By Ian Ortega
Having hinted on the possibility of retirement, suspended Father Anthony Musaala has further denigrated the Catholic Church and the Catholic God.
In his diatribe, he narrates;
“I loved and admired the Catholic church, but can now only do so from a distance. I was quite a good Catholic, I think at times, but now cant be. I want to look beyond hemmed in horizons and dazzling doctrines and enter a world a little less vexatious. A part of me will always be Catholic I guess, in the same way that part of one is always a child, but my sprituality is now rather more diffuse. The Catholic God seems not for me anymore. He looks a bit ..small and unfriendly..”
Father Musaala went on to compare his life to Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus.
“Yesterday was the 19th March, the feast of St Joseph, spouse of Mary………The young Joseph having to contend with Mary’s ”extra-marital” pregnancy, and her unlikely, outrageous explanation of it was in a very tight spot. But scripture says,”…..being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly..(Matt 1:19). In the end however he did accept this very anomalous relationship and went on to raise Jesus, someone elses child.
Joseph’s life to me, discloses a mission beyond his own self-actualization. He looks beyond his own immediate interest of a ”normal happy marriage” to the possibility of something unknown but hidden in this most enigmatic of young women and her ”fatherless” child.
I was ordained a catholic priest on 19 March 1994, 21 years ago. Two years ago on my 20th anniversary of priestly ordination, I received a letter suspending me from priestly office! How strange! On the same day as ordination?
Like Joseph who had to contend with a ”strange unexpected event” in Mary’s life, I must contend with this ”strange unexpected event” in my priesthood. Like Joseph who realized it wasnt going to be a normal ”happy marriage”, I realize that mine will not be a normal ”happy priesthood”.Joseph is remembered and honoured for living with strangeness. May he inspire me and you likewise.”
The priest will soon be a free bird and Kampala girls are out on the wait for this man who is going to be single and searching once he goes ahead and retires.