Empowered by the Waters: Exploring the Transformative Politics of Baptism in Christian Living in the Catholic Diocese of Jinja, Busoga Region, Uganda, East Africa

This study explores and agrees with Radcliffe’s (2012: p. 185) position that “there is such an apparent gap between what Christians celebrate in baptism and the life of the Church”. It examines the reasons as to why the baptism rituals do not sufficiently empower the liturgical assembly to make a significant influence on the liturgical, socio-economic and political areas, particularly, in my local Catholic Community of the Diocese of Jinja in Uganda. It suggests practical ways in which the laity can play a more active role in the liturgy of the Word, liturgy of sacraments and liturgy of ethics. The study employs document review as a data collection tool for investigating the sources of empowering Christians which include water, anointing with holy oils of Catechumens and Chrism, godparents, white cloth, lit candle, rosary, and medal. It reviews policy documents and pastoral letters written by Rt. Rev. Joseph Willigers (RIP) (first Bishop) and Rt. Rev. Charles Martin Wamika (current Bishop), particularly, the Diocesan Synod booklet that surveys the involvement of the laity. The researcher interviewed current parish priests of the four oldest parishes in their chronological order of establishment, namely, Jinja (1900), Iganga (1901), Kamuli (1901) and Budini (1907), and head catechists of the 38 catechists of the other remaining parishes of the diocese on the involvement of the lay Christians in liturgical celebrations and other human aspects outside them. The justification for the selection criteria for parish priests of the four pioneer parishes and catechists in the remaining parishes of the Diocese consists in the traditional methods and practices of liturgical and socio-political empowerment compared to those of later newly created parishes. In other words, the four oldest parishes exhibit more liturgical and socio-political empowerment than the subsequent parishes. This study, too, employs participant observation during meetings of various councils such as the diocesan pastoral council, Presbyteral (Priests’) council, Board of Consultors, catechists, Parish councils, women’s and men’s Guilds, youths, people with disabilities, children, lay apostolic movements such as Catholic Charismatic Renewal, Legion of Mary, and St. Jude Devotion. The study intends to move the laity from the periphery to the centre of the life of the Church.