Catholic church honours Cardinal Lavigerie

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Even after 133 years since his death, Cardinal Charles Martial Allemand Lavigerie is still remembered with even greater admiration by the Catholic faithful in Uganda.

The French Prelate, who prior to his death served as archbishop of Algiers, is most remembered for his immense love and commitment to the Catholic evangelistic ministry in Africa.

The local Church in Uganda remembers him with even greater gratitude for sending the pioneer Catholic missionaries.

A spectacle of the White Fathers during the commemoration of the bicentenary of the birth of Cardinal Charles Lavigerie at Lubaga Cathedaral recently.

Archbishop Dr. Augustine Kasujja, Apostolic Nuncio, gives his testimony about Cardinal Lavigerie and the White Fathers during the memorial lecture.

The clerics of French descent, Fr. Simeon Lourdel Mapeera and Bro Delmas Amans of the missionary society of the White Fathers alias Missionaries of Africa (founded by Lavigerie), arrived in Uganda on February 17, 1879 and began evangelizing the country. Their dynamic missionary activity was so successful that it transformed every aspect of the country.

Many native Ugandans abandoned paganism and embraced the Catholic faith. Some of the converts, the Uganda Martyrs (St. Charles Lwanga, St. Matia Mulumba and their 20 companions) even shed their blood on account of the faith. On the other hand, the pioneer missionaries-built schools such as St. Mary’s College Ksubi, health-care facilities such as Lubaga Hospital, technical institutions such as St. Joseph’s Technical Institute Kisubi, seminaries such as Bukalasa Minor Seminary and Katigondo Grand National Major Seminary, and religious institutes such as the Bannabiikira Sisters and the Bannakarooli Brothers, which contributed enormously to human resource empowerment, and ecclesial, national and regional development.

Owing to his trust and love for Africa/Africans, and also his commitment to the values of justice and humanity, Cardinal Lavigerie worked a lot to put an end to the vice of slave trade in Africa. He used his pulpit and pastoral letters to denounce the vice. He also used his money to rescue the victims (African slaves).

The Catholic faithful in Uganda are fully aware of Lavigerie’s contribution to the country, which is why they opted to commemorate the bicentenary of his birth through a memorial lecture on his life and episcopal ministry.

The lecture/conference, which took place at Lubaga Cathedral during the cathedral’s centennial celebration week (October 22-26) attracted many Christians, including the community of the White Fathers (Missionaries of Africa), the White Sisters (Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa), Bannakarooli Brothers (Brothers of St. Charles Lwanga), and Bannabiikira Sisters.

Inspiring testimonies

The Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Dr Augustine Kasujja, spoke highly of Cardinal Charles Lavigerie and his missionaries, the White Fathers.

Archbishop Paul Ssemogerere (left) shares a moment with the Provincial Superior of the White Fathers for East Africa, Fr. Oswald Mallya (right) during the Memorial Lecture at Lubaga Cathedral.

“The White Fathers did a lot to build the local Church. I was close to them when I was a student at Kisubi Minor Seminary. A good number of them were on the teaching staff. Archbishop Joseph Cabana, also a White Father, used to visit the seminary. Surprisingly, he knew most of the seminarians by name. I had a closer experience of the White Fathers and their ministry when I was at Nabbingo parish for my pastoral experience.”

“I admired their solid pastoral practices. They were down-to-earth. They would visit Christians deep in the village. They learnt the local dialects. They were one with their Christians. They ate with them. No wonder, when I was a newly-ordained priest at Mubende parish, my parish priest told me I had to visit Christians in their homes,” Kasujja recalled.

The Archbishop of Kampala, Paul Ssemogerere, also lauded Cardinal Lavigerie.

“He was a man of great courage. How do you decide to go to a dark continent, where there are killer diseases, wild animals and hostile people?! He was indeed a man of faith who also inspired his missionaries to have the same faith.”

“Dear missionaries of Africa, thank you for evangelising Uganda and Africa. We revere you. We now encourage you to go to Europe, Canada and America. The faith there is dying. If no strategic action is taken, Christianity there will die like it died in Algeria,” Ssemogerere said.

The Provincial Superior of the White Fathers for East Africa (Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Sudan), Fr. Oswald Mallya said members of the congregation were grateful to God for their successful missionary activity in Uganda. He urged the Christians to be true to the faith that his confreres introduced 146 years ago.

Earlier during the function, selected members and associates of the religious institute of the White Fathers gave testimonial lectures//talks on Cardinal Lavigerie and the Missionaries of Africa. Among them was Fr. Richard Nnyombi (White Father), Bro. Patrick Norah (White Father), Fr. Dr Ambrose Bwangatto and Bro. Vincent Musoke (Bannakarooli Brothers).

A brief of Cardinal Lavigerie

Cardinal Charles Allemand Lavigerie (1825-1892) hailed from France, where he was ordained a priest on June 2, 1849. He was consecrated and installed as the Bishop of Nancy (in France) on March 22, 1863.

He was appointed Bishop of Algiers on January 19, 1867. In 1968, he founded and became the first Superior General of the White Fathers (Missionaries of Africa),

He was created a Cardinal on March 27, 1882. On November 10, 1884, he was appointed Archbishop of Carthage (Tunisia). On March 13, 1891, he was appointed Vicar Apostolic of Sahara and Sudan.