{"id":7063,"date":"2021-10-13T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-10-13T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/combonimission.wpenginepowered.com\/?p=7063"},"modified":"2021-10-08T11:26:54","modified_gmt":"2021-10-08T10:26:54","slug":"uganda-mission-work-never-grows-old","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/combonimissionaries.co.uk\/index.php\/2021\/10\/13\/uganda-mission-work-never-grows-old\/","title":{"rendered":"Uganda: Mission Work Never Grows Old \u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Eighty-three-year-old Comboni Fr. Alberto Anichini is energized by his ministry in northern Uganda<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fr. Alberto Anichini\u2019s work in Uganda seemed to have concluded. While he recovered in Italy from years of medical complications due to a broken ankle, the 80-year-old Comboni longed to return to his mission field at least long enough to say a proper farewell to his people.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut the local and provincial superiors told me that they would never authorize a \u2018tourist\u2019 tour of Uganda,\u201d he says. \u201cThey told me, \u2018If you go, you will remain there!\u2019 They thought they would scare me. Instead, I jumped at the opportunity. I said YES!\u201d Fr. Alberto is humble about his work here. \u201cIt\u2019s nothing special, simply priestly ministry,\u201d he says, \u201cbut that\u2019s what the faithful want.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The more than 60 outpost chapels in the parish of Alenga in northern Uganda start filling up early in the morning. \u201cThe people are very religious, especially after the long lockdown,\u201d he said as restrictions began to ease. \u201cThey fill up the churches and chapels so much that after a few years we have to enlarge them or build bigger ones,\u201d he says. \u201cTheir liturgies last a long time and are filled with joyful songs and dances.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The coronavirus lockdowns were a blow to the people. The strict regulations meant that the priests could not travel to the outstations and even the main church was closed. The streaming Masses that had become routine in other parts of the world were simply not an option. \u201cMost of our people have no access to the internet,\u201d Fr. Alberto says.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As the rules eased this spring, the Masses resumed – with a few changes. \u201cWe divided the chapel areas into several smaller groups so there would be smaller groups of people and they could keep some distance between themselves. Even if we pray under a tree there is always soap and water at the entrance of the village and the priests and catechists wear masks and use hand sanitiser.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd besides, there is always plenty of air in the open spaces where we have Mass!\u201d Fr. Alberto fell in love with the people here and they love him, too. But it has not always been a smooth relationship. \u201cI would say that what always has struck me is their benevolence and tolerance toward me when perhaps I was kind of rude maybe unknowingly regarding their etiquette in relational behaviour,\u201d he confesses.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, in this region, it is common for women or girls to kneel when they are offering you an item or a service. If you are offered a drink in someone\u2019s home, they will kneel in front of you to deliver it. They will do this for anyone, male or female, but men and boys do not follow the same behaviour. \u201cWhen I protested with the women their answer was \u2018That is simply how we show good manners.\u2019 And they laugh when I object that the attitude creates the mentality of the inferiority of women,\u201d he says.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some other traditional practices, Fr. Alberto says, may seem outdated, but still have their value. Young men typically offer goods or money to their bride\u2019s family as part of the marriage arrangements. \u201cIt is a compensation for losing a valuable member of the clan,\u201d he says, \u201cand maybe serves as an incentive for the spouses to \u2018behave\u2019.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

These arrangements may seem unusual, but Fr. Alberto says, \u201cI think for the time being that it is a positive thing, especially when compared to how often marriages break up in our Western world, and how often women are mistreated or even killed.\u201d The practice seems to ensure that wives are respected and valued.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This respect seems to permeate the culture here. Elders are honoured and listened to and children are cherished. Sometimes it is a challenge for outsiders to get used to this standard of concern for others. \u201cFor instance,\u201d Fr. Alberto says, \u201cThey give you all their attention and time when you are their guest. I am not always able to reciprocate that; there are often too many things on my mind.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And the generosity of the people permeates every aspect of life. \u201cI have always marvelled at the way they express genuine joy when they can offer you something, be it a chicken or some produce from their fields. The most joyous moment of the Eucharistic celebration is the offertorial procession,\u201d Fr. Alberto says.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Mission work here has its challenges as well. \u201cPerhaps spiritual growth is the most important challenge for our people. Our contact with them is too sporadic and too fleeting to touch them deeply. Though the most important theme of my preaching is the unconditional love of God for us, we rarely have time for a deep exchange and dialogue.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUntil the Covid lockdown stopped it, at least the monthly gatherings of the charismatic movement gave a lot of people the occasion for a deeper encounter with God. I marvel at how even young people or children enjoyed silent prayer as well as the loud singing and clapping that go with such meetings.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe people here are naturally spiritual and we should do more to foster this deep vein of their soul. I think that a well-prepared team of religious and laypeople could do wonders in this field, especially in helping to empower our people to make an impact in the social, political, and environmental fields. \u201cWe have made a start,\u201d he says, \u201cbut I must confess that I am a bit of an amateur in those fields. We need experts to help the people help themselves.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Eighty-three-year-old Comboni Fr. Alberto Anichini is energized by his ministry in northern Uganda \u00a0 Fr. Alberto Anichini\u2019s work in Uganda seemed to have concluded. While he recovered in Italy from years of medical complications due to a broken ankle, the 80-year-old Comboni longed to return to his mission field at least long enough to say […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7064,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7063","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/combonimissionaries.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7063","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/combonimissionaries.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/combonimissionaries.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/combonimissionaries.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/combonimissionaries.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7063"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/combonimissionaries.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7063\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/combonimissionaries.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7064"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/combonimissionaries.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7063"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/combonimissionaries.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7063"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/combonimissionaries.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7063"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}