As the 2026 academic year officially begins, Rev. Fr. Leopold Nkurunungi of the Apostles of Jesus Congregation has urged learners to remain focused on their studies and appreciate the sacrifices made by their parents and guardians to secure their education.
Fr. Nkurunungi made the call on Sunday while preaching during the Second English Mass at Christ the King Church in Kabale Municipality.
Fr. Nkurunungi reminded school-going children that school fees and scholastic requirements are often met through great personal sacrifice, encouraging them to honor these efforts by committing themselves to academic excellence and good discipline.
“Your parents toil and deny themselves so that you can go to school because they want you to become responsible and self-reliant in the future,” Fr. Nkurunungi said. He described education as a long-term investment founded on sacrifice, hope, and love.
The priest also encouraged learners whose parents have transferred them to more affordable schools to respect and appreciate such decisions.
He emphasized that financial challenges should not be a source of resentment, but an opportunity to grow in humility, responsibility, and resilience.
Reflecting on the Scripture, Fr. Nkurunungi urged Christians to be the salt and light of the world, stressing that genuine faith must be demonstrated through action.
He called on believers to care for the vulnerable by feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the needy, and standing in solidarity with the oppressed, noting that such acts bring light to society and attract God’s blessings.
He explained that salt, historically used in sacrifices and as a preservative, symbolizes purity, healing, and preservation.
In the same way, Christians, he said, are called to live with integrity, reject corruption, promote justice, and uphold moral and religious values within their families and communities.
Fr. Nkurunungi further likened light to a guiding force that offers direction, warning, and warmth, urging Christians to live visibly righteous lives that inspire others and bring hope during difficult times.
He called upon learners and the wider Christian community to embrace these values at the start of the new academic year, so that education and faith work hand in hand to nurture responsible individuals and build a morally upright society.
