Catholic Church promises to hold free weddings for youth
President Museveni commissions the redevelopment of Namugongo Catholic shrine on Sunday. Right is Archbishop Kizito Lwanga. PHOTO BY STEPHEN WANDERA
What you need to know:
Reason. Church says move is intended to stop the rising cases of cohabitation.
Kampala. The Catholic Church will on Easter Monday next year conduct mass weddings for cohabiting couples, Archbishop Kizito Lwanga has said.
Speaking at the closure of the National Catholic Youth Conference at Namugongo shrine on Sunday, Archbishop Lwanga expressed concern that many youth give different reasons for not having their marriages blessed by the church.
“Many youth are married somehow and they even have children. Some say they are still searching. Others say we are still trying if it can work out. This is totally wrong. Since we are promoting the family, I will be making pilgrimages on Easter Monday to bless these marriages,” he said.
The archbishop said once the marriages are successful, the day will be reserved on the church calendar.
President Museveni, who was the chief guest, urged youth not to consume alcohol and instead help their parents to shift from subsistence to commercial farming.
The archbishop asked the President to consider paying land rent arrears for government agencies that occupy church land. “I am going to cross check and if this money is there, it will be paid to be used for redevelopment of Namugongo shrines,” Mr Museveni said.
He also said the government is to tarmac the road from Kireka through Namugongo to Mukono District.
