The last stage of the visit was the community of Bombo, Uganda, where the Rector Major arrived on the morning of Friday 16. He was welcomed with a musical homage by the school's musical band. On this occasion, Fr Á.F. Artime said, "This is the 74th country that I have visited since I am Rector Major and the most important thing in all these visits is to meet young people [...] You, dear children, use well this opportunity of being able to come to school given to you. Take advantage of these years of education, my dear young people! I am very happy when I see girls at school because the Church and society need you! You will be the mothers of tomorrow."
After greeting the youth of several houses in Uganda, the Rector Major celebrated Mass together with the Archbishop of Kampala, Msgr. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga - who publicly thanked him for the services rendered by the Salesians with regard to the education and evangelization of young people. During the celebration, the Rector Major praised the way in which the assembly brought the Gospel to the altar: covered with banana leaves, as is done with the matooke, the staple food of the Ugandan population - to mean that the Word of God is their main nourishment.
The X Successor of Don Bosco blessed the parish offices and then met with the local Salesian Family. "The most important thing I ask of you is to be good examples to help young people grow, to learn from you," he urged them.
"We are at the service of poor young people. No young person should ever leave a Salesian house because of his poverty," he said to his confreres in the meeting he had shortly thereafter.
Finally, Saturday 17, Fr Á.F. Artime received the last homages from the Apostolic Nuncio in Uganda, Msgr. Michael August Blume, from Msgr. Kizito Luanga, and the Salesian community of Namugongo. On his journey to the Entebbe airport, he stopped at the sanctuary dedicated to St. Charles Lwanga and fellow martyrs.
All photos of the Visit are available on ANSFlickr
Source: www.rmvisit.sdbagl.org
