Among the crowds at Namugongo on Uganda Martyrs Day, June 3rd, was a relative of Pere Siméon Lourdel (fondly referred to as Mapeera) called Marlene Marie Lee. Marlene, who said she was a great-great-grandniece of Mapeera, was coming to Uganda for the first time. She came with fellow parishioners, an elderly couple, Jim and Gina Nailon. They were led by Fr Luke Ssemakula, a priest from Kampala Archdiocese, but serving at their church, St John Vianney Parish in California, Oakland Diocese in the US. Juliet Anna Lukwago later talked to her about her impression of Uganda.

Mapeera was a member of the Missionary Society of White Fathers or, alternatively, Missionaries of Africa, who was the first to bring Catholicism to Uganda in 1879. He arrived in Africa with Léon Livinhac, Ludovic Girault, Léon Barbot, and Amans Delmas on November 15, 1878.

From the Lake Victoria shores at Kageye, the group first sent Mapeera and Amans, to go on ahead and try to secure Kabaka Mutesa I’s goodwill before the rest could follow. 

Mapeera and Amans embarked on the lake journey on January 20, 1879, and arrived at Kigungu shore on February 19th, 30 days later. They thus became the first Catholic missionaries to tread the soil of Uganda.

Within six years, Mapeera and his colleagues had converts with great fearless determination, willing to die for Christianity. 22 of these were recognized by the Catholic Church as Uganda Martyrs and declared saints on 18 October 1964.

Mapeera died in 1890 and was buried three times at different places. First, he was buried at Nabunnya on May 12, 1890, at the place that now houses the Mapeera Pilgrimage Centre. His remains were later exhumed and buried at Rubaga Cathedral. Lastly, they were again exhumed and finally buried at St John the Baptist Catholic parish, Mapeera, Nabulagala.

Marlene and Mapeera

The 46-year-old Marlene said her great-grandmother, Genevieve Dallas, was the daughter of Clement Lourdel, Mapeera's brother. In Mapeera’s biography, Clement is mentioned as one of Mapeera’s three brothers, Valerio and Ernest. 

They were born at Dury in Arras village, Northern France, to a devout Christian farmer Alberto Karol and his wife, Elistera. Ernest also went on to became a priest.

Marlene’s great-grandmother, Genevieve, shifted to Canada in 1904 at the age of 17. Unfortunately, she passed on. Her daughter, Antoinette, gave birth to Marlene in 1977. 

She grew up in Canada until she became 22 years old and shifted to the US, where she stays now. Her mother, Antoinette, is married to Harry Ruskousty. They have four children, two boys and girls, who include Marlene. Marlene is not married but has two children, a boy and a girl.

“I first met Fr. Ssemakula in California in 2015. He was a curate of the Parish Priest, Fr William Rosario of St John Vianney Parish in California. My two children were attending his lessons of Faith formation (catechism), and that is how we became friends,” she narrated.

Fr Ssemakula said when Marlene got to know that he was from Uganda, she told him that her mother always talked about their relative, a missionary who went to Africa.

“I was overwhelmed to discover that I was actually talking to Mapeera’s great-great-grandmother! It must have been God’s one work! I narrated to her the story of Mapeera and the 22 Uganda Martyrs. I also gave her books to read about her great great grandfather,” he said.

Fr Ssemakula was born in Nabbingo Parish to Peter Pulley and Claire Mukiibi. After ordination in 1997 at Lubaga by Emmanuel Cardinal Wamala, he served at Kamwokya Parish till 1999 when he went to the US for further studies. After the studies, he was allowed to work in Oakland Diocese.

Uganda thrills

Marlene says she became very enthusiastic about coming to Uganda and her two friends offered to escort her.

“What we have seen is so impressive. I had never seen such an overwhelming number of pilgrims coming together to attend a function. And I was told that many of them walked many kilometres on foot to come and celebrate the work of my great-great granddad,” she said.

Marlene, who graduated as a Finance Advisor, works in the Youth Ministry in the US. In Uganda, she visited other places of religious tourism like Kigungu, where Mapeera and Bro Amans landed on arrival in Uganda in 1879. 

She also went to Nabulagala, where Mapeera’s remains are rested. Nabulagala is also the place where Mapeera held his first mass.

Marlene also experienced the Uganda Martyrs Trail which starts at Munyonyo Martyrs Shrine where the Kabaka Mwanga gave the order to kill the Christians, goes through the martyrdom sites of 9 Christians who were killed enroute to Namungongo. 

It took her to St Balikuddembe Market, otherwise known as Owino, Nakivubo, Kisenyi till the Kabaka’s Lake in Mengo. The trail then heads to Old Kampala, Kyamula, Lubaawo, Namugongo and Nakiyanja.

Other places they visited include the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in Nakasongola district. It is the home of the only white rhinos in Uganda. It also has a wide variety of bird species and other wildlife. 

They also visited Murchison Falls National Park, the biggest in Uganda, straddling the districts of Buliisa, Nwoya, Kiryandongo, and Masindi.

“Uganda is so beautiful!” she said. “I am happy it is also a religious country. It is great to see that people still appreciate the work of the missionaries of long time ago. I have many stories to tell my family about Uganda. All of them just see Uganda on google maps but I actually experienced it. I have several videos about the day and the Uganda Martyrs Day at Namugongo was overwhelmingly memorable,” she said.

Marlene said she was sure when her family gets to hear her story, many will come for the next and many more Uganda Martyrs Days to celebrate with Ugandans.

Marlene said although their family is scattered, they meet every five years for a reunion in Canada.

Mapeera’s canonisation

Asked about Mapeera’s canonization, Marlene said she is praying for it and would be thrilled to have her great great grandfather being declared Saint.  

“I know that the Canonisation process requires a lot of money. But I think, as a family, we would be willing to contribute to the process. We shall sit as a family and see what we can afford,” she promised.

According to Fr. Richard Nnyombi, in charge of Pere Mapeera’s beatification process, Mapeera has about three steps to go before being canonized as a saint. 

The process, which was launched by Cardinal Emmanuel Nsubuga in 1987, was first spearheaded by Bishop Joseph Mukwaya. When Mukwaya died, Nsubuga’s successor, Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala appointed Fr. Benedict Ssebulege to take charge.

The committee, however, became dormant until the Archbishop of Kampala, Dr Cyprian Kizito Lwanga renewed the process in January 2010 and added Bro Amans to the list. 

The archbishop appointed a new committee led by Msgr. David Kyeyune, now late, Fr. Emmanuel Kimbowa, Fr. Charles Ssengendo, Fr. Joseph Mukasa Muwonge, Fr. Joseph Sserugga and Fr. John Ssajjalyabene and Fr. Nyombi.

The committee documented the virtues of Mapeera and Amans, and when Rome approved the file, it authorized Kampala Archdiocese to look for miracles, achieved through the intercession of Mapeera and Amans.

People would pray for miracles through Mapeera and register their successes with the committee. Nyombi says his committee verified and compiled 27 miracles from Bbiina, Kitebi and Nabulagala, and forward them to Rome.

“We finished our work in Uganda. We are now waiting for Rome to verify and get back to us. However, we must be patient. It can take even 100 years or more! For example, the 22 Uganda Martyrs were beatified in 1920 and had to wait for 44 years to be canonized on October 18, 1964. We have to wait patiently and keep on praying for Pere Mapeera,” Nyombi said.

He said Mapeera’s process is currently in the same stage as Msgr. Aloysius Ngombya, Sister Amadeo of Masaka Diocese as well as Mother Kevin of Lugazi Diocese.

Once the Vatican Congregation for the Causes of Saints approves the miracles, the pope will declare Mapeera and Amans as Blessed. 

Ugandans who have been beatified are the Blessed Fr. Giuseppe Ambrosoli, beatified by Pope Francis on November 20, 2022, and the Blessed Daudi Okelo and Blessed Jildo Irwa of Gulu Archdiocese, who were beatified by Pope John Paul II on October 20th 2002.

After the beatification, the Church looks for a second miracle before proceeding to canonization. The process is similar to the first miracle. 

Once the Congregation approves the second miracle, the pope declares the Blessed into a saint. Uganda has 22 saints, The Uganda Martyrs, who were canonized on 18 October 1969 by Pope Paul VI.

PHOTO CAPTION: Marlene Marie Lee great-great-grandchild of Pere Mapeera (in front) with other people who came with her, headmistress of St Catherine SS Nabbingo (last on right) and Fr Paul Ssemakula of Masaka diocese (left). Photo by Juliet Anna Lukwago