Today, June 3rd, the Universal Church honors St. Charles Lwanga and Companions. Charles is the patron of youth and Catholic action in Africa.
Charles is one of 22 courageous individuals who were martyred for refusing to commit immoral homosexual acts as directed and required by the Bagandan ruler, Mwanga.
Charles learned of Our Lord Jesus Christ’s teachings from retainers in the court of Chief Mawulugungu. He entered the royal household as an assistant to Joseph Mukaso, who was leader of the court pages, and while serving in this capacity, he was a catechumen.
On June 3, 1886, Charles continued to encourage his companions to resist such mortal sin. He was baptized Catholic on this day, and Charles remained the inspiration for his friends, showing his courage, loyalty and faithfulness, and his love of His Catholic Faith. His example helped to motivate them to resist Mwanga’s ongoing sexual demands, wherein they remained chaste and faithful. On this same day, Mwanga saw to it that Charles was burned to death at Namugongo; and the rest of his companions were also martyred.
On October 18, 1864, all twenty-two Ugandan martyrs were canonized, and Pope Paul VI referred to the Anglican pages martyred for the same reason.
We must remain firm and well-grounded in our Faith, and must practice our Faith not only in proclaiming it, but living it. Clearly, there is a blind eye in today’s society to sexual deviancy, and in fact, individuals are encouraged to practice homosexual activities and various other deviant sexual activities because we live in a dictatorship of moral relativism. If a person opposes such behavior, they are called “homophobic” and are shunned and ridiculed. Nevertheless, we must continue to practice our Christian Faith, while still praying for all souls, that they come to Jesus Christ, especially those who are lost. We ask Our Lord Jesus to help us change our proclivities to sin, and to strengthen us in character and especially, in love for God who must come first in our lives.
Thank you dear St. Charles Lwanga and Companions for being our examples! We ask your intercession before the Triune God to help us live our lives as you did, with superb courage motivated by absolute Love of God.
~Joan
