President of International Theological Institute Prof. Christiaan arrives in Uganda for Independence Day Eve National Breakfast Prayer
Drake Nyamugabwa
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The President and Rector of the International Theological Institute, Prof. Christian Alting von Geusau is in Uganda for the 24th National Prayer Breakfast, going to be held at State House Entebbe on October 8.
Prof. Geusau, who is also the president of the International Catholic Legislators Network, was received at Entebbe International Airport on Tuesday night by Members of Parliament including Francis Aogon of Kumi municipality, Francis Mwijukye of Buhweju, Kahonda Donozio of Rhinda County and Dr. Nicholas Kamara of Kabale municipality.
The National Prayer Breakfast event organized annually by the Parliament of Uganda on the eve of independence, converges political leaders from across the political divide and denominations and for 2022 is under the theme: Arise and Build- picked from Nehemiah 2:18. The scripture talks about how God led the children of Israel in the task of rebuilding the broken walls of Jerusalem.
According to Hon. David Bahati, the Chairman of the Uganda Parliamentary National Prayer Breakfast Fellowship and State Minister of Industry, the theme is timely considering that Uganda, like the rest of the world, is embarking on the post-COVID-19 economic recovery.
“For the last two and half years, we have experienced the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic that is now fading away. But God has sustained our health, our economy, and our communities,” said Bahati.
Adding: “We have what it takes to build our country and it is time to arise to accomplish the mission since Uganda is endowed with minerals, a good climate, and a young population full of energy.”
Parliament has an active prayer breakfast fellowship with the membership of about 200 Members of Parliament that weekly assemble on Thursdays for prayers and discussions on leadership.
President Yoweri Museveni and First Lady Janet Museveni have attended all the ceremonies since its inception. Museveni says he introduced it after a visit to the United States. Many countries including the US, Kenya, Israel, Nigeria, and others organize prayer breakfasts annually.
The event is also annually attended by the Vice President, Speaker of Parliament as the chief host, Chief Justice, Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Deputy Chief Justice, Prime Minister, and several other government leaders, political and business leaders.
Personalities who have attended the event in Uganda include former Burundi President, Pierre Nkurunziza, Kenyan President William Ruto, and senators from the US, Nigeria, and Kenya among others.
It is the fourth time the interfaith annual event organized by the Parliament of Uganda is being held at the State House since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic to control the number of physical participants. The larger population is expected to electronically follow the event on mainstream and social media.
Before COVID19, the event was annually held at Hotel Africana and used to attract participants from the United States, Nigeria, DRC, Kenya, Burundi, South Sudan, and other countries.
Christiaan W. J. M. Alting von Geusau, pictured above, a native of the Netherlands, spent his formative years immersed in a strongly Catholic home environment. Geusau studied law and earned degrees from the University of Leiden, the University of Heidelberg, and the University of Vienna. He practiced law at several international law firms before becoming president of the International Theological Institute. Geusau also became founding president of the Phoenix Institute Europe Foundation and co-founder and president of the International Catholic Legislators Network. In 2012 he and his wife founded the Schola Thomas Morus, a secondary school in Austria where he hopes to see realized his vision of a school “with a living faith, with formation in the classical virtues, and with a rigorous curriculum that teaches children how to think, how to understand, and thus how to learn.” Gausau continues to lecture and write on topics of education, philosophy, and law. His most recent book is
