We gathered at the cathedral at 10. It is a large, round, modern building on the Church Hill, that can accommodate 1000 people. We were escorted to the front (of course) of family section. Once the Mass started, there were still dozens of people and children outside at each wide open door.A large, close to 100 members, choir was dressed in turquoise and gold robes. There were playing electronic organ and 5-6 different drums and rattles. They sung very nice in four parts, mostly in the local language, but also in English and Latin. they even sung the Handle's Hallelujah! The celebration was a tid bit more 'westernized" than those last week in Kamwenge.
The procession started with barefoot dancers and followed with more than 30 priests, 7 jubilants, and 9 bishops. There were members of the parliament, local government, a governor, and members of the king Toro family. At one point, the realization again hit me that I am at the heart of Africa. I kind of became aware of larger Africa, where Uganda is relative to other countries, not just my current new surroundings. I think this week I am finally familiar enough of this whole different environment that I feel comfortable. Comfortable in the sense that I can look at a broader picture and contemplate how someone living in the region might relate to the rest of Africa and the world. It was no longer a continent out there, it for me became a very integrated part of the world. It entirely, with the whole world, became one whole community. The borders, different languages, cultures,.. all blended together, and I felt part of something much bigger. And then, at transubstantiation, we all, the whole world on this day, joined with heaven and exalted Hosanna! (my words are not sufficient to describe what I felt)
After the Mass we greeted a 92 year old monsignor Hilarion, ordained 60 years ago, who is an advisor to the pope and hears his confessions! A joyful and funny man as well.The program then started. We hoped to sneak out early, but we were seated at the front, next to the bishops! No getting out of that easily. :) The dances, gift presentations, and speeches followed. One interesting thing is that if the performer (which all of them were children and youth) was not good, people will lough, with no shame. Many gifts, small and large were presented. The president of Uganda donated 5 million Ugandan Shillings (just over $2000) to the bishop, and he is even not Catholic! Speeches were long, as usual. As the MC in Kamwenge said: "A good speech is like a mini skirt - long enough to cover the essentials, but short enough to keep the interest!" The prime minister of the king of Toro spoke the longest I think. We were saying they should have slowly lover the volume on the microphone, like at the Oscars, to fade him out! Uganda, like the UK, has both the king and political government. The king's palace is right here in Fort Portal. He is a young 18-year-old, and was crowned at the age of just 3 when his father died.
We snuck out the back just after 4, at an opportune time during one of the bishop's' talks. They were gonna go for at least another hour and just then eat. They were speaking Toro language most of the time, so it's not like we understood what they were saying anyway. We got to the hotel and enjoyed À la carte dinner. It seems our group is getting tired of matokes. The afternoon was just a relaxed one.
I met some young people from the piece corps here at the hotel, who actually live in Uganda for the past year and work with the local government. One of the happened to live right there at the Church Hill with the seminarians. They had some interesting experiences here.
Tomorrow we are on the road again, going to Kampala.
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