Treasured 100-year-old nun laid to rest at Ggogonya Convent

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Centenarian Catholic nun Sister Angelica Nabakooza, who was known by many as Sister Afande, was laid to rest on July 29, 2026, at the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Reparatrix at Ggogonya, off Entebbe Road in Katabi County, Entebbe Municipality, Wakiso District.

A sombre mood engulfed mourners who gathered to give one of the congregation's oldest nuns a befitting send-off. The mood deepened as Sister Angelica's body was lowered into the grave, bringing to an end the life of a nun who served God until her death.

Sister Angelica, a member of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Reparatrix at Ggogonya, died on July 27, 2026, at Kisubi Hospital, where she had been rushed on Monday evening.

The late Sister Angelica Nabakooza. (File Photo/Juliet Anna Lukwago)

According to the assistant superior general, Sister Salome Nambi, who represented the superior general of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Reparatrix Ggogonya Congregation, Sister Dr Mary Speranza Namusisi, the late Sister Angelica had quietly reached her 100th birthday on March 6 this year.

She added that Sister Angelica's baptism card shows she was born on March 6, 1926, in Mulema village, Masaka Diocese, and not in October as had previously been believed. “We missed celebrating her 100th birthday as she was still alive, because all of us knew that her birthday would be in October.”

Hundreds turned up at Ggogonya yesterday to bid farewell to their beloved sister and celebrate her life before she was laid to rest.

Sister Angelica, aged 100, was among the oldest members of the Ggogonya congregation. She was buried at exactly 3:00 pm in the congregation's cemetery after a remarkable life of service spanning 75 years in the congregation.

Sister Nambi said she was also a familiar face to many people in Ggogonya and neighbouring communities because of her dedicated service to the Church.

“Sister Angelica also served different convents. She had joined the congregation in 1951, at age 17 and took her final vows at the age of 25 years,” Nambi said.

Nambi added that superior general Sister Namusisi would have loved to be present to bid farewell to Sister Angelica, but was in Germany on official congregation duties. She said Namusisi had sent condolence messages to the family, relatives, friends and members of the congregation.

Nambi revealed that Sister Angelica developed stomach pain on Friday, July 24, and was rushed to Kisubi Hospital, where she was treated and discharged. On Monday evening, she was taken back to the same hospital after the pain returned, and she died at 10:00 pm. Doctors attributed her death to a bacterial infection.

The requiem Mass was led by Emeritus Papal Nuncio to Belgium Archbishop Augustine Kasujja. He was assisted by Kampala vicar general Msgr Rogers Mukasa Kabuye, Masaka vicar general Msgr Dominic Ssengooba, who represented Bishop Serverus Jjumba, Msgr Charles Kasibante and several priests from different dioceses and parishes.

The funeral was attended by hundreds of mourners, including many of the deceased's friends, veteran politician Hajji Muhammad Muyanja Mbabaali, members of Kampala's business community led by Peter Ssentale, former Mpigi LC5 chairperson, MP John Bosco Lubyayi Sseguya and Namibia's Ambassador, Prince Joseph Ssendawula, who is a nephew of Sister Angelica.

Archbishop Kasujja pays tribute

While preaching, Archbishop Kasujja said Sister Angelica answered God's call to serve Him in poverty and charity and faithfully fulfilled her calling throughout her life.

The Emeritus Papal Nuncio added that “those who were near sister Angelica knew her as trustworthy, religious, prayerful, and she fulfilled her responsibility.”

Archbishop Kasujja also urged the faithful not to lose hope despite the challenges they encounter in life.

He also conveyed Archbishop Paul Ssemogerere's condolence message to the deceased's family, relatives, friends, mourners and the congregation.

Archbishop Augustine Kasujja, the Emeritus Papal Nuncio to Belgium, incenses the grave of the late centenarian Catholic nun Angelica Nabakooza. She was a member of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Reparatrix - Ggogonya congregation. The ceremony took place at Ggogonya Sisters’ Cemetery, located in Kisubi off Entebbe Road, Katabi County, Wakiso District, on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (Photo by Juliet Anna Lukwago)

He noted that two days before Sister Angelica's death, the Church had celebrated the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, commonly referred to as "Bajjaaja's Day", adding that Sister Angelica had listened to Pope Leo XIV's message for the occasion.

Family's farewell

Brother Francis Xavier Agaze thanked the Mother Generals of the congregation for the love and care they showed Sister Angelica throughout her religious life. He also appreciated the congregation for naming one of the roads within the convent after her.

“She was a hard-working religious (sister) who loved her congregation so much, and always was in her heart,” Brother Agaze said on behalf of the family.

“Sister Angelica’s life was full of miracles; always her things were done by themselves. Thank you, Sisters of Ggogonya, for naming one of the roads 'Sister Angelica'. When she was still alive, she was happy for it. She moved with a big file, trying to engage different people, including the former Vice President, Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi, and others, for help to tarmac it, but all was in vain. It is a pity that she died before the road was tarmacked.”

Brother Agaze appealed to Sister Angelica's friends to join hands to have the road tarmacked.

Fond memories shared

Addressing the mourners, Msgr Rogers Mukasa Kabuye said that before Kisubi Parish was divided to create other parishes, it stretched from Akright in Bwebajja to Ggogonya, where Sister Angelica served, and many people came to know her.

Msgr Kabuye said, “The sisters by then were selling matooke, and Sister Angelica used to be in charge of that project; that’s when several of us came to know her. She was a very smart sister and used to sometimes wear white or blue socks.”

He added that many parents in Kisubi named their daughters Angelica in her honour.

“I got a chance to work with her at Kisubi Seminary; she was a chapel sacristy and caterer, and a strict one who did not want to just change sacramentals.”

He recalled, “Sister Angelica loved people; she used to visit everyone. As a caterer, she baked cakes and distributed them to people as gifts; I don’t know where she used to get money from.”

Msgr Kabuye said Sister Angelica earned the nickname "Afande" because she was always alert to anything unusual around the convent and would wake up to check what was happening whenever she heard suspicious sounds outside.