The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Catholics in Uganda have joined the universal church to pray for the return of peace and harmony in Ukraine and Russia by consecrating the two nations at war to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on the Feast of the Annunciation.
On February 24, the Russian military began its invasion of Ukraine, sparking a war that has disrupted the lives of millions of people and dramatically turned the clock of history back to the last century, to the time of the Cold War.
As one of the means to bring about peace, Pope Francis asked Catholics to assemble in their respective parishes and join him in prayer in what he described as a “gesture of the universal Church” to invoke an end to the violence and suffering of innocent people.
In Uganda, the faithful said prayers at the same time as others in many countries. the main event in the country was held at Lubaga Cathedral on Friday evening around 8.45 p.m. headed by the Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Luigi Bianco.
Before the prayer for the two troubled nations, Archbishop Bianco celebrated Mass attended by clergy, lay faithful and several members of the diplomatic community. Conveying the message from the Pontiff, Archbishop Bianco noted that the prayer was intended to entrust the nations at war to the Blessed Virgin Mary in response to the cry of pain of all those who suffer and implore an end to the violence, and to entrust the future of our human family to the Queen of Peace.
Archbishop Bianco added that since this war broke out there has been immense suffering with war inflicting upon the sorely tried people held up in the conflict and also threatening world peace which therefore concerns every believer to pray so as peace is restored.
As the Catholics pray, the war in question whose battlefield is in eastern Europe has already sent shock waves in the entire world and Uganda in particular. One of the negative outcomes lamented is its impact on commodity prices.
Besides praying over the conflict in east Europe, the Kampala Archbishop His Grace Paul Ssemogerere also requested the faithful to pray for humanity elsewhere in the world, including Uganda, to ensure that perpetrators of war and conflict come back to their senses and put an end to violence.
Archbishop Ssemogerere added that the entire world is currently concerned about the war in question and other forms of violence. To put an end to these vices, the Archbishop says all humans need to pledge individually to be an agent of peace.
Since the war started, Pope Francis has always noted that at this dark hour, the Church is urgently called to intercede before the Prince of Peace and to demonstrate her closeness to those directly affected by the conflict.
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