KABALE DIOCESE MAKES PILGRIMAGE TO NAMUGONGO AND MUNYONYO MARTYRS SHRINES

About 200 Catholics from Kabale Diocese have completed their three day pilgrimage to the Uganda Martyrs Shrines of Namugongo and Munyonyo as part of the celebration of the Jubilee Year 2025. These Christians came from the seven Deaneries that make up Kabale Diocese (Makiro, Nyakibale, Bukinda, Mutolere, Kitanga, Rubanda and Rushoroza).

They set off on Friday, June 27.6.2025 in the evening, on the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus after having Mass at Christ the King Parish Kabale, Bukinda and Nyakibale Parishes. And arrived at Namugongo at dawn on Saturday. While blessing the pilgrims at Christ the King Parish Kabale, Fr. Fidel Ndagijimana, the Pastoral Coordinator for Kabale Diocese thanked them for making a sacrifice to visit the places of martyrdom of the Uganda martyrs and that with this visit, their faith would certainly increase.

As the pilgrims reached Namugongo, they found the members of Kigezi Kampala Catholic Residents Association (KKCRA) waiting for them and served them with breakfast before they embarked on journey of prayer. They were helped to understand the spirituality of the Uganda Martyrs by the Rector of Namugongo Martyrs shrine, Rev. Fr. Vincent Lubega who marvelled at the faith of the Christians of Kabale Diocese who travelled over 400km to pay homage to the Uganda martyrs. He called upon the pilgrims to know more about the Uganda Martyrs, devote themselves to the Uganda Martyrs and be witnesses like the Uganda Martyrs.

Fr. Lubega said, “before Christianity came to Uganda, people of Kabale Diocese were already Christians a as evidenced by the naming of their children like Byaruhanga, Byamukama, Byomugabe among others”. He conducted a session on the Uganda Martyrs and explained the journey of martyrdom, after which he led the pilgrims into the sacrifice of Mass inside Namugongo Minor Basilica.

Welcome to the land of the Martyrs, the land of the saints. 3 Popes have visited this shrine (Pope Paul VI in 1969, Pope John Paul II in 1993 and Pope Francis in 2015. Three Saints have also passed through the Door of Namugongo minor basilica and these are Pope St. Paul VI, Pope St. John Paul II and St. Theresa of Calcutta. May you at one time be counted among that number of saints too – Fr. Vicent Lubaga.

On Saturday afternoon, the pilgrims were led to Uganda Martyrs shrine Munyonyo where the tour guide (Ms. Joan Ntongo) led them to visit different sites including the burial site of Denis Ssebugwawo who was speared by King Mwanga at Munyonyo on 25.5.1886, but died on the morning of 26.5.1886. Another martyr killed at Munyonyo was Andrew Kaggwa whose arm was chopped at the orders of the Prime Minister (Katikkiro) was killed on 26.5.1886. The third martyr was Ponsiano Ngondwe who was speared several times by Mukaajanga, the chief executioner before his death on the evening of 26.5.1886. Ms. Joan Ntongo said that the journey of martyrdom of the Uganda Martyrs started from Munyonyo to Namugongo.

It is good to note that out of the 22 minor basilicas in Africa, Uganda has three of them, namely: Namugongo and Munyonyo (both in Kampala Archdiocese) and Lodonga minor Basilica in Arua Diocese. The Major Basicilicas in the world are only 4 and found in Italy (St. Peters Basilica, St. John Lateran, St. Mary’s Major and St. Paul outside the Wall) while all the other are minor basilicas.

On Sunday, June 29, 2025, the pilgrims had concluding mass together with KKCRA members and while preaching during mass, Fr. Fidel Ndagijimana (Pastoral Coordinator) said that it was a privilege to pray with members of KKCRA and conduct their pilgrimage as it was conducted in other deaneries of Kabale Diocese. He also thanked them for the warm reception they accorded to the pilgrims and for the meals (breakfast, lunch and supper) plus accommodation.

Fr. Fidel told the congregation after every 25 years, the Catholic Church celebrated a Jubilee/Holy Year. In the year 1975, Fr. Paulino Tomaino (RIP) led a big delegation to Rome for pilgrimage and this was put on record in Kabale Diocese. The Year 2000 was also a Jubilee Year but people in the diocese did not actively participate because of confusion created by the Kibwetere saga (many people lost their lives under his cult – Restoration of the Ten Commandments). The Year 2025 is for us to actively participate in the Jubilee year celebrated under the theme “Pilgrims of Hope.”

Fr. Fidel also said that this Jubilee Year has many activities including Jubilee Charity (which was conducted during lent), Jubilee Hymn Competitions (conducted among parish choirs and schools), Jubilee Year Prayer which was translated from English to Rukiga and Rufumbira to be recited by all the faithful in the Diocese, Jubilee Pilgrimage (to deaneries, to Namugongo & Munyonyo, to Kibeho and to Rome) among others.

Mr. Narcis Rwangoga, the chairperson of Kigezi Kampala Catholic Residents Association (KKCRA) thanked the Pastoral office for thinking about the Catholics in Diaspora (greater Kampala). He thanked the Diocesan pilgrims for taking a bold decision to travel over 400 km for a pilgrimage. Mr. Rwangoga also thanked his fellow KKCRA members for the sacrifice at the service of the pilgrims.

He also thanked Fr. Vicent Lubega (Rector of Namugongo Martyrs Shrine) for granting KKCRA a favour and opening the doors for them to have monthly Mass (3^rd Sunday of the month) and appealed to all the Catholics in Greater Kampala to always join them and have Mass together and Catholics from Kabale Diocese.