SMACK B Campus to be launched Saturday

Saint Mary's College Kabojja, a replica campus of St. Mary's College Kisubi (SMACK), will be launched tomorrow (Saturday, September 24).

The function will take place at the proposed school's campus at Kabojja, in Wakiso district, starting at 10:00am.  It will be presided over by the Bishop of Jinja diocese, the Rt. Rev. Charles Wamika.

The establishment of Saint Mary's College Kabojja, also called SMACK B, is one of the activities for the preparation of the centenary of the arrival of the Catholic Brothers of Christian Instruction (popularly known as the Brothers of Kisubi) in Uganda.

The Provincial Superior of the Brothers, the Very Rev. Bro. Peter Kazzekulya explained:

The Very Reverend Brother Peter Kazzekulya, the Provincial Superior of the Brothers of Christian Instruction

 
"The Brothers of Christian instruction came to Uganda in 1926. This means that we shall be clocking 100 years in 2026."

"In preparation for our centenary, we have declared a decade of development, during which we shall realise a number of projects, one of which is Saint Mary's College Kabojja."

"The establishment of SMACK B is also a response to the overwhelming number of students who apply to join Saint Mary's College Kisubi but have to be turned away because of insufficient facilities."

 "Tomorrow we shall launch the campus of SMACK B. The admission of students will nonetheless begin in 2017 after we have put in place the necessary infrastructure. We shall start with S1 and S5."

Reverend Father Jean Marie de la Mennais left and Father Gabriel Deshayes who founded the congregation of the Brothers of Christian Instruction

 
A brief history of the Brothers

The pioneer group of the Brothers of Christian Instruction, all from Canada, arrived in Uganda in August, 1926. The group comprised Bro. Charles Jules Poitras, Bro. Joachim Leo, Bro. Eugene Mary Paquette and Bro.  Stanislaus Joseph.

The Brothers were invited by Bishop John Forbes, a White Father missionary, in 1924.

Overwhelmed by the enormous evangelistic work, the White Fathers opted to hand over high education to the Brothers, in order to concentrate on the expansion of their missions.

In 1926, the Brothers took over SMACK, which had just been shifted from Rubaga, to Kisubi, where the King of Buganda had given the White Fathers land.

A statue of Father Jean Marie de la Mennais with an African student and an African Catholic

 
The Brothers later built and developed several schools which include SMACK, St. Henry's College Kitovu, Uganda Martyrs' High School, Rubaga, St. Charles Lwanga Kasasa, Saint Edwards Bukuumi, Mugwanya Preparatory School Kabojja and St. Savio Juniour School, Kisubi. They also established the University of Kisubi (Unik).
About the Congregation

The Catholic religious institute of Brothers of Christian Instruction was founded by two French priests, Gabriel Deshayes and Jean Marie de la Mennais, in 1819. Their aim was to educate young people and also, to make Jesus better known and better loved."

The administration block of the current SMACK

 
The Brothers are bound by the religious vows of poverty and obedience. The congregation has an international character. Its members work in various countries in Africa, Europe and the US.

"We are grateful to God for the 90 years of our work in Uganda.   The Brothers came, sowed the seed and God granted it the increase. 90 years later, we have grown into a big tree, with a trunk and branches composed of Brothers-departed and living, old students and current students, lay Mennasian Collaborators, friends, and benefactors of the Brothers. We request all people of good will to give us due support, so that we can realize our project of the new school as we prepare for our centenary."

A statue of Stanslas Mugwanya who donated the land at Kabojja where SMACKB will be built

The subsequent head teachers of SMACK