Kabale Diocese opened the Holy Door of Our Lady of Good Shepherd Rushoroza Cathedral on Sunday, January 5, 2025 by Rt. Rev. Callist Rubaramira, thereby inaugurating and opening the Jubilee Year 2025 in the Diocese.
The celebration was preceded by distribution of the Jubilee Prayer in Runyankore- Rukiga and Rufumbira to the Christians who had gathered nearby the Cathedral at St. Maria Theresa Primary School Rushoroza as they waited for the Principal Door of the Cathedral to be opened.
This was followed by reading part of the Bull of indiction of the Jubilee Year 2025 as was announced to the universal Church by Pope Francis. According to Pope Francis on “Spes Non Confundit”, Bull of Indiction of the Ordinary Jubilee year 2025, since hope does not disappoint (Romans 5:5), it is an enduring and indomitable force and suggests that, even in the face of challenges, despair, or uncertainty, the human spirit retains the capacity to aspire for better days.Part of the Bull reads:
“Hope does not disappoint” (Rom 5:5). In the spirit of hope, the Apostle Paul addressed these words of encouragement to the Christian community of Rome. Hope is also the central message of the coming Jubilee that, in accordance with an ancient tradition, the Pope proclaims every twenty-five years. My thoughts turn to all those pilgrims of hope who will travel to Rome in order to experience the Holy Year and to all those others who, though unable to visit the City of the Apostles Peter and Paul, will celebrate it in their local Churches. For everyone, may the Jubilee be a moment of genuine, personal encounter with the Lord Jesus, the “door” (Jn 10:7.9) of our salvation, whom the Church is charged to proclaim always, everywhere and to all as “our hope” (1 Tim 1:1). Everyone knows what it is to hope. In the heart of each person, hope dwells as the desire and expectation of good things to come, despite our not knowing what the future may bring. Even so, uncertainty about the future may at times give rise to conflicting feelings, ranging from confident trust to apprehensiveness, from serenity to anxiety, from firm conviction to hesitation and doubt. Often we come across people who are discouraged, pessimistic and cynical about the future, as if nothing could possibly bring them happiness. For all of us, may the Jubilee be an opportunity to be renewed in hope. God’s word helps us find reasons for that hope.
Bishop Rubaramira explained that the Diocese had started the Jubilee Year under the theme “Pilgrims of Hope.” with the aim of restoring hope to a world grappling with war, climate change, and the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, natural calamities among others. Universally, Pope Francis inaugurated the Jubilee Year on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2024, as he opened the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
Traditionally, the Catholic Church celebrates a Jubilee/Holy Year after every 25 years thereby granting the faithful an opportunity to make pilgrimage to holy sites with a call to prayer, performance of the acts of mercy, proper disposition for the reception of sacraments among others.
After a brief explanation on the Jubilee Year, Bishop Callist Rubaramira led the procession to the entrance of Rushoroza Cathedral where he opened the Principal Door of the Cathedral thereby pronouncing it a Holy Door. before presiding over Mass to celebrate the Feast of Epiphany of the Lord. The Bishop told the faithful that opening the Principal Door of the Cathedral wais a sign that the Kingdom of God is fully opened to everybody regardless of who they are as we are all ”Pilgrims of Hope.” after opening the principal door, the Bishop led the faithful into the cathedral in procession with the cross. The Cross was placed at the foot of the altar and will remain there for the rest of the year, a call that we need to adhere to God’s call everyday.
In his homily during Mass, Bishop Rubaramira emphasized that the Jubilee Year is a time for Christians to renew their relationship with God, one another, and creation. He highlighted the importance of sharing the hope of the Christian faith with the world and urged Christians across the diocese to prioritize Jesus Christ in their lives during the Jubilee Year. He said that the Wise Men guided by the Star to visit Baby Jesus represent each one of us and everyone who is searching for God and he will give an entry point to everyone searching for him. He urged Christians to accept the light of Christ and his gifts in our lives because they are meant for our good. ”Let the light of Christ penetrate through you and be reflected in others.” remarked Bishop Callist.
Speaking at the function, Kabale Municipality Member of Parliament, Hon. Nicholas Kamara, cautioned the youth against drug abuse, gambling, and other vices that jeopardize their future. He commended the Church for partnering with the government to promote good morals among young people. He said that Uganda’s demographic dividends indicate that there are many youths and if trained with life skills, they can facilitate Development in a short period of time, but this should come about when they desist from drug abuse and gambling because there are no visible examples of people who have succeeded through such activities.
The guest of honor, Kabale District Woman Member of Parliament, Hon. Catheline Atwakiire Ndamira, encouraged parents to work hard and prioritize the education of their children despite the challenges posed by household poverty. She appealed to the youths to engage in different opportunities and earn money and support their parents in paying for them school fees. “Work hard and support your Parents’ efforts of Educating you,” said Hon. Catherine Ndamira as she recounted how she used to remain at school and work during holidays to get money to support her education.
Kabale Diocese has prepared a number of activities during this Jubilee Year including the opening of Principal Doors of the other six Deanery Churches of the Diocese (Makiro, Mutolere, Nyakibale, Kitanga, Bukinda and Rubanda) so that Christians make pilgrimages to these Deanery Churches, making pilgrimages to Kibeho, Munyonyo/Namugongo and Rome in Italy, visiting the sick in Hospitals and prisoners and doing charity to them among others. The jubilee Year will be closed in Kabale Diocese on November 30, 2025 by closing the Holy Door of Rushoroza Cathedral while Pope Francis will close the Jubilee Year universally on January 6, 2026 by closing the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.