By; Jjunju Francis
12th Feb. 2020
The Catholic Church in Uganda in collaboration with AMECEA have started sessions on financial sustainability an area that is becoming hard in the current economies as donor funding becomes meager.
The two weeks workshop that has brought at least 2 financial directors from all the 19 catholic diocese of Uganda is being facilitated by experts in finances from Makerere University, Uganda Martyrs University UMU, the Catholic University of East Africa CUEA in Nairobi Kenya and Uganda Management Institute UMI.
The Chairman Uganda Episcopal Conference Rt. Rev. Bishop Joseph Anthony Zziwa officiating at the opening of the workshop at St. Augustine’s institute Nsambya, has said that the Catholic Church is looking at three areas; self propagation, self ministering and self reliance components that bring out the mission of the Catholic Church for it to be able to support its operations.
Bishop Zziwa says the Catholic Church in Uganda cannot complain of resources like in other areas however there is lack of knowledge on how best it can be utilized to generate more resources efficiently and effectively for self reliance and sustenance that is why Uganda Episcopal Conference sought it wise to acquit her staff with the right knowledge to effectively utilize its resources.
He says the 21st centenary that cherishes technological advancement equally needs better managers, leaders financial controllers who have practical knowledge and skills to cause positive change to the society specifically in the Catholic Church and her missions of operation.
However this must be done in respect to proper financial mobilization processes, proposal writing, research, monitoring and evaluation of project time lines in according with the social teaching of the Catholic Church.
Issues of tax obligations is another area that challenges pastoral ministers which has to be well explained by experts. He hailed AMECEA for her vision in ensuring self reliance and sustainability in the Catholic Church.
The workshop is in line with the AMECEA strategic goal that aims at having a self reliant and sustainable local Church and with such expertise, knowledge acquisition, inquiries and sharing helps to build a sea of knowledge and understanding of the challenges of financial inabilities better according to Msgr. Anthony Makunde the Secretary General of AMECEA.
One of the Professors of Economics from Makerere University Prof. Edward Ddumba who took the team in resource mobilization challenged the participants to exploit the untapped areas like utilizing the Catholic land for growing food to feed Catholic Schools and institutions, constructing accommodation places and Social centers among others to widen sources of revenue for the dioceses on top of proposal writing but with emphasis on proper accountability processes and procedures.
From there Bishop Zziwa left for the consecration function of the new bishop of Aliwal in South African Fr. Joseph Kizito 53, a born of Rubaga Parish in Kampala Archdiocese from Wakaliga serving as a missionary in South Africa was appointed a Bishop by Pope France in November 2019. His consecration will be held on February 15, 2020.
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