AFRICA-EUROPE FAITH AND JUSTICE NETWORK
RESEAU FOI ET JUSTICE AFRIQUE-EUROPE

174, rue Joseph II
B-1000 Bruxelles - Belgique
Tel. 32-2 234 6810 Fax 32-2 231 1413
aefjn@aefjn.org http://www.aefjn.org

UGANDA ANTENNA

FAITH AND JUSTICE NEWSLETTER
Issue no 23 - July 2005

TRAINING OF TRAINERS for Advocacy
Major Superiors and Religious involved in JPIC work are invited to attend the next TOT which will take place at
Namugongo Spiritual Formation Centre
from Aug. 14th (date of arrival)
to Aug. 18th (noon).
1st day: Understanding advocacy
with Ms Charlotte Mwesigye of UJCC
2nd day: Education and advocacy.
3rd day: Authority and Advocacy.
4th day: Freedom. With a team made of
Carla Broggi
Kizito Omala, Makerere
Robert Omita, Principal Welfare Officer, Uganda Prison Service

ARU Branches up-date:
Kampala-Entebbe:
New Branch Leader: Fr.Max D'Silva, OFM Cap.
Seminar at Kisubi Marianum Press on Saturday July 16th .

Mbarara:
New Branch Leader: Sr.Mary Jovita Kemirembe, OLGC
Seminar at Poor Clare Monastery in October

JPIC Meetings: Core group: August 13th , 9.30 a.m., at Lourdel House. Full Commission: September 17th, 9.30 a.m., at ARU Secretariat.

Sr. Begoña Inarra MSOLA announced her leaving the AMECEA Justice and Peace Desk.: she is now participating in the General Chapter of her Congregation in Rome, and will be taking another post, hopefully here in our Region. We thank you Begonia for reminding us of the global picture in the struggle for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation.
The new Coordinator is Fr.James J. Waweru

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A legacy from Pope John Paul II
Can we not make this Year of the Eucharist an occasion for diocesan and parish communities to commit themselves in a particular way to responding with fraternal solicitude to one of the many forms of poverty present in our world? I think for example of the tragedy of hunger which plagues hundreds of millions of human beings, the diseases which afflict the developing countries, the loneliness of the elderly, the hardships faced by the unemployed, the struggles of immigrants. These are evils which are present-albeit to a different degree-even in areas of immense wealth. We cannot delude ourselves: by our mutual love, and in particular, by our concern for those in need we will be recognized as true followers of Christ. This will be the criterion by which the authenticity of our Eucharistic celebrations is judged. (#28)

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CALLED TO BE A GOOD SAMARITAN

Some of the main points of the Message of the AMECEA Bishops at the end of their meeting of June 4-11.
4.0 Holistic Care for All
The Church, in her evangelising mission is called to the demands of the Gospel and to offer pastoral care to people living with HIV/AIDS. However we see a more holistic care as a great need in the context of immense suffering of our people. Holistic care designates complete and integrated response to the needs of a human person ranging from spiritual, physical, psychological, social and material. This care is to be given both to the sick in our communities and those in hospitals including members of the clergy and religious who are living with HIV/AIDS.

9.0 Integral Sexuality
Sexuality is a precious gift from God our Creator to every man and woman. We are therefore called to honour it, respect it, and use it according to God's commandment and the teaching of the Church.

13.0 New Policies in our Church
We commit ourselves to formulating new policies in our evangelisation so that the challenge of HIV/AIDS is focused-on and mainstreamed in all activities to enhance the holistic approach.

· We fully adopt the Plan of Action of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), for our AMECEA region, in responding to the HIV/AIDS challenge (Cf. SECAM, The Church in Africa in the face of the HIV/AIDS Pandemic, 2003, #IV).
· The main points of this Plan of action are the following (a summary):
-.Strengthen the medical services of the Church
-.Work in partnership with other stakeholders:
other religions, Civil society, NGO's,
Governments,…
-.Support people affected with HIV/AIDS, and
fight against all forms of stigma and
discrimination.
-.Develop educational programs at all levels
-.Train pastoral agents in skills needed to
accompany people affected by HIV/AIDS,
be they patients or relatives (widows, widowers,
orphans)

Are we, Pastoral Agents, keen on learning those skills?

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MAKE POVERTY HISTORY

We are asked to be aware of and pray for the leaders of the world that they may take decisions which will be in favour of Highly Indebted Countries and help them to develop out of poverty, suffering and violence. The forthcoming meetings are:

· The G-8 Summit will take place July 6-8 in Edinburgh, Scotland, where leaders of the world's wealthiest countries will meet to discuss global economic challenges;

· On September 14-16 at a special high-level session of the United Nations General Assembly, heads of states and governments will evaluate progress toward meeting the goals set forth in the Millennium Declaration;

· The Sixth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) will meet in Hong Kong December 13-18 to discuss international trade regulations and standards.
Already the Media and various organizations have demonstrated their opposition to a uncontrolled liberal economic policy. Perhaps some of us did send letters to the G8 leaders to remind them of the concern of people in Africa, and especially Uganda.
It is highly significant for us that these events take place during this Eucharistic Year. In his apostolic letter, Mane Nobiscum Domine, John Paul II said: This will be the criterion by which the authenticity of our Eucharistic celebrations is judged.

As a follow up on the Global Week of Action (April 10-16) remember? We are invited to participate to a

Global Mass Lobby for Trade Justice

October 19-20: Geneva WTO mobilization
November 8: Brussels lobby
We can support the activists who will converge on these places by our prayers and our interest.
In our planned JPIC meetings we shall try to look for ways of lobbying in Uganda.

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