Catholic Church starts beatification process of pioneer missionaries

The process of the beatification of Fr. Simeon Lourdel Mapeera, Bro. Delmas Amans and Sr. Kevin Kearney has officially started. Beatification is a declaration by the Pope that a respective deceased Christian lived a holy life and is in heaven, able to plead to God on behalf of other Christians who pray through his or her intercession. It is the step right before sainthood.

Fr. Mapeera and Bro. Amans were the pioneer catholic missionaries, who brought the catholic faith to Uganda on February 17, 1879.

The duo belonged to the Catholic Missionary Society of White Fathers, also called Missionaries of Africa.Rev. Sr. Kevin Kearney alias Mother Kevin was an Irish missionary nun, who founded the Catholic religious institute of the Little Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi and the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Africa

The process of the beatification of the three missionaries took place at Rubaga Cathedral on Sunday. Rev. Bro Cruz, a delegate from the Vatican, presided over the ceremony. The ceremony included among other things the reading of the biographies of the three missionaries (now referred to as servants of God), the declaration of the officials of the tribunals that will gather information about their life and heroic virtues, and the making of the oath of commitment and secrecy by the officials.

The thanksgiving mass was presided over by Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, assisted by the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Michael August Blume.

THE TRIBUNALS

The Kampala Archdiocesan tribunal for the beatification of Fr. Mapeera and Bro. Amans

Postulator (based in Rome) - Dr. Waldery Hilgemam

Vice-Postulator - The Very Rev. Fr. Richard Nnyombi (White Father) 

Episcopal Delegate (representative of Archbishop Lwanga) - Fr. Dr. Joseph Serunjoji

Promoter of Justice - Fr. Dr. Andrew Kato (Apostles of Jesus)

Notary (secretary) - Fr. Aloysius Bwangatto

Adjunct Notary (assistant secretary) - Fr. Paul Gyaviira Muwanga  

The Lugazi diocesan tribunal for the beatification of Mother Kevin

Vice-Postulator - Rev. Sr. Margaret Kubanze (Little Sister of St. Francis of Assissi)

Episcopal Delegate (Representative of Bishop Christopher Kakooza) - Fr. Dr. Edward Ssekabanja

Promoter of Justice - Fr. Ignatius Kibowa

Notary - Madam Grace Wandyaka

Venues for the tribunals

The tribunal for the beatification of Fr. Mapeera will be holding it sessions at Mapeera-Nabunnya Pilgrimage Centre, in Rubaga. The tribunal for Mother Kevin will be convening at Lugazi Catholic diocese headquarters, on weekdays.

After the tribunals have all the information about the life and heroic Christian virtues of the three Servants of God, the information will be sealed and sent to the Vatican, where they will be scrutinized.  The Vatican will then decide whether to beatify them or not.

Archbishop Lwanga asked the Christians to be patient as this process could take a long time