African gays are sometimes persecuted in the streets and in courts.
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Although many Kenyan Christians are deeply conservative, the country has been comparatively tolerant and now hosts about 500 gay refugees from neighbouring Uganda. It is now time for EVERY Catholic to act.
The Pope himself says the message of Christmas has been lost in this year of terror and violence.
Mugisha, the gay activist, believes a message of compassion from Francis might challenge local church leaders to be less hostile toward those who are openly gay.
He will reach out to “people who are afraid, who have been terrorized, who have been subjected to a lot of security checkpoints and all that”, said the Rev. Stephen Okello, a Kenyan Catholic priest who also recalled unrelated postelection ethnic violence in 2007 that killed more than 1,000 people.
The Vatican has warned the vehicle part of the trip could be changed or cancelled if security risks increase. A visit to a camp for people displaced by the conflict, a stop to pray at a mosque in Bangui’s PK5 neighbourhood and a mass in a sports stadium in the capital would be scrapped, disappointing pilgrims. In Uganda, where homosexuality is illegal and where attacks against gays have forced many to seek refuge overseas or lead secret lives at home, gay leaders nevertheless hope Francis when he comes on Friday will weigh in with a firm message of tolerance.
Pope Francis has spoken harsh criticism of the upcoming Christmas celebration.
He added: “It would be the best summary of the pope’s doctrinal attitude”, of a Church that focuses on the poor. “So if homosexuals come up and they tell us “we are homosexual” and want to be accepted, we shall accept them being as they are also created in the image of God”.
“If he starts talking about rights, then Ugandans are going to be very defensive”, said Frank Mugisha, a Catholic and one of Uganda’s most outspoken advocates for gay rights. It is thought that the Pope will be under the watch of United Nations peacekeepers in the country.
Pope Benedict XVI said Africa was a continent of hope. “The world has not chosen a peaceful path. There are wars today everywhere, and hate”, he said.
“By coming [here] he can suggest to us ways and approaches to tackle these problems in a human way”, Father Gichure said.
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Jackson Mukasa, a 20-year-old Ugandan man was imprisoned last year on suspicion of committing homosexual acts, before charges were dropped for lack of evidence.
