Former Nabulagala parish-priest buried in Holland

Aug 29, 2016

Fr. Ssajjalyabeene, a Dutch priest of the Catholic Missionary Society of White Fathers, came to Uganda in1967.

Rev. Fr. Joe van de Ven Ssajjalyabeene, the former parish-priest of Mapeera-Nabulagala Catholic parish (in Rubaga Division) was on Saturday (August 27) buried at St. Charles, Heythuysen in Holland. He passed on a week earlier, in Holland, where he has been receiving treatment since 2015.

Fr. Ssajjalyabeene, a Dutch priest of the Catholic Missionary Society of White Fathers, came to Uganda in1967.  He subsequently established parishes in regions like Masaka, Soroti and Karamoja. He is widely admired for his friendly disposition and unrivalled love for indigenous African cultures.

 

He had a unique masterly of Ugandan native languages like Luganda, Ateso and Karamajong. Prior to his departure to Holland, last year, Ssajjalyabeeene was the parish-priest of Mapeera-Nabulagala Catholic parish, in Rubaga Division, where he was posted in 2008.

The parishioners of Nabulagala held a funeral vigil for Ssajjalyabeene, ahead of his funeral mass at the Church on Saturday.  The Archbishop of Kampala, Dr. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga highlighted the missionary zeal of Ssajjalyabeene, whom he also commended for his love and commitment to Ugandans.

Fr. Peter Hooyschuur Katongole, who spoke on behalf of the White Fathers, asked Christians to emulate Fr. Sajjalyabeene. "Our brother Joe was not a hypocrite. He always said what was on his mind without fear or favour. Like Joe, let us be committed to the truth."

Fr. Richard Nnyombi also highlighted Ssajjalyabeene's immense love and devotion to the Uganda Martyrs, whose beatification he passionately promoted.

Samuel Lukwago, the head of the laity of Nabulagala parish revealed that Fr. Ssajjalyabeene had opted to be buried at Nabulagala and had actually shown them the place where to bury him. He had also rejected an expensive funeral. He declined to be buried in a coffin. He also rejected a cemented tomb. He instead wanted his body to be wrapped in bark-cloth and be buried in the soil.

After the mass, the Christians made a procession to the place where Fr. Ssajjalyabeene wished to be buried. They recited the funeral prayers and then erected a cross at the symbolic tomb of Ssajjalyabeene.

 

A brief on Fr. Ssajjalyabeene

Rev. Fr. Johannes Petrus Joseph van de Ven was one of the most senior members of the Catholic missionary society of White fathers (also called missionaries of Afrioca0).

He was born at on March 15, 1941 at Nistelrode, Holland. He received training with the Missionaries of Africa at St. Charles, Esch, Holland, Franklin in the US and Ottawa in Canada.

He took his missionary oath in Ottawa on June 25.1965. He was ordained a priest at Princenhage, Holland, on July 2, 1966. He came to Uganda in 1967 and subsequently worked in parishes like Bumangi (Ssese Islands), Katimba, and Kalungu (in Masaka), Usuku and Acumet (in Soroti).

He further worked at Bakel Parish (Netherlands), Tapac Parish, (Moroto) and Mapeera-Nabulagala (Kampala Archdiocese, 2008-2015).

 

 

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