Kabale Diocese has had its first Pilgrimage centre opened in the Jubilee Year. The Principal Door of Makiro Parish Church in Makiro Deanery (Kanungu district) was on Sunday, April 27, 2025 opened so that pilgrims across the 8 parishes of Makiro Deanery can go through as Pilgrims and obtain a plenary indulgence. A pilgrimage is one of the characteristics of a Jubilee Year and 2025 was declared by Pope Francis to be a Jubilee/Holy Year under the theme “Pilgrims of Hope” The Catholic Church celebrates a Jubilee Year after every 25 years.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), “an indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints (CCC 1471).
For one to be granted indulgence (plenary or partial) three conditions must be fufilled and these are Sacramental confession, reception of Holy Eucharist and praying for the Papal intentions.
While opening the Holy Door of Makiro Parish Church, Msgr. Vianney Sunday, Vicar General of Kabale Diocese thanked the Pastoral Coordinator for implementing the Diocesan programs especially the Jubilee Year programs of jubilee hymn competitions, charity and pilgrimage. He thanked those who participated in the Jubilee Year Charity program, competitions of the Jubilee Hymn and Jubilee Year Pilgrimage.
During sacrifice of Mass to celebrate 2nd Sunday of Easter which is also known as Divine Mercy Sunday, Msgr Sunday also thanked people for preparing themselves through Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation in order to receive the mercy of God with proper disposition. He said that as Jesus gave authority to the Apostles the power and authority to forgive sins, priests extend this mercy of God to penitents in the sacrament of Penance.
Fr. Gerald Abenayezu, Parish Priest of Our Lady of Fatima Makiro Parish which hosted the Pilgrims thanked God that the opportunity granted to Makiro deanery of being the first ones to have the jubilee Year Pilgrimage in the entire Diocese. He thanked Vicar General and team of the Diocese for the different sessions that enriched people spiritually. In a special way he thanked the Pastoral Coordinator for the arrangement.
Fr. Kiiza Justus, Parish Priest of Nyamwegabira Parish and Dean Makiro Deanery thanked the priests in the Deanery for being cooperative and working together to prepare a successful pilgrimage. He thanked all the pilgrims for turning up in big numbers and having participated in the Jubilee Year hymn competitions. He congratulated Kambuga Parish which won the competition of jubilee year hymn with 93%.
Mr. Mugisha Zepher, Chairperson Laity Council of Makiro Deanery and Assistant RDC for Kanungu district thanked the pilgrims for the three days they spent at Makiro with He thanked Dr. Chris Baryomunsi for always supporting Deanery programs.
Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, MP for Kinkizi East and minister for ICT and National Guidance thankee Msgr. John Vianney Sunday for presiding over the opening of the Holy Door of Makiro Parish Church and Mass for the pilgrims of Makiro Deanery. He also thanked the 8 parishes of Makiro Deanery for the cooperation and leading their Christians in pilgrimage. He congratulated the deanery for being the first place of pilgrimage in the diocese.
He urged Deanery leadership to design some programs to bring together all parishes not necessarily coming together for mass. He requested them to draw up a strategic plan to develop the Deanery for example in developing schools, health facilities among others. He implored people to participate in politics and choose leaders what will serve them according to God’s will. He also promised to liaise with Uganda Communications Commissions (UCC) to help in boosting the coverage of Radio Maria Kabale by sending a team of engineers to survey the signal spectrum and the boosters could be granted so that Radio Maria could be accessed by the whole Diocese.
He contributed 3000 dollars to support the Makiro Deanery welfare fund and 3000 dollars to support the construction of theatre ward at Nyamwegabira Health Centre and 16m to the Catechists welfare fund (2m for each of the 8 parish in Makiro Deanery).
Fr. Fidel Ndagijimana, Pastoral Coordinator for Kabale Diocese thanked the Diocesan Departments for cooperation to support the Jubilee Year programs especially communication department, family and Radio Maria. He thanked Makiro Deanery for opening up the Jubilee Year Pilgrimage as was prepared by the Central Organizing Committee of Jubilee Year celebration in Kabale Diocese. He also thanked the pilgrims from all the 8 parishes of Makiro deanery for their dedication and participating in Jubilee Year celebrations under the theme “Pilgrims of Hope.”
Fr. Fidel used the opportunity to thank all those people of good will in Makiro Deanery and outside who participating the Jubilee Year charity by raising funds and charity items which were delivered to prisoners and patients in major prisons and hospitals across Kabale Diocese, a program which was conducted during lenten season.
He also thanked the schools (primary and secondary) and parish choirs which participated in the Jubilee Year Hymn competitions in Makiro Deanery and other Deaneries across Kabale Diocese. St. John the Baptist Kambuga Parish choir emerged winners of parish competitions, while Bishop Comboni College Kambuga won secondary school competitions and Bishop Mazzoldi Primary School Kanungu won the primary school competitions of the Jubilee Year Hymn. All the schools and Parish choirs were each awarded a certificate of participation by Msgr. John Vianney Sunday, Vicar General on behalf of the Bishop of Kabale Diocese.