wfn.org | ACNS3315 Archbishop Janani Luwum remembered as Ugandan

["Anglican Communion News Service" <acnslist@anglicancommunion.org>]

ACNS 3315     |     UGANDA     |     20 FEBRUARY 2003

Archbishop Janani Luwum remembered as Ugandan Government apologises to the
Global Church

Twenty six years after the grim martyrdom of the Archbishop of the Church of
Uganda, the Most Revd Janani Luwum, the Government of the Republic of Uganda
for the first time has apologised to the Church and the entire global
community for his murder. Furthermore, they have announced the setting up of
the Archbishop Janani Luwum scholarship fund at Kitemu Secondary School to
benefit two students who would want to enrol for theological training after
their general education.

Mrs Zamzam Kasujja, Deputy Director for Legal affairs of Government, said,

"On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Uganda and on my own behalf,
we wish to apologise to the global Church for the sins of our predecessors.
The murder of Archbishop Luwum by the Amin Government not only robbed the
Church of a courageous and committed leader but also plunged our country
into economic, political and religious lows never seen before." Archbishop
Janani Luwum was murdered on 16 February 1977 together with two other
outspoken government ministers in cold blood.

"But perhaps more importantly, the martyrdom of the Archbishop epitomises a
spirit of resilience which we celebrate this morning," Mrs Kasujja
encouraged her listeners.

Archbishop Luwum is one of the ten 20th century martyrs whose statutes where
unveiled by the Archbishop of Canterbury and now stand on the west front of
Westminster Abbey in London.

The one hour sombre service, which took place on Sunday 16 February 2003,
was hosted at Kitemu Secondary school, which has grown rapidly through its
links and prayers with the St James Episcopal Church, Eureka Springs, Little
Rock, Arkansas (USA).

The service, which followed the Church of Uganda's 1929 Book of Common
Prayer liturgy, began with John Newton's Amazing Grace and was led by the
retired Bishop of Busoga Diocese, the Rt Revd Cyprian Bamwoze, who
represented the Archbishop of Church of Uganda, the Most Revd Livingstone
Mpalanyi Nkoyooyo.

In the message read for him by Bishop Bamwoze, Archbishop Nkoyooyo recalls
how as a newly ordained priest, his predecessor (Janani) told him that "to
invoke the blessings of God, which you have just been called, is a universal
and an instinctive cry; it is to lift our world with all it's imperfections
to heaven for a renewal and transformation. And this is not without risks -
it could cost life.

"Archbishop Luwum's commitment to the Gospel, even in the face of death,
reminds us to go out and renew our lives and the world around us. To make
our journey in life shine with a star's delight; and the God of our
Pilgrimage will be with us throughout life and death," Archbishop Nkoyooyo
said.

He thanked the present Government's leadership which has tried to make up
for the mistakes of the past Governments in restoring sanity and a strong
working relationship with the Church.

___________________________________________________________________

For details about the 27th February broadcast, webcast and video
of the Enthronement of the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury, the
Most Revd Rowan D Williams, visit these web sites:
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/canterbury/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/

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