Bwanda Sisters celebrate White Fathers' 150th anniversary
Nov 19, 2019
During the function, the Bwanda Sisters visited and prayed at the historical memorial chapel, where the pioneer missionaries were buried.
KAMPALA - As the grand celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Catholic Missionaries of Africa (popularly known as White Fathers) kicks off, the religious sisters of the Institute of Daughters of Mary, locally known as the Bannabiikiira Sisters of Bwanda, in Masaka, have made a pilgrimage of faith to St John the Baptist Mapeera-Nabulagala Catholic parish, in Rubaga Division.
Mapeera the first Catholic mission station of the White Fathers, the pioneers of Catholic evangelism in Uganda. The pioneer missionaries, Fr Lourdel Mapeera and Bro Delmas Amans arrived in Uganda (at Kigungu Landing Site, in Entebbe Municipality) on February 17, 1879.
The Bwanda Sisters and novices entertaining the congregation with an operatic musical performance
The Bwanda Sisters were founded in 1910 by Archbishop Henry Streicher, a confrere of the White Fathers.
The pilgrimage of faith they made to Nabulagala recently was one of the precursor activities for the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the White Fathers, which will take place at Namugongo Catholic Martyrs Shrine on December 8.
Upon arrival at Nabulagala, the Bwanda Sisters were welcomed by the parish-priest, the Very Rev Fr Richard Nnyombi (Missionary of Africa), the Very Rev Fr Katto Otto (Missionary of Africa), Bro Francis Dewez (Missionary of Africa) and some members of the parish council.
The White Fathers during the thanksgiving mass
A senior member of the congregation of the White Fathers, Fr Ferdinand Tillman, who presided over the thanksgiving mass, asked the Bwanda Sisters to keep alive the missionary spirit of Cardinal Charles Lavigerie, the founder of the White Fathers, by proclaiming the gospel not only in Uganda but elsewhere in Africa.
The Very Rev Fr Katto Otto said the congregation of White Fathers was proud of the Bwanda Sisters, who he said had contributed immensely to Catholic evangelism in Uganda, during their 109-year dynamic existence.
The Bwanda Sisters presenting offertory to Fr Tillman during mass
The Very Rev Fr Richard Nnyombi asked the Sisters of Bwanda and all Catholics to pray for the process of the beatification and eventual canonisation of the pioneer Catholic missionaries (of the society of White Fathers), Fr Simeon Lourdel Mapeera and Bro Delmas Amans.
During the function, the Bwanda Sisters visited and prayed at the historical memorial chapel, where the pioneer missionaries were buried.
The function climaxed with a luncheon, during which the Bwanda Sisters and novices entertained the congregation with songs in praise of Archbishop Streicher (their founder) and the White Fathers in general.
The Sisters also presented gifts to the White Fathers and the White Sisters.
The White Fathers and White Sisters with some of the General Councilors of the Bwanda Sisters after mass