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Archbishop Paul SsemwogerereArchdiocese of Kampala

KAMPALA, Uganda (LifeSiteNews) — In a recent homily, the Archbishop of Kampala extolled traditional marriage roles and asked parents to stop demanding expensive dowries of bridegrooms.

Archbishop Paul Ssemwogerere made his remarks during Sunday Mass in Rubaga Cathedral on May 8, the anniversary of the Tuesday Class Alumni Association. The Tuesday Class is a course that couples are required by the archdiocese to take before getting married at the cathedral. In his homily, Semwogerere urged the faithful to rediscover the traditional teachings of the Catholic Church on marriage and the family

“The church does not advocate female supremacy in the family. Women should return to their normal duties in the family and men take back their full responsibilities as fathers,” he said.

The archbishop further stressed the need for wives to relate to their husbands in the way the Church relates to Christ.

“As members of the same family, live and always stay together, and educate your children. Women should submit, love, and respect their husbands like the Church respects Christ who is her bridegroom,” Ssemwogerere stated.

“Likewise, men must love and support their wives the way Christ has loved and supported his Church until now.”

In a world where traditional family values are being challenged even in largely conservative countries like Uganda, the loud voice of Church leaders is not only welcome but necessary to safeguard the vital institution of the family and preserve the balance of society. Although government programs geared to achieve “women’s emancipation” have had some utility, their scope has been extended beyond their original intentions. This is slowly eroding family values, especially among educated people.

The archbishop regretted that today only a low percentage of young people are willing to undergo the sacrament of Holy Matrimony, opting rather to cohabit, which is in direct opposition to Church teaching. This he blamed on the high cost of the bride price, or dowry. (To watch the entire ceremony, please see the video below.)  In Africa, it’s usually the responsibility of the man to pay the dowry, and this is usually non-negotiable. It can take the form of either money or livestock or both.

“Elders, parents, stop asking for many expensive things for dowry because this has weakened the true spirit among the youth to have a proper and holy marriage, especially in the case of some tribes which ask for many cows,” Ssemwogerere challenged the congregation.

The Mass was attended by married couples including musicians and a prominent Ugandan entertainer-turned-politician, opposition leader Robert “Bobi Wine” Kyagulanyi, and his wife. At Semwogere’s invitation, Kyagulanyi shared his 11 years of experience as a Catholic father and husband at the end of the liturgy.

Kyagulanyi and his wife, philanthropist and author Barbara Itungu, were married in 2011 in Rubaga Cathedral by the late Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga. They have had four children together.

“The family which prays together stays together,” Kyagulanyi advised the affianced couples.

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