Bible Apostolate:
The Bible Apostolate in Hoima Diocese, aims at helping catholics to increasingly find in the Holy Bible a (companion for life) (Third Plenary Assembly: World Catholic Federation for Bible Apostolate 1984).
Before the Encyclical DIVINO AFFLANTE SPIRITO, catholics were content with simply listening to bible texts read during Mass; while the Protestants read the bible with individual interpretations. The Catholic Church teaches that the people of God are guided by the Sacred Tradition, the teaching authority of the church and Holy scriptures (D.V. 21). The Protestant reformers in the sixteenth century (for example, Martin Luther), agreed that Holy Scripture is source of truth, but denied the authority of Church Leadership to explain thst truth.
The community of believers needs both the Bible and its special interpreters (biblical exegetes). Starting with Vatican II the Catholic Church stresses the need for each believer to read the Word of God.
GOAL: Each Catholic should have a personal copy of the Bible, read it and use it appropriately for prayer, meditation and Spiritual growth.
ASPIRATIONS
- In order to achieve the aim and objectives of the Bible Apostolate:-
- The Bible translated in the local language should be available in bookshops and book-stalls, in parish canteens and through individual sellers.
- The clergy, religious, catechists, and lay leaders should encourage their people to possess personal copies of the Bible.
- Catholic biblists and liturgists should conduct Bible courses, and at the same time help God's people to understand how God's message applies to different areas of life.
- The work of the reviewing and printing the Old Testament in Runyoro/Rutooro be accelerated so as to enable christians to have a complete Bible.
- A full time Diocesan Bible Apostolate Committee be established.
- The Diocese should find ways of availing funds for the Bible Apostolate publications.
- The Training of Bible animators should be done so as to help others to read, to listen and live the Word of God, to point out relevant topics for homilies, expose the prominence of the Bible in liturgy and para-liturgical functions in the home.
- Catholics of this Diocese should give due respect to the Bible in all circumstances.
- Every student, pupil and catechurnen should have a personal Bible for; study and prayer.
- Children's Bible in Runyoro be printed.
Vocations:
VOCATIONS TO PRIESTLY AND RELIGIOUS LIFE
A Vocation is understood not only in the sense of a (call) but also as a particular way of serving God and His people. It is a call to every baptized christian to share in the prophetic office of Christ, giving witness to Him by constantly working for the sanctification of the Church. (The duty of fostering vocations falls on the whole Christian Community, and they should discharge it principally by living full Christian lives) (O.T.2).
GOAL: That Vocations Committee (Ekitebe kya Seminario n'Obunyadiini) be formed right from S.C.C. level to the parish level. The Director of Vocations will guide and coordinate the activities of the communities.
CATECHISTS IN THE PASTORAL LIFE OF THE CHURCH
Catechists have proved to be indispensable in the establishment of the church in Mission lands as John Paul II asserts: (Churches which are flourishing today, would not have been built up without them) (CT 66).
Although by Catechists, we generally refer to all who participate in catechetical ministry, i.e. making God known, namely: Christ, the Church, the Holy Spirit, Bishops and Clergy, and even the Faithful, in particular we refer to those lay Christians called by God and chosen from within the communities of believers to be Spiritual leaders. Those whom the Council Fathers called "The Powerful Co-workers of the Priestly order" (A.G. 17).
These play a big role with diversity of functions, pastoral, liturgical, sacramental, teaching and preaching.
It is due to their indispensability that the Church stresses the need to train them for more efficiency (G.C.D. 115 and A.G. 17). Most of the Catechists in Hoima diocese are trained at Mugalike C.T.C. and many who have gone through it are doing a good job.
THE CATECHUMENATE
The Catechumenate is the school of people aspiring to live the christian Faith. These aspirants arc called catechumens. The first form of catechumenate, appeared after the first Pentecost. It consisted of two stages:
• KERYGMATIC ANNOUNCEMENT: the proclamation of the risen Christ, stimulating faith and leading to conversation (Act 2:14-36)
• EVANGELIZATION: the consolidation of the growing faith, given through more elaborate Christo-Centric instruction (Act 2: 38-40). It helped the candidate to prepare himself /herself for baptism. According to Hyppolitus it is at this stage that the candidate was strictly called a catechumen, or Electus, (Omuronde), (Akomerwemu). In 1878, Cardinal Lavigerie emphasized the necessity of establishing systematic catechumenates in the missionary lands where the Missionaries of Africa were being sent. Vatican II does the same (S.C. 64).
Social Communications:
Communication with fellow human beings is among the basic needs in our life; and it is uniquely a human quality. The aim of any good communication is to inform, educate·,entertain and promote integral development. As such, communication is an important means to the development of humanity in as much as it promotes development socially, culturally, technically, intellectually, morally, spiritually and physically.
The Church calls our attention to the use of the means of Social Communication (Inter Mirifica, 1). (The latest media of Social Communication is indisputable means for evangelization, and for enlightening the minds and hearts of man) (cfr. Communio et Progression. 123; n. 162). We are encouraged to glorify the Lord's name by modern inventions as it was in the former times by the master pieces of art for (Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, and for ever) (Heb. 13:18).
GOAL: Set up a practical self-sustained communication network through the diocese.
OUR ASPIRATIONS
- That our communication office be strengthened by employing trained personnel who are skilled and competent.
- That there should be a well set-up organization of mass media communication right from the Diocesan level through the parishes to the smallest basic christian communities in order to cater for the pre-requisites of mass communication in the whole diocese.
- There should be money generating projects locally run by the diocese to cater for·the department of Social Communication; grants from donor agencies should be planned for.
- A diocesan Printing Press which should help us to reinforce the activities of communication for various departments in our Diocese is highly recommended.
- To co-ordinate such an important apostolate, transport facilities should be available for the department.
- The office be well equipped with useful assets such as a hall, darkroom for photo-processing, audio-studios, Radio-Calls and Telephone, Cinema and Video facilities.
- We suggest that priests and certain knowledgeable people be more serviceable to the mass media to combat ignorance and spread the gospel.
- There should be a person in-charge of Social Communication at all levels of the community.
- Each parish should set up Book Centre to sell reading materials.
Ecumenism:
Ecumenism is a word that today is used to indicate the various efforts to restore the fullness of unity of all christians in the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church, and consequently it carries with it overtones of sympathy towards the separated brethren and towards unitive efforts.
Ecumenism is an inter-religious and interpersonal practical theological dialogue of people who accept Jesus Christ in faith as their Lord and Master, seeking common faith and unity in Him.
Certainly, christian divisions are evil, scandalous, they openly contradict the will of Christ, and damage that most holy cause, the preaching of the gospel to every creature (cfr. Vat. 11, U.R. No. 1; A.G. No. 6).