Did you hear that the Catholic Church in Uganda is shrinking? Well, it seems like fewer people are calling themselves Catholic these days, especially young folks. So what’s the deal? This is all related and stems from the recent population census results.
According to the Uganda National Population and Housing Census 2024, the number of Catholics in the country has dropped over the past 10 years. This might come as a surprise, but the Catholic Church actually has the biggest group of followers in Uganda, making up 37.4% of the population.
But, hey, even the big guys can lose some of their crowd. Reverend Father Benedict Wakabi Kyumakiyaka, a big name in the Church, thinks he knows why this is happening. He basically says that parents aren’t doing a good enough job teaching their children about the Catholic faith.
He also says that some parents aren’t being good examples for their kids. Father Kyumakiyaka also thinks that the Church needs to step up its game when it comes to talking to young people about Catholicism. He says that a lot of young people are leaving the Church because they think it’s too strict and doesn’t have answers to their problems.
They’re looking for something that promises them a good life and miracles, like, all the time. The Church wants to come up with new ways to spread the word to young people, especially in schools and universities. It’s like they need a new marketing plan or something!
Father Kyumakiyaka believes that if people really understood what the Catholic Church teaches, they wouldn’t leave. He says that the Church is clear about things like homosexuality and living together before marriage being wrong, but some people don’t like that.
He thinks that people who call these teachings “rigid” just haven’t been taught properly. Father Kyumakiyaka doesn’t hold back when he talks about what’s going on in the Western world. He thinks all this talk about “new values” and “new rights,” like accepting homosexuality, is just plain crazy! He even goes as far as saying it’s “not African”.
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So, what’s the takeaway from all this? Well, it looks like the Catholic Church needs to find a way to connect with young people. Maybe they need to use TikTok or something! Just kidding! But seriously, if they want to keep their followers, they got to find a way to make the message relevant to the younger generation.
