Uganda: Parishioners Yet to Forgive Fr Musaala

By Alon Mwesigwa
Allafrica
March 26, 2013

http://allafrica.com/stories/201303270965.html

For 92-year-old John Baptist Lubowa, hearing his former parish priest, Fr Anthony Musaala, call for a review of the vows on celibacy, was shocking.

"When I heard the news, I first doubted it," says Lubowa in a soft tone, "You see, he lied to Jesus, to God, to us [the Christians], that he was devoted and we trusted him".

Lubowa says Fr Musaala's assertions were satanic.

"I think it was Satan that came into his head; now what can we say?" wonders Mzee Lubowa.

Lubowa is among hundreds of Busega parishioners, still angry with their former priest's letter, which lifted the lid on goings-on in the Catholic Church. On March 12 as Pope Francis was being inaugurated, Father Musaala wrote an open letter to the Catholics, among which he raised the issue of celibacy among Catholic priests as a myth.

He concluded calling for action against priests who have abused children and those gone against their vow of chastity. Musaala has since been suspended from the church service.

When we visited Our lady of Mt Camel Busega parish, where Musaala served as a priest for two years before he was transferred to Tororo in September last year, the parishioners he led said they were yet to forgive him for what he did. Father Joseph Kimbugwe, the priest who succeeded Father Musaala, says Musaala just needs time to rest.

"Leave the man to settle. He will be alright - let's give him time," said Kimbugwe, as if to suggest that Musaala must have been out of his senses.

Meanwhile, Richard Yiga, another Busega parishioner, says until Musaala comes out and asks the Christian community to forgive him, they will not forgive him.

"We were not happy with what he said. If he was doing those things he said, let him resign and go alone," Yiga said. "People would not love to see him if he came back this side."

Loved his music:

While the parishioners are angry with Musaala's dossier, they said they long for his lively masses. Using his musical talent, he used blaring music of the songs he has sung to lure Christians into his services especially Charismatic services which he led every Sunday evening.

Silvia Nalukenge, one of the Charismatic members who always attended Musala's sermons, said: "His mass was always lively; people attended in large numbers. His dance and music kept people there."