UGANDA: World Youth Day: An Opportunity for Youths to Build Rapport, says National Youth Chaplain.
Rev Fr Benedict Mugerwa, the National Youth Chaplain Uganda Episcopal Conference
Fr Isaac Ojok
Preparations are in high gear among the Catholic Youths in Uganda to go and participate in the celebrations of the World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon –Portugal, early August 2023.
The preparations according to the report started with the registration of members especially young people who are willing to go and be part of the event that is expected to draw many participants from different countries across the globe.
In an exclusive interview with AMECEA Online correspondent, Rev. Fr. Benedict Mugerwa the National Youth Chaplain disclosed that so far, 67 participants and 16 volunteers who have registered will be going but the number could be higher because other participants from other dioceses are still expressing willingness to go for the world youth day in Portugal.
Fr. Mugerwa noted that the youths and other animators who are working with the young people and chaplains are going to be part of the World Youth day in Lisbon-Portugal.
He said, the forth coming World youth day is opportunity for the young people to interact and build rapports with other brothers and sisters from other continents for the good of their future.
According to Fr Mugerwa, this is the very first time that volunteers from Uganda are also going to assist in the preparations to ensure success of the event.
This year’s World Youth Day is going to take place from 1st to 6th August 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal, under the theme, “Mary arose and went with haste” taken from Gospel according to St Luke 1: 39.
While making a short reflection on the theme, Fr Mugerwa noted that the story of Mary visiting her cousin Elizabeth is truly a gesture of concern for one another especially people we share our lives with in our homes and communities at large.
The last World Youth Day before the Covid-19 pandemic was held in Panama-Central America.
At the moment even though the preparations are ongoing, Fr Mugerwa in his message encouraged the young people to develop a culture of saving to enable them also better their livelihoods in their vicinities.
He said many times young people don’t plan for their lives and thus causing panic and confusion in their lives and at the same time limiting their participation in church activities.
The National youth Chaplain further disclosed that it is timely for the young people in the country to embrace some lucrative activities, to enable them fight house hold poverty, boost food security and their livelihoods among others.
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