The Catholic Church in Uganda Celebrated 57th World Communications Day on Sunday, May 14, 2023 hosted by the Ecclesiastical Province of Kampala. Mass for the celebration held at Rubaga Cathedral with Mass presided over by His Grace. Paul Ssemogerere, Archbishop of Kampala Archdiocese. The celebration was under the theme: “Speaking with the Heart, the Truth in Love” extracted from Ephesians 4:15 as given by Pope Francis. In his homily, Archbishop Ssemogerere thanked all those involved in the work of evangelization. He thanked the different media houses (radios, Televisions, online platforms, Print media) and urged them to continue speaking to the heart of the listener, viewer and reader. He pointed out that it was the time to reflect on the motto of Uganda (For God and my Country) where some people earn by abusing others and spreading propaganda. There is a trend of violence against journalists while on duty and that without genuine communication, there comes miscommunication and falsity.
The Deputy Speaker of Ugandan Parliament, Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa challenged catholic Communicators and the Catholic Church in general to fight against hate speech. “When you speak from the heart, you say the truth, but outside the heart it is fiction”, said Tayebwa. He called on people to always be mindful of the words they speak and the impact they can have on their fellows. He gave an example of destroying somebody publicly and then apologizing to him/her in private. He also said that some people today earn a living in tarnishing other people’s name and image, to the extent that they are even paid not to speak about some people.
Rt. Rev. Joseph Franzelli, Bishop Emeritus of Lira Diocese and Chairman of Social Communication Commission, Uganda Episcopal Conference pointed out that what was being celebrated was started by God when he sent his son into the world. Leaders are supposed to listen to the views of the people. He appealed to the Ugandan Parliament and the government in general to listen to the heart and speak the truth in charity. Some journalists are brutalized while on duty and so the bishop called for respect the right of journalists. He called on the government to work together with the Catholic Church.
Among the present guests and other religious leaders was the Apostolic Nuncio Emeritus to Beligium Archbishop Augustine Kasujja, media and communications representatives from all Dioceses in Uganda under the four Archdiocese in Uganda namely Kampala , Mbarara, Gulu and Tororo. Bishop Franzelli handed the tools of communication (drum and cross) to the Ecclesiastical Province of Gulu, particularly Arua Diocese as the hosts of 58th World Communications Day in May 2024.
