Bishop Lawrence Mukasa in Gulu for the National Youth Conference

By BERNARD BAKALU

Rt. Rev. Lawrence Mukasa, the Bishop of Kasana–Luweero Diocese, has arrived in Gulu for the National Youth Conference (NYC). According to Anna Juliet Bukirwa, the Kasana–Luweero Diocesan Youth Coordinator, the bishop arrived on Friday morning and presided over Mass at 11:00 a.m.

“Every day, a bishop from a different province leads Mass,” she explained.

A total of 81 youths from Kasana–Luweero Diocese—45 male and 36 female—are participating in this year’s conference. They are led by Rev. Fr. Francis Luboneza, the Diocesan Youth Chaplain.

Gulu Ecclesiastical Province, under Gulu Archdiocese, is hosting the 2025 National Youth Conference at Sacred Heart Secondary School, located close to the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Gulu.

The conference, which began on Tuesday, December 9, will conclude on Sunday, December 14, under the theme: “You also are my witnesses, because you have been with me” (Jn 15:27).

This annual event, instituted in 1993 by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Uganda, brings together over ten thousand young people from across Uganda’s nineteen dioceses and beyond. It serves as a moment of reflection on their faith and rejuvenates the youth apostolate ministry. The conference also equips young people with skills that empower them socially and financially as the Church prepares them to become responsible citizens.

The idea for the National Youth Conference was inspired by World Youth Day celebrations initiated in 1984 by Pope John Paul II, now canonized as a saint.

The Ordinary of Nebbi Catholic Diocese, Rt. Rev. Constantine Rupiny, led the opening Mass on Tuesday afternoon.

Among the key topics for this year is a presentation on St. Carlo Acutis, an Italian youth who was recently canonized by His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. Participants will also receive training on environmental protection based on the late Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’.

Youth chaplains from different dioceses will engage participants in question-and-answer sessions covering both general knowledge and matters of faith. The program also includes opportunities for the young people to showcase their talents through competitions in various games.

This year’s conference is particularly special as it coincides with the Jubilee Year of Pilgrims of Hope.

Last year’s National Youth Conference, which attracted over sixteen thousand participants, took place in Hoima Diocese under the Ecclesiastical Province of Mbarara.

On Saturday, December 13, President Yoweri Museveni is expected to grace the event as the Guest of Honour and will hand over the National Youth Conference icon to the next host province.

 From left: Anna Juliet Bukirwa, the Kasana–Luweero Diocesan Youth Coordinator; Rev. Fr. Benedict Mugerwa, the National Youth Coordinator; Bishop Lawrence Mukasa of Kasana–Luweero Diocese; and two youths pose for a group photo during the National Youth Conference in Gulu Archdiocese on Friday, December 12, 2025.