Work hard on earth to enjoy life, Museveni tells faithful

President Museveni has reminded the Catholic Church, among other religious faiths, about the obligations of the individual members in fighting household poverty without compromising their faith.

Citing the different poverty fight plans, health and education interventions that several of the faith-based organisations are executing across the country, Mr Museveni said individual Church members have material needs that can only be achieved through hard work.

“Prayer and fasting are not bad but should be accompanied by hard work through selected poverty fight projects that generate income to meet the material needs of the individual Church members. The original works of the missionaries that we are celebrating laid a good foundation for transforming livelihoods of the people,” he said in his message delivered by Energy and Mineral Development minister Ruth Nankabirwa at the 125 anniversary celebrations for Nandere Catholic Parish in Luweero District at the weekend.

Unlike some of the teachings that rally the faithful to fast and pray to get out of poverty, particular faith organisations are now encouraging their respective members to start-up income projects at household level.

“For Christians, Jesus Christ earned bread from work when he helped out with work at his father [Joseph] carpentry business. Jesus was not just a bystander as people worked but got involved in productive work. Our respective religious faith should not bind you to poverty. You have already shown our people that they must work on earth, live a good life before they go to heaven,’’ the President further informed the faithful and guests that turned up for the celebrations.

Buganda Kingdom prime minister (Katikkiro) Charles Peter Mayiga urged the Catholic faithful to use the event to foster different development projects, with emphasis on home income generation projects to fight household poverty.

“This year’s theme is a foresighted approach that exhibits maturity in countering the different life challenges, including poverty. You have built the schools, health units and you are into conservation. The ability for our people to have income generation projects will complement the service delivery programs,” Mr Mayiga said.

The occasion was marked under the theme “Let us celebrate with faith in Action’’.

“The Bishop of Kasana Luweero Diocese, Lawrence Mukasa, is busy encouraging the faithful to grow more coffee through the ‘Emwannyi terimba’ programme. His message complements the Buganda Kingdom poverty alleviation plan that targets improved household income generation through the coffee crop,’’ the Katikiro added.

This year’s Quasquicentennial celebrations, according to Bishop Mukasa, are a revelation of the great evangelism journey that targets better livelihoods of the faithful.

“Nandere Hill has what it takes for one to live a changed life. We have the schools, health unit, the conservation projects and farming programme where our people can borrow a leaf to start up income generating projects. The land at Nandere donated by the Kabaka of Buganda at Nandere Hill has not been put to waste. The parishioners have a point to celebrate the great achievements,’’ he said.

Nandere parish is among the 21 parishes that constitute Kasana Luweero Diocese. While the Diocese was founded in 1996 under its pioneer Bishop Dr Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, the parish is currently an epitome of nature conservation through the vast forest conservation programme and model farming projects under the Bethany Land Institute.

The White Fathers led by the pioneer Rev Fr Pere Antoine Grange in 1899 started their missionary work at Nandere Hill after relocating from Rubaga to further their missionary work.

Nandere Parish hosts the Minor Nandere Seminary, the St Kizito Waluleta pilgrim and religious tourism site, Bethany land Institute, a secondary school and nine primary schools under Kasana Luweero Diocese.