We returned from Kampala relieved to be back home, away from CHOGM and the dust of the city.
We were also glad to be back in time for the consecration of Madi/West Nile’s new Cathedral in Mvarra, which was due to take place the following weekend on 2nd December. The consecration was to be the centrepiece of a 12-day visit the Archbishop of Uganda was making to the diocese.
We went to church our first Sunday back, hoping to learn about arrangements for the consecration. Notices are a significant part of many Ugandan church services (sometimes taking at least as long as the sermon), and usually include a “welcome” to visitors and a “welcome back” to anyone who has been away for more than a few days. We were duly welcomed back after our month in Kampala, but there was no mention of the cathedral consecration.
After the service we asked whether the consecration was still taking place the following Sunday. We were assured that it was. But when? Possibly 9.00 am, or maybe 10.00 am............although it could conceivably be later......or earlier.
Enquiries on Monday at the college in Ringili yielded no more reliable information. It hadn’t been announced on Sunday at St Philip’s, a church in Arua just down the road from the new cathedral. Various attempts to find out what was happening during the week proved no more successful.
On Friday, the Hospital Chaplain said that the service was definitely starting at 10.00 am, and that we should leave Kuluva at 9.30. To make sure I thought it would be a good idea to go to the Diocesan Office to ask the Diocesan Secretary. No, the service wasn’t starting at 10.00 am but 9.30. Be there for 9.00 am to robe.
Returning to Kuluva we met the Hospital Administrator, who told us that he had received four invitations to the consecration. We should have one of them. Taking the precious invitation we were glad to see that the invitation said 9.30 am. We arranged to take the Hospital Administrator, the Chaplain and one or two others in the car. Meet at 8.40 on Sunday morning we said.
Sunday morning at 8.45 we had just one of our passengers. It took a further 10 minutes to collect the others – a different group than the one we had first arranged.
We arrived at the cathedral at 9.10 am just as the bishop was praying at the start of the procession. For once, African time had been replaced by European time - and I was late! One mortified muzungu!
A few days later we discovered that the bishop of Nebbi, the neighbouring diocese, had received his invitation by text on Friday evening. He was otherwise engaged.
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