You Are Not Alone: Archbishop Ssemogerere Urges Youth to Embrace Hope Over Despair

The Archbishop of Kampala, His Grace Paul Ssemogerere, has urged Christians to place their hope in the love of the Risen Lord, reminding them of Christ’s promise of salvation for all mankind.

Presiding over Easter Sunday Mass at Lubaga Cathedral, Archbishop Ssemogerere acknowledged the weight many people carry today, from strained families and confused youth to hearts weary from life’s battles and sin.

“Yet Easter reminds us: from the darkest tomb arose the brightest light, our Lord Jesus Christ. Dear Christians, hope is not an illusion. It is the victory of the cross. It is Christ Himself,” he declared.

The archbishop called on the faithful to become ambassadors of hope, emphasising the need for tolerance and compassion toward others.

“Let us sow hope like a seed and nourish it with tolerance,” he said. “As Saint Paul reminds us in Romans 5:5, ‘Hope does not disappoint us because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.’ Our hope must not be passive — it must walk, act, embrace, and lift.”

Addressing the youth directly, Archbishop Ssemogerere expressed the Church’s joy in Uganda being a youthful nation, noting that many young people are actively involved not only in social life but also in spiritual matters.

“Let us be bridges of hope,” he said. “I know many of you feel neglected, misunderstood, left to navigate life alone. Some carry wounds from broken homes, absent fathers or, should I say, absent parents, overwhelmed mothers or guardians struggling to survive. Many of you have seen society ignore your pain. In searching for escape, some have turned to drugs, alcohol, and destructive habits.”

He urged young people not to trade their futures for fleeting highs or numb their pain with harmful substances. “You are fearfully and wonderfully made, as we read in Psalm 139,” he reminded them.

To parents, the archbishop delivered a heartfelt appeal: to rekindle the sacred duty of presence in their children’s lives.

“If young people are the leaders of tomorrow, then today must be spent preparing them. The pressure to succeed in careers, businesses, and status should never outweigh the glory of nurturing functional families, the building blocks of strong, God-fearing nations,” he said.

He emphasised that while children may forget the gifts they receive, they will always remember the time, guidance, and prayers shared with them by their parents. “Instilling hope in a child lays a foundation on which they can build their full potential.”

Quoting Proverbs 22:6, he added: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

The archbishop expressed deep concern over the growing threat of substance abuse among the youth, noting that dangerous drugs are increasingly finding their way into slums, school dormitories, and university halls, often introduced not by the poor but by the wealthy.

“We cannot remain silent, dear people of God, as substance abuse devastates our youth. Our silence can no longer be an option. We must speak up and act,” he urged.

He called on government leaders, legislators, and all people of goodwill to support and fund rehabilitation centres as part of a nationwide response to this crisis.

“A young person caught in addiction is not a criminal, they are a soul crying out for help,” he said. “And it is our duty, as parents and as society, to provide that help.”

Ending his homily with a message of restoration and resurrection, Archbishop Ssemogerere encouraged young people not to give up.

“Dare to hope again. Christ defeated death. What seems impossible is possible in Him. You may feel stuck, but remember, the tomb was sealed, guarded, and shut. Yet Christ walked out of it alive. So, you too can walk out of addiction. You can walk out of depression. You can overcome peer pressure and reclaim your purpose.”

Quoting Jeremiah 29:11, he concluded: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope.’”