Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Arua (Fides Service)- “The Year of the Eucharist has been lived intensely here in Arua” said Italian Comboni missionary Father Tonino Pasoline, director of Radio Pacis in the diocese of Arua, northern Uganda. “In fact for Catholics spread widely over a vast area in the region the Eucharist felt keenly as a source of unity”.
“Every parish community of between 1.500 and 2,000 Catholics has at least twenty small chapels. Every chapel has its tabernacle with the Blessed Sacrament and we have had adoration and other initiatives all through the Year. Since we missionaries and the local clergy are too few to celebrate Mass every Sunday in every chapel, special ministers of the Eucharist lead the Liturgy of the Word and distribute Communion. This year they have also organised hours of Adoration. We clergy make sure that Mass and the Sacraments are celebrated at least once a month in each of the chapels”.
“The special ministers of the Eucharist are catechists who have had the appropriate training: a 2 year course in theology at our diocesan centre” said. Tonino. “Formation for the laity is a priority: catechists must take a least a year of theology courses”.
“Another priority is prayer for vocations. We need more priests and we pray to the Lord to call some of the catechists or special ministers to the religious or priestly life” said Fr. Tonino.
“Thanks to these many little chapels the people have been able to celebrate the Year of the Eucharist with processions and hours of adoration” the missionary said. “Parishes are now preparing special celebration to close the year, Catholics will come from near and far to the nearest parish church despite poor or non existent roads” said Fr. Tonino.
Arua diocese has an area of 10,561 sq km and a population of 1,550,890 of whom 610,050 are Catholics. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 18/10/2005 righe 31 parole 346)
