Gulu Archdiocese seeks sh900m for Martyrs Day celebrations

The Archdiocese of Gulu having been chosen by the Uganda Episcopal Conference in June 2018 to organise the 2019 Uganda Martyrs Day celebrations at the Namugongo Catholic Shrine, has embarked on a drive to raise sh900m.

Speaking during a press conference at the Uganda Catholic Secretariat offices in Kampala on Monday, the secretariat treasurer Fr Martin Agwee, said that they had planned activities and fundraising strategies to obtain the money needed to facilitate the celebrations.

Agwee said that they had officially commissioned members of the central organising committee and launched a fundraising drive for the celebrations on December 30, 2018, at St Joseph's Cathedral in Gulu.

Also speaking during the press conference, Archbishop John Baptist Odama said Gulu last animated the Uganda Martyrs celebrations at Namugongo in 2003 soon after the beatification of the blessed Daudi Okello and Jildo Irwa in 2002 at the Vatican.

Odama revealed that this year's theme for the celebrations will be Obey God Always and Everywhere. The theme derives inspiration from the words of the blessed apostles to the Sanhedrin.

Odama said that this celebration is indeed an opportunity for the Archdiocese of Gulu as a family, together with the faithful in Uganda and the universal church to learn from the Martyrs' faithfulness and obedience to Jesus Christ.

"During this year's celebrations we plan on organising retreats, recollections and novena prayers to assist the people to reflect more deeply on the celebration theme and on the life of the Uganda Martyrs," said Odama.

Some of the activities and strategies include; WhatsApp groups for publicity and mobilisation, visiting all parishes and institutions in the Archdiocese of Gulu to sensitise and mobilise the community, on-going choir training, fundraising dinners in Gulu and Kampala as well as fundraiser sports event.

Other activities include a pre-Namugongo fundraising walk, awarding of certificates to main contributors towards the celebrations and the production of an official souvenir magazine among others.

Odama appreciated all those that have contributed to the cause so far and asked other well-wishers to support the fundraising drive generously.