Speech by His Eminence Archbishop
Jeronymos Muzeeyi, Metropolitan of Kampala,
to the Archdiocesan Orthodox Christian Youth
Representatives Assembled at Namungoona,
January 31st to February 2nd 2024
AN OVERALL CONTEXT
This time around, our youth are divided. This is a very sad situation,
creating a state of confusion in various communities. Given the
economic crisis in the world economy and the mismatch between the
growth of our national economy and population, high unemployment
and underemployment prevail among our youth in this country.
It’s important to note that over 70% of the Ugandan population are
youth, making Uganda a Country of the Youth. There is no exception to
these phenomena in our local Church. After all, our Church is part of
the Ugandan society. Orthodox youth are poor, largely found in rural
areas, not highly educated, and often marginalized. This situation must
change, and now we are called upon to be the agents for change.
Our youth lack an Orthodox Christian identity. The reason for this is
attributed to the lack of youth programs in our local Church. This denies
them the chance to access and deepen their Orthodox faith at their
tender age. With no clear knowledge of their Church teachings, the
Orthodox youth lack the vision and mission of their Church in Uganda
and beyond. While Orthodoxy is called upon to play a decisive role in
the transformation and transfiguration of Ugandan Society, this role
will be possible only if our youth are united and empowered by their
faith to do this mission.
THE DEFINING FRAMEWORK
Uganda is a religious country. Her Motto is “For God and My Country.”
There is a vibrant partnership and close cooperation between the State
and Faith-Based Organizations. In Uganda’s religious composition, the
Orthodox faithful are a minority. Though very weak in representation,
the Orthodox faithful actively participate in national ecumenical
moments known as UJCC and IRCU. Currently, she holds the position of
the Executive Director in the UJCC.
History of our Church witnesses and confirms that we didn’t play any
role in the colonization of Uganda or any African country. We have a
special advantage that the Orthodox faith was not brought by
missionaries; instead, it was revealed to our founding father, Bishop
Spartas, by the Holy Spirit. This is a blessing and a responsibility. Simply
because, it was from Uganda that Orthodoxy spread to various black
African countries.
In view of all this, there is a need to cultivate well the Orthodox faith
among the youth to the maximum, and to allow it shape fully their
identity, and to get them actively involved in the mission. The way the
youth live their faith in Uganda should reflect that God given position in
the history of Orthodoxy in Africa. In this conference of today, the
youth are called upon to reflect and internalize their role in their local
Church and beyond. It is in this conference that we should make
important decisions to build a solid foundation for further engagements
in Uganda’s society and in the black African countries.
RESCUE EFFORTS
Bearing in mind all that has been mentioned above, we need, now and
not later, to invest in the rescue efforts on a number of fronts. Priority
should be given to the youth by our Church. They form the majority of
her faithful and are her future.
First and foremost, the youth must be given an opportunity to
appreciate that the Church loves them, values them, cherishes them
and cares for them. Youth must be prepared to surrender themselves
to the Church’s love and care. In this way, the youth should be afforded
the chance to understand fully the Orthodox faith and the mission of
their Church and take active participation in her life.
The youth should have their way of life founded on the Orthodox
eucharistic communion, in the Gospel and in patristic teaching for
witness and service in the Uganda society. At all levels and at all times,
our youth should be encouraged to have the catholicity of our
Orthodox faith. The youth should be given chances to reflect and act on
issues affecting their lives as youth in this country.
There must be proper coordination and mutual aid, and even true and
sincere brotherhood among our youth. Youth should be sensitized to
be aware that in a multireligious country like Uganda, there is a need,
without compromising their faith, for promoting Christian unity and for
positive relations with people of other faiths.
AN ACTION PLAN
At this point, it is imperative to say that the Orthodox Church in Uganda
depends on you, the youth. She needs you for the spreading of the faith
and serving the country. You are really the salt, the light, and the hope
of this great nation. Mind you, Orthodox Christianity is the pearl of Christianity. The Church’s dogmatic teaching, ethical and moral values,
and liturgical beauty are a treasure for humanity.
Therefore, the Church has to organize a strong youth for the
Archdiocese of Kampala with the HQs at St. Mina church, Nyimbwa.
Youth should strive to access and deepen their Orthodox faith so that it
becomes their driving force in their encounters, at all levels, and with
every challenge in life. Our youth should love both ecclesiastical and
secular education. In all our youth programs, there is a need for
education and training, retreats, camps, seminars, and publications. It is
equally necessary for our youth to love to embrace participation in
outreach missions on the basis of their professions and skills.
Youth should get involved actively in income-generating projects and in
the moral and socioeconomic transformation of Uganda. Our youth
should be prepared to assume leadership roles in both Church and
secular life. This entails courage, hard work, and the Orthodox faith.
The truth of the matter is that the Orthodox faith is a dynamic force
that unleashes human potentials by essentially freeing him/her for the
realistic creative capacity as a being created in the image and likeness
of God.