Sir Ellis Clarke completed the lecture series he was conducting at the St Andrew Kaggwa RC Church, Vistabella, on Sunday, October 22 with a lecture entitled, “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord”. The previous Sunday part two, “Catholics as leaven in the dough”, was given. 

As usual Sir Ellis spoke concisely and directly on the topic, showing that much research was done on the subject matter. Sir Ellis began by giving the history of the phrase, “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord”.

The phrase is of Eastern origin, and only quite recently the Catholic Church and other Christian churches adopted it. Previously, in Rome, priests would say, “Go now. The Mass has ended,” and in fact some priests still use that phrase at the end of Mass. But Sir Ellis said, “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord” is an ideal reminder to us Catholics of our mission here; in our homes: in our country and in the world.

“Adopting the practices of this phrase enables us to exercise Catholicism in a very real way,” said Sir Ellis. Again he stressed the need for Catholics to be humble, prudent, forgiving and tolerant of other faiths and beliefs, stating that as Catholics we have a greater responsibility to our Saviour, who has shown us the correct way to live, and to society, to emulate this, so that we too can be an example for them.

Sir Ellis also spoke extensively about the Mass: its history, meaning and significance. He brought home the fact that the Mass is a very special, very privileged thing that we can experience. He said as Catholics we need to not only go to Mass, but to live the Mass to experience its glory and its many benefits.

One week earlier Sir Ellis gave a very profound lecture on “Catholics as leaven in the dough”.

A dictionary meaning of the word leaven states “an agency which works in a thing to produce a gradual change or modification”; another dictionary states “a spreading and transforming agent”.

Sir Ellis said, “The essence of leaven is that it is something doing a job, and the work that it does is to produce a gradual change, and to have a transforming influence on something.

We understand that as Catholics we must be that transforming influence, that instrument of change (in something) that is larger than ourselves. We’re talking as Catholics in a universal church – our influence on the world.”

Sir Ellis further illustrated his point using the hymn that was sung at the beginning of the lecture, Potter’s Clay. The hymn is very relevant to this topic, said Sir Ellis especially the chorus lines “Shape us Lord, in the likeness of Jesus, your Son, so we the flock may continue what the great shepherd has begun”, adding that the “good Lord” had begun to transform the world, and that we, his flock, may continue His transforming work. This is how we act as “leaven in the dough of the world”.

He went on: “Catholics must be the instruments that bring about change in our nation, as we know the way, through Christ. We must follow His example – we must not be of the world. Of course we are part of it, however we must not be subject to the prejudices, the attitudes of the world around us – we have to stand out as being different.”

Sir Ellis continued, “We are in the world and thus we have an obligation, not merely for personal sanctity - which unfortunately is the trend now – but to display our faith, to be that light on the hill that cannot be hid.”

“When we permit our faith to be seen, we affect others, they look at us and say, ‘Why is he like that? How come she doesn’t behave like everyone around her? What makes them so different?’ Then they realise the principles and virtues of Catholics, and they themselves come to believe.”

Sir Ellis ended his address saying, “Christ called us ‘the salt of the earth’, and as salt we are to give some flavour. We must contribute something appealing to the world, without being absorbed by it. We must bring the world around to accepting the flavour that we offer.”

Again, after both lectures, there were question and answer segments where participants were allowed to ask questions related to the topics, and receive answers from Sir Ellis. Through these segments participants got a clearer picture of the topics raised during the
lecture.

Refreshments and socialising followed, before participants went home, feeling renewed and satisfied with the lectures, having a clearer understanding of what it entails to be a Catholic in today’s world, and the various obligations and duties that we as Catholics are expected to honour.