Catholic church mourns Ssebayigga
<b>OBITUARY:</b> Death has grabbed a significant figure in the Catholic Church. The Rt. Rev. Msgr. Joseph Ssebayigga, 83, died of fever at Lubaga Hospital on August 9 and was buried at Lubaga Cathedral on August 11.
By Mathias Mazinga
Death has grabbed a significant figure in the Catholic Church.
The Rt. Rev. Msgr. Joseph Ssebayigga, 83, died of fever at Lubaga Hospital on August 9 and was buried at Lubaga Cathedral on August 11.
The Kabaka of Buganda, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, refered to Ssebayigga as a “faithful servant and good teacher, who loved his religion, culture, church and state.
Ssebayigga promoted the Buganda cultural traditions. He became the kalindaluzzi (caretaker of the king’s well) of the Kabaka of Buganda in 1936, succeeding his father, Mulisi Kakenga Kalinda. The well is in Ndeeba, Kampala.
Ssebayigga was the well caretaker during the reign of kabakas Daudi Chwa, Edward Muteesa II and Mutebi II.
Ssebayigga saw culture and religion as two realities that enriched and complemented each other. He cherished peace to the extent of jeopardising his own security. He was imprisoned for attempting to diffuse a clash between the Catholic church and Kabaka Edward Muteesa II in 1962.
The cause was the historic pastoral letter Church and State: The Guiding Principles written by Dr. Joseph Kiwanuka. Kiwanuka cautioned Muteesa II against engaging in ‘partisan politics.’
The letter, which was published when Kiwanuka was abroad, infuriated Muteesa II so much that he summoned Ssebayigga to Mengo.
Muteesa also demanded to meet Msgr. Emmanuel Nsubuga, the vicar general, whom Kiwanuka had left in-charge. But Ssebayigga knew Nsubuga to be a man who feared no one, so he could not let the two leaders clash.
Ssebayigga told Muteesa that Nsubuga was on pastoral work upcountry and could not meet him. Muteesa then told Ssebayigga either to produce Nsubuga or be jailed. In the interest of peace between the church and Muteesa II, Ssebayigga chose to be locked up in the infamous prison cell of Njabule, where he spent a night.
Cardinal Wamala said Sebayigga did not have personal belongings. He cherished community life and shared things that priests owned as a community. During his 50th priestly anniversary celebrations at Trinity College Nabbingo in 2004, Ssebayigga refused monetary donations. “I don’t deserve to be given money. Those who feel they must give me money should donate it to St Buzaabalyawo Church, which I am building in Ggoli.â€
He was born on September 8, to 1923, to Sarah Bangissibanno and Mulisi Kakenga.
He was inspired to become a priest by Fr. Sebastian Kalange, whom he met at Naddangira Boys Primary School. As the head prefect at Bukalasa Seminary, Ssebayigga took care of seminarians. Fr. Caesar Mutyaba, one of his classmates, remembers him as a good singer, spectacular footballer and wonderful mathematician.
Ssebayigga worked as curate at Kisubi Parish. The Pope appointed him monsignor in 1959. In 1966, he was assigned the responsibility of soliciting funds from Canada and America for the renovation of Lubaga Cathedral.
He coordinated the preparations for the visit of Pope Paul VI in Uganda in 1969. In 1976, Ssebayigga was appointed chaplain of the Little Sisters of Mary Reparatrix, Gogonya and vocations director and spiritual director of Kisubi Seminary.
In 1980, he was appointed parish priest of Namugongo and member of the Ecclesiastical Tribunal of the Archdiocese of Kampala.
In 1994, he went to America to study operation of Ecclesiastical Courts.
At the time of his death, Ssebayigga stood out prominently as a symbol of purity.
Ends
Death has grabbed a significant figure in the Catholic Church.
The Rt. Rev. Msgr. Joseph Ssebayigga, 83, died of fever at Lubaga Hospital on August 9 and was buried at Lubaga Cathedral on August 11.
The Kabaka of Buganda, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, refered to Ssebayigga as a “faithful servant and good teacher, who loved his religion, culture, church and state.
Ssebayigga promoted the Buganda cultural traditions. He became the kalindaluzzi (caretaker of the king’s well) of the Kabaka of Buganda in 1936, succeeding his father, Mulisi Kakenga Kalinda. The well is in Ndeeba, Kampala.
Ssebayigga was the well caretaker during the reign of kabakas Daudi Chwa, Edward Muteesa II and Mutebi II.
Ssebayigga saw culture and religion as two realities that enriched and complemented each other. He cherished peace to the extent of jeopardising his own security. He was imprisoned for attempting to diffuse a clash between the Catholic church and Kabaka Edward Muteesa II in 1962.
The cause was the historic pastoral letter Church and State: The Guiding Principles written by Dr. Joseph Kiwanuka. Kiwanuka cautioned Muteesa II against engaging in ‘partisan politics.’
The letter, which was published when Kiwanuka was abroad, infuriated Muteesa II so much that he summoned Ssebayigga to Mengo.
Muteesa also demanded to meet Msgr. Emmanuel Nsubuga, the vicar general, whom Kiwanuka had left in-charge. But Ssebayigga knew Nsubuga to be a man who feared no one, so he could not let the two leaders clash.
Ssebayigga told Muteesa that Nsubuga was on pastoral work upcountry and could not meet him. Muteesa then told Ssebayigga either to produce Nsubuga or be jailed. In the interest of peace between the church and Muteesa II, Ssebayigga chose to be locked up in the infamous prison cell of Njabule, where he spent a night.
Cardinal Wamala said Sebayigga did not have personal belongings. He cherished community life and shared things that priests owned as a community. During his 50th priestly anniversary celebrations at Trinity College Nabbingo in 2004, Ssebayigga refused monetary donations. “I don’t deserve to be given money. Those who feel they must give me money should donate it to St Buzaabalyawo Church, which I am building in Ggoli.â€
He was born on September 8, to 1923, to Sarah Bangissibanno and Mulisi Kakenga.
He was inspired to become a priest by Fr. Sebastian Kalange, whom he met at Naddangira Boys Primary School. As the head prefect at Bukalasa Seminary, Ssebayigga took care of seminarians. Fr. Caesar Mutyaba, one of his classmates, remembers him as a good singer, spectacular footballer and wonderful mathematician.
Ssebayigga worked as curate at Kisubi Parish. The Pope appointed him monsignor in 1959. In 1966, he was assigned the responsibility of soliciting funds from Canada and America for the renovation of Lubaga Cathedral.
He coordinated the preparations for the visit of Pope Paul VI in Uganda in 1969. In 1976, Ssebayigga was appointed chaplain of the Little Sisters of Mary Reparatrix, Gogonya and vocations director and spiritual director of Kisubi Seminary.
In 1980, he was appointed parish priest of Namugongo and member of the Ecclesiastical Tribunal of the Archdiocese of Kampala.
In 1994, he went to America to study operation of Ecclesiastical Courts.
At the time of his death, Ssebayigga stood out prominently as a symbol of purity.
Ends