The Archbishop, the Most Rev. Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, has urged Christians in the Acholi Sub-region to stop allowing the painful memories of past wars and hardships to hinder their growth and development.
Archbishop Kaziimba made the call on Sunday while delivering a sermon at St. Philip’s Cathedral in Gulu City during a farewell service organised by the Northern Uganda Diocese ahead of his retirement from active service.
The archbishop, who is set to retire in August 2027 after clocking the mandatory retirement age of 65, based his sermon on Philippians 3:13, where the Apostle Paul speaks of “forgetting those things which are behind” and reaching forward to what lies ahead.
Archbishop Kaziimba said the people of Acholi Subregion have experienced “nasty” moments, including the loss of loved ones during years of past conflicts, but stressed that such experiences should not define their future.
He noted that such painful memories should not become a permanent barrier to progress for the community in the Sub-region.
“When you remember it (the wars), you remember your people who were killed. You remember your people who were beheaded. It is really easier to be stuck, but the calling is that was history; that is not the end of it, and we can move on, said Archbishop Kaziimba.
Archbishop Kaziimba encouraged Christians to acknowledge their past while refusing to remain trapped by past failures, mistakes, shame and sufferings.
“History is your place of learning, not your place of living. It should be a point of reference, not a point of residence,” Kaziimba said.
He urged Christians to embrace hope, look forward, and believe that better opportunities lie ahead despite their troubled history.
“God is calling us; we should release the past, with its pain, wars, poverty, challenges, ignorance, killings, and now embrace the present, of peace, loving one another, forgiving one another, working with each other, and supporting one another,” he said.
On his upcoming retirement, Archbishop Kaziimba said that when the time approaches, he will still continue preaching the word of God, but through sports evangelism to inspire the youth.
Rtd Bishop of Northern Uganda Rt Rev Nelson Onono-Onweng, in his message, told Archbishop Kaziimba to carry on with the work of God, arguing that there isn’t retirement in doing the work of God.
He gave examples of Moses and Caleb in the Bible who were 80 years and 85 years, respectively, but were called by God to deliver suffering people without hesitating.
“By grace, God is calling you to start what you should have done at the age of 40; do it now. You are going to start a new job,” said Rev Onono-Onweng.
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) party Secretary General Richard Todwong, who was the chief guest at the event, lauded the prelate for his pastoral work and administration that has steered the Church of Uganda.
He particularly praised Kaziimba for working closely with the government in ensuring government programmes are implemented effectively interms of fighting poverty, immunization, hygiene, education, among other.
Todwong noted that the relationship between the church, government and cultural institutions is a symbiotic relationship in which if one isn’t well aligned, the effects are immediately felt by the locals.
“Man by nature is spiritual, material, political, and cultural. These structural interest of man requires builders who are the church, government, and cultural institutions,” he said.
The farewell ceremony attracted hundreds of faithful, including local government leaders, legislators, cultural and religious leaders from various denominations, and security personnel.
Archbishop Kaziimba was consecrated as the ninth Archbishop of the Church of Uganda on March 1, 2020, and will retire after serving for seven and a half years.