UGANDA: Treat Refugees and Migrants with Charitable Heart: Bishop Franzilli Asked
Masereka Peter
The Chairperson for Uganda Episcopal Conference’s Communication Commission, Bishop Joseph Franzelli has warned the public against materialism and putting personal interests before the rights of the refugees and migrants.
Bishop Franzelli who described refugees as part of God’s family who needs special attention and care has asked the media fraternity to desist from negative, instead, to report about individuals who are using refugees and migrants as means for their material and monetary gains.
In his homily while presiding over Mass on the third day of the training for Catholic Journalist, Media professionals and civil society on the effective and efficient reporting on migrants and refugees on 12 June, Bishop Franzelli who is also the Bishop Emeritus of Lira tasked journalist to educate the public on the right of refugees as well as exposing those involving in swindling money and materials aim to help them.
Bishop Franzelli asked the community to welcome refugees with an open heart when they come and preach to the love of God through action and helping them to adopt in the new environment.
In his speech, Rt. Rev. Emmanuel Badejo, the President of Pan African Episcopal Committee for Communication and who also the Bishop of Oyo Diocese in Nigeria asked the Catholic journalists to bridge a gap between them and church in delivering trust information about the refugee for the Church also to intervene.
Bishop Badejo has asked the Catholic journalist fraternity to make extra effort to know the global agreements and the legal aspects governing the migrants and refugee for them to overcome double standards in their reporting.
He commended the Church media in Africa which is a resource that can help the Church increase awareness about migrants and refugee in their respective countries
Mr. Charles Bafaki from the commission for refugees in the office of the Uganda’s Prime Minister asked the stakeholders to advocate for good policies governing refugee and migrants, calling on the Catholic journalist to act as their mouth piece in creating awareness.
Msgr. Felix Durali, who represented the Bishop of Arua Diocese Rt. Rev. Sabino Ocan Odoki said the diocese is hosting over one million refugees from South Sudan and DR Congo so much that the Ordinary has appointed a committee responsible for refugees and opened a church for a more robust spiritual ministry.
He said that the diocese has also offered part of church land as resettlement centre with the help of missionary congregations.
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