Munyonyo parish priest holds audience with Pope Leo XIV

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Fr Ulman Wojtek, the parish priest of Uganda Martyrs Parish Munyonyo, popularly known as Fr Male, has become the first priest currently serving in Uganda to meet Pope Leo XIV since his election earlier this year.

He had a personal audience with the Holy Father at the Vatican on June 23, 2025, during a special meeting with the Franciscan Friars, who had assembled in Rome for their General Chapter.

Pope Leo XIV used the moment to commend the friars for “speaking of the things of God,” and urged them to serve not themselves, but Christ.

"It is not our personal interest that should drive us," said the Pope, "but that of Christ; it is His Spirit we must first listen to, in order to ‘write the future in the present."

He encouraged the friars to remain rooted in their service to Christ, adding, “Listen to Him in the voice of your brother, in the discernment of the community, in attentiveness to the signs of the times, in the appeals of the Magisterium.”

Fr Male becomes the first priest currently serving in Uganda to meet Pope Leo XIV since his election as Pope.

“I have met two popes so far,” said Fr Male.

“Although this was my first time to meet Pope Leo XIV since his election on May 8, 2025, I met the late Pope Francis several times, including during his visit to Uganda and Munyonyo Martyrs Shrine on 27 November 2015, where he met catechists and teachers.”

Munyonyo Martyrs Shrine

Munyonyo Martyrs Shrine was one of the places visited by Pope Francis during his pastoral visit to Uganda in November 2015.

The shrine is the martyrdom site of royal page leaders St Andrew Kaggwa and St Denis Ssebuggwaawo.

It was elevated from a sub-parish to a full parish by the late Archbishop Dr Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, becoming the 65th Catholic parish under the Kampala Archdiocese. This elevation commemorated the historic visit of Pope Francis.

Munyonyo marks the starting point of the journey to Namugongo, where many more of the Uganda Martyrs were burned to death.

Kaggwa and Ssebuggwaawo were among the first young men murdered under the orders of Kabaka Mwanga for defying his directive not to practise Christianity.