ssebuggwaawo, Parish Priest at Kasana Cathedral, expressed his admiration for the initiative. He stated that he is moved to see his 'Musu' clan following suit, since this will promote the coexistence of culture and faith.