On Sunday 4 July 2010, two Ugandan Deacons were ordained as Catholic Priests for the Archdiocese of Kampala. Frs. John Ssemaganda and Simon Kitimbo completed their theological studies at the Seminary of the Good Shepherd, Sydney, Australia. They will return to Australia for a few years of pastoral work before returning to their native country.

Thirteen Australians – five priests, one religious, one seminarian and six lay people – were present for the ordinations which were performed by Cardinal Wamala – the retired Archbishop of Kampala. Their visit to the land blessed by the blood of the Ugandan martyrs was a true pilgrimage.

Below is an interview with the Rector of Good Shepherd Seminary, Father Anthony Percy, by Matthew Hodgson, a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Perth.

What are your impressions from this visit to Uganda?

Ugandans are clearly less well off than we are back home in Australia – at least on the material level. However, it is clear that their society – for all of the material poverty, which is confronting to say the least – is far richer than ours in many respects.

Their culture is an oral culture. It is an expressive culture. It is an extremely social culture. For all of these reasons, or so it seems to me, they are richly blessed.

In addition, they are profoundly religious people. I suspect that the current debate in Western countries about the existence of God – the atheism versus theism dialogue – would surprise many Ugandans. It might even shock them!

Winston Churchill once referred to Uganda as ‘the pearl of Africa.’ Having journeyed from Kampala city to the source of the Nile River during my time here I think I understand what he means. The country has a magnificent climate, plenty of water and abundant natural resources. But it is the people – the human resources, if you like – that is the real pearl on display.

I pray that they can continue to make progress socially and politically, for their recent history means that a lot of help – both human and divine – is required.

Why do you think the Archdiocese of Kampala is blessed with so many vocations?

You often hear the saying, ‘What went wrong?’ when disaster strikes. My impression on coming to Uganda is to ask, ‘What went right?’

They have an abundance of priestly and religious vocations. There are many young priests here – you struggle to find a priest with grey hair! Likewise, there are many women and men religious who again are very young and vibrant.

I have asked many of the priests here, including the Bishops and Cardinal Wamala, for the reasons for the plethora of vocations. The answers are varied, but all of them seem to blend together into a wonderful collage for God.

Among the reasons given are: the rise of indigenous clergy early in the 20th Century; local and inculturated seminaries; strong marriages and families; good catechesis both in schools and houses of formation; Pope John Paul II’s insistence on inculturation of faith; the excellent relationship between the lay people and the priests; the dynamic and powerful influence of the Ugandan martyrs; the unity of the Church in Uganda; the joy and happiness of the priests.

Well, of course the ‘litany’ could go on! Almost all respondents to my question have prefaced their remarks with the comment that it is not easy to know exactly why and point to the mysterious power of faith and witness.

Churchill referred to Uganda as ‘the pearl of Africa.’ Might we not also add that this ‘pearl’ or ‘treasure’ takes on the quality of ‘light’ when it comes to the Ugandan church? This would not be hyperbole.

For the experience of faith in this country is made so tangible when celebrating the Sacrifice of the Eucharist. We westerners might struggle with the time devoted to the celebration of Mass – the Ordination Rite took around three and half hours! – but the vibrancy of faith is welcome! I found the applause at the consecration, for instance, to be extremely moving, as I did the outpouring of piety through song, music and movement.

The Ugandans are first rate believers. They possess not just any old faith, but real, supernatural faith in the Trinitarian God who acts permanently and with subtlety in our lives.

What is clear to me now is that the Ugandan Church has not forgotten, for one minute, what the Ugandans martyrs accomplished in the years 1885-1887. The Ugandan Church has taken seriously Tertullian’s counsel, ‘The blood of martyrs is the seed of Christians.’

For instance, in the Archdiocese of Kampala the strategic plan takes the Ugandan martyrs as the prototypes for what they call ‘grassroots evangelisation.’ All of the martyrs were lay people and this is what inspires the Church now to face the challenges in the 21st Century. In Australia we would do well to re-read and re-live the life of Blessed Mary of the Cross, Mackillop, and use her example for ‘grassroots evangelisation.’ Hers was a spirituality deeply rooted in the Tradition – love for Christ present in the poor, especially outback school children, and in the Eucharist. She will be canonised by Pope Benedict XVI on 17th October 2010.

What effect will this visit have on you as you prepare to return to Australia?

One never knows exactly the answer to such a question until you really sit down and pray and reflect. However, two things come to mind immediately.

First, during my time here I was very struck with the way the Liturgy, through the daily readings at Mass, placed before us the scenes in the Gospel where Christ gives detailed instructions to his disciples and apostles about how they are to conduct themselves whilst on mission.

In the Gospel of Matthew and Luke, Christ ‘summons’ and ‘sends’ his disciples. He is centre stage, not us. So mission – spreading the good news of Christ – is not our work, but his and it is for this reason that Jesus makes it clear that we must ask him for the workers. ‘The harvest is rich, but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers into the harvest.’

These Gospel scenes and the experience of seeing many workers in the Lord’s vineyard here in Uganda has solidified my belief and firm conviction that if we want to see a further increase in vocations to priestly and religious life in Australia then we must implore the Lord.

Of course in some sense Ugandan and Australian society is like ‘chalk and cheese.’ I mentioned previously the material poverty in Uganda. Contrast this with the affluence of Australia. But there is another difference, too. Ugandan civil and ecclesial life is built on the foundation of marriage and family. In Australia we have suffered enormously from the break-up of marriage and the break-down of family. We simply don’t have the family life that breeds vocations as it does in Uganda.

However, God is God and we are his people. God is able to use any situation to fulfil his purposes. And so if we pray in the Spirit for the vocations that we so desperately need, then we are doing what the Lord has instructed us to do. And in praying for vocations, something else happens. We immediately raise awareness in the Church of the need for vocations to priestly and religious life.

Working closely with Cardinal Pell, the Archbishop of Sydney, has been a great blessing for me. I often hear him say to young people that ‘unless you step up to the mark we won’t have leaders to lead us in the future.’ He immediately adds, ‘thanks be to God that young people are offering themselves once again.’ This is true. For instance, the Cardinal just ordained the largest number of priests since 1983.

But it is barely enough for the needs of the Catholic faithful. So, praying and promoting vocations and doing the best job we can do in forming future priests is a key conviction from the pilgrimage to Uganda.

Second, I have been very impressed with the relationships between priests and people in Uganda. There is mutual love, affection and support between those in the ministerial priesthood and those who form the common priesthood – that is, between priest and people.

I tend to think that this is very important point for the Church in Australia since there has been some confusion in the life of the Church with respect to the vocation and function of both priest and people. Both are essential for the good governance and functioning of the Church and for the mission that Christ entrusts to us. It is a true ‘sign of the times’ when both priestly and lay vocation are respected and loved and when the two work together in harmony.

One of the retired Archbishop’s of Australia, Francis Carroll, used to say that the Second Vatican Council tried to move the Church away from being centred upon the Sacrament of Holy Orders to being rooted in the Sacrament of Baptism. This is entirely true.

However, some people misinterpreted this critical theological shift. They thought that what was intended was a reorientation away from priesthood to the lay state.  This has been unfortunate, since the Church has desired a renewal of ecclesial life based on the power of Christ’s death and resurrection made present through Baptism. This is true whether one happens to be a pope, bishop, priest, religious or lay person. All are called to the fullness of life in one’s chosen state. All are called to be saints.

So, the Ugandan experience has confirmed my conviction that we need priests – and lots of them. We need many, many lay people dedicated to passing on the faith in families and in society. And we need many, many religious men and women who make present the Church through their religious and communal life. Furthermore, we need amidst this diversity a profound unity between priests, people and religious so that the Kingdom of God can flourish in Australian society and within Asia and Oceania. Unity and diversity are essential for the mission Christ is entrusting to us. It is a key sign and symbol of the Trinitarian God – unity in diversity.

What will be the benefits/risks of having Fr Ssemaganda and Fr Kitimbo return to Australia for the initial years of their priestly ministry?

‘Nothing ventured, nothing gained.’ There are the ordinary risks associated with a calling from Christ. Christ is the one who takes the risk, so that is that. We should have no fear.

The benefits have already been significant. Both these men were colossal contributors to the life and culture of Good Shepherd Seminary, Sydney, Australia. I would imagine that they will make many young men think seriously about the priestly calling. They are full of faith, have a good sense of humour and a very deep spirit of service.  The people entrusted to their care will know they are loved.

They bring with them the spirit of the Ugandan Church. This will be no small gift to the Archdiocese of Sydney and the Church in Australia. I would hope, too, that they would be able to mobilise Africans who now live in Australia. This would be a wonderful thing for them to do.

Finally, when they return to Uganda they will have, I would imagine, some very clear insights regarding faith formation in an affluent society. Uganda will not remain materially poor forever. The country is simply too rich in human and natural resources for that to happen. Ugandans are too smart and energetic to accept the status quo.

Change inevitably brings chaos and challenge. Frs Ssemaganda and Kitimbo will, through their experience in Australia, have words of counsel for the path that the Church in Uganda will travel as the 21st Century unfolds.