The call for moral renewal, social responsibility, and active citizenship among young people dominated the closing Mass of the Soroti Catholic Diocese Annual Youth Conference 2025, held at Shalom Youth Centre in Soroti.
The event, which brought together hundreds of youths from across the diocese, ended today Friday with strong appeals from Rt. Rev. Dr. Joseph Eciru Oliach, Bishop of Soroti Catholic Diocese, and State Minister for Fisheries, Hon. Hellen Adoa Abeku.
Addressing the gathering, Bishop Eciru delivered a deep and reflective message on the role of youth in shaping the future of both the Church and the country.
He observed that society today is filled with many passive individuals who prefer to criticise others instead of contributing positively.
“Quite often, people who are passive, spectators, and nothing-doers are very critical of those who are active doers,” he remarked.
The Bishop expressed concern over what he described as youth energy being increasingly channelled into wrongful and destructive activities.
He cited the growing involvement of young people in betting and gambling, warning that such habits divert them from their God-given purpose.
“In betting and gambling they are active; in marriage only a few succeed while many prefer the hit-and-run lifestyle,” he lamented.
Bishop Eciru reminded the youth that the Church counts on them as the torchbearers of faith, insisting that their generation must rise to the challenge of defending Christian values in a morally shaken world.
He urged them to “stand out and lift Christ’s royal banner,” describing this as the only way they can become true missionaries of faith.
“You cannot become a missionary of faith without standing out,” he stressed. He called on the youth to be “youth of substance,” who live with purpose and integrity rather than simply blending into destructive trends.
The Bishop further encouraged the conference participants to be agents of positive change in their communities.
He asked them to return home transformed and ready to transform others.
“Do not go back to being like children in market places, unstable, unserious, and easily swayed,” he cautioned.
In his message, Bishop Eciru also emphasized accountability and moral uprightness.
He urged the youth to become “witnesses of Christ” who stand for the truth and, if necessary, “die for the truth of the Gospel.”
Quoting the Psalms, he reminded them not to follow the counsel of the wicked or imitate sinners.
He warned that failure to listen to God’s commands exposes them to dangers that could “blow them away like chaff.”
The Bishop passionately encouraged the youth to keep their hearts aflame with divine love, to remain sober, and to commit themselves to doing good at all times.
“Go back with hearts on fire and feet on the move to set the world ablaze with divine love. Say no to the devil but say yes to God,” he said.
In her remarks, State Minister for Fisheries and Serere District Woman MP, Hon. Hellen Adoa Abeku, echoed similar concerns about the moral direction of young people.
She urged them to avoid lifestyles that disconnect them from God, warning that such choices lead to hardship, broken relationships, and conflict.
Minister Adoa specifically cautioned the youth against alcoholism, which she described as a major driver of crime, and domestic violence.
“Desist from alcoholism. It is an act that leads many into crime, ruins their potential, and destroys families,” she said.
She also implored youth to avoid idling in trading centres during early morning hours, noting that such behaviour exposes them to peer pressure, bad company, and temptations that derail their ambitions. Instead, she encouraged them to invest their time in productive work and personal development.
With the country heating up toward the next general elections, Minister Adoa urged the youth not to be lured into political violence.
She emphasized that young people often become the biggest victims of unrest, losing lives, opportunities, and their future to the manipulations of selfish political actors.
“Do not participate in violence during this campaign season. Your future is more valuable than any politician’s promise or token,” she advised.
In her concluding remarks, Minister Adoa asked the youth to support the candidature of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, whom she praised for championing youth empowerment, infrastructure development, and peace in the country.
She encouraged them to participate peacefully and responsibly in the political process while standing firm in their Christian values.
The Annual Youth Conference, a spiritual and moral enrichment gathering, has become a cornerstone in the diocese’s efforts to build a principled, responsible, and faith-driven young generation.
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