The Observer – “If someone tells you that they went away from your church because it was boring and that they are now born-again, tell them you stayed and are a proud ‘bored-again Catholic’. Because we are going to repeat the same mass tomorrow and the other day and again and again,” those were the closing remarks of Msgr John Wynand Katende while leading the eight o’clock mass at Uganda Martyrs Basilica Namugongo on Easter Sunday.
On a day where most religious leaders preached against the increasing lawlessness and corruption in the country, Msgr Katende, tackled the root cause: diminishing faith.
In a 12-minute sermon, Katende noted that despite sprouting churches and thus increasing numbers of Christians, the “true Christians” are becoming very few.
Citing the letter of St Paul to Corinthians warning them against looking for earthly wealth but, instead, crave heavenly blessings, Katende told congregants to be aware of the many so-called men of God that carry self-appointed titles preaching prosperity instead of faith in God.
He said because people are desperate and impatient, many have run away from traditional churches to these pastors. He, however, said defectors would not force the church to change its ways.
“These people are running away from the cross that bears Jesus’ body to go and worship empty crosses. That is not true Christianity!” an angry Katende said. “Bearing the cross is a permanent endeavour. By becoming man, God started the burden of bearing the cross. And he was persecuted from his birth in [a manger] to his crucifixion…He still carries the cross by doing his priestly role of interceding for us.”
Katende, however, castigated some preachers who have turned the ‘way of the cross’ into some sort of exhibition when they move around Kampala streets atop cars with a small cross without Jesus’ body.
“Those are looking for prosperity. But St Mother Teresa of Calcuta says ‘God did not call me to be successful, but to be faithful’,” he said. “When Jesus said ‘this is my body and blood, eat and drink of it’, some people misinterpreted and ran away from him. But he said I will not change because of you. So, we (Catholics) will also not change because of numbers. Jesus wants the faithful. Those willing to carry the cross forever.”
Katende did not spare the Charismatic Catholics too, warning that the church was not going to change its traditions to please a few individuals who complain of the monotony in Catholic worship.
Without referring to Charismatics directly, he said some Catholics go into mass and start jumping and dancing.
“Dancing!? That is hopeless. That is not a Catholic mass! A mass is for contemplation…we are not here for miracles or giving money to the priest or pastor,” he said.
This article was originally published by the Observer (April 20, 2017).
