Homily Ninth Wednesday of Ordinary Time (2020) Feast of Charles Lwanga and His Companions

Homily Ninth Wednesday of Ordinary Time (2020) Feast of Charles Lwanga and His Companions

Charles Lawanga is not well known in the United States, but he is a very important Saint to many in Africa.  He was one of the first native born martyrs of Africa. 

Charles was born in 1860 in Buddu Country, Uganda.  This is when Christianity was first coming into this part of Africa.  He became a page of the King of that region.  He was an assistant to Joseph Mkasa. 

Christianity was looked upon with suspicion and often Christians were put to death.  Joseph Mkasa was exposed as a Christian and he was beheaded.  On the night Mkasa died Charles was baptized.  Charles then became the head of the King’s pages.

The chief demanded sexual favors from his young pages.  Charles tried to protect them from being abused in this way.  Charles instructed the pages in the Christian faith and baptized them.  The king was informed about the baptism of his pages and he became enraged.

He condemned nine of them to death.  The king sent the youths to Lake Victoria on a death march.  Three died on the way.  Six others including Charles Lawanga were wrapped in grass mats and burned to death.

Charles is remembered as the patron saint of Catholic youth in Africa.  He was declared so because of his courage in defending the youth in his care from exploitation and because he instructed and baptized the boys he tried to protect.

Reflection Questions:

1. We read stories of people who work with youth abusing the children in their care.  What do we need to learn from Charles about protecting God’s children?

2. Charles professed his faith at the cost of his own life.  Could he be a patron for American youth today?

Dear Parishioners,

            I would like to remind everyone that we continue to distribute communion after our live stream Masses.  We had a goodly number of parishioners who stopped by today.  Deacon Pat, Fr. Matthew and I start to distribute communion as soon as we can set up after Mass and we continue until no one else comes.  Please remember to enter the parking lot off 17^th Avenue and to leave by way of 13^th St.  We have a blind corner by the garage, and it is dangerous to exit on 17^th avenue. 

            We will be changing the time we toll the bell for victims of the COVID 19 pandemic.  We will now do it on Friday at noon.  This is the time that Jesus began his passion, so it seems like a logical time to have this observation.  Another reason to move the tolling of the bell is because we will be having Mass at 9 a.m. on Sunday outside Culemans Hall for the foreseeable future. 

            We will have a livestream Mass at 4 p.m. this Saturday and we will have 9 a.m. Mass outside.  We will slowly be adding Masses back into the schedule.  Please watch my notes each day for updates.

May Our Lady and All the Angels and Saints keep us safe today.

Fr. Mark

P.S. The daily missals will be expiring this week.  New Missals are available outside the back door of the rectory in the box labeled devotional materials. Also, there are One Bread One Body books. Feel free to pick them up at any time.