Church looking for miracles through Daudi Okello and Jildo Irwa

By Hilary Bainemigisha

MANY people live exemplary lives and they are not canonised as saints in the Catholic Church.

According to Fr. Joseph Mukasa Muwonge of Namugongo Parish, that does not mean they are not in heaven. “Not everyone in heaven is known. Saints are all those who died in God’s favour and are rejoicing with Him in heaven whether they have been canonised or not,” he said.

“Canonisation does not make anyone a saint. It just recognizes that someone is in heaven. We are all called by God to be saints. You don’t need canonisation to be one. It is your people on earth who need Canonisation to know you are in heaven.”

Muwonge, who is the mentor of Uganda Martyrs in the Kampala Archdiocese, says the Church considers canonisation as infallible and irrevocable. That is why it takes a long time and a lot of effort.

Uganda has only 22 canonised saints. And these are the Uganda Martyrs. The Blessed Daudi Okello and Jildo Irwa of Northern Uganda are at the fifth of the six stages. So is Mother Theresa of Kolkata. Tanzania’s Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere, Fr Loudel (Mapera) and Bro. Amans are at the second (Servant of God) stage. Pope John Paul II is at the fourth (Venerable) stage.

The process usually takes so many years. The Uganda Martyrs, for instance, died in 1886 and were canonised 78 years later in 1964.

Okello and Irwa
Okello was born to Lode and Amona in about 1900 in the village of Ogompayira, a few kilometres to the east of the mouth of River Aswa.

Irwa was born in 1902 to Tongpfur Daniele and Atoo of Labongo Bar- Kitoba, another clan of the Acholi people also dwelling in the Kitgum area. He was baptized Jildo (short for Ermenegildo).

They first came in contact with missionaries in 1913 and received baptism on June 6, 1916. They were confirmed together on October 15, 1916.

The mission station of Kitgum, which had been established in 1915 by Comboni Missionaries, experienced very hard and difficult times, culminating into unrest among the population.

People who opposed the new religion took advantage of socio-political unrest to stop the preaching of the Gospel in Paimol. They ordered Okello and Irwa to give up their activities or face death. They preferred death and were killed.

Raphael Dellagiacoma in his book Jildo and David, quotes the martyrs’ responses to the death threats: “We are not going away. This will end as God wants. We did not come here for any reason other than teaching religion. If they kill us, God is with us.” Paramuku, where they were killed, was later changed to Wi Polo (“in heaven”) in accordance with the prayer, Our Father, which the two young converts had been teaching.

Okello and Irwa were declared martyrs of evangelism as opposed to the 22 Uganda Martyrs who are martyrs of purity.

The process
Okello and Irwa are just one step away from canonisation as saints. According to the Vicar General of Gulu Archdiocese, Msgr Matthew Odong, the Church requires a proven miracle, received by their intercession before they can be declared saints.

The archdiocese of Gulu is coordinating the documentation. “Believers are asked to say a prayer through the intercession of Okello and Irwa for a specific miracle, something you really wish for and have no hopes of getting,” he said. “When you receive the miracle, approach any Catholic church in your place and have it recorded, followed up and verified.”

He explains that the preferred way is by Novena. This is a special devotion or prayer said on nine consecutive days for a specific intention. “I advise people to say novenas for one specific request.”

“If your prayers are answered instantly, go and give testimony to any Catholic parish. The church records the evidence, follows up and verifies before reporting to Rome.”

Gulu Archdiocese Postulator, in charge of the process, Fr Joseph Okumu says he is receiving many claims of miracles. “Many people are excited and reporting what they deem to be miracles.

Most of these cannot be empirically verified and very prudently proved. They include favours received like jobs, life-changing experiences (rogue turned righteous), non-believers converting, etc, which may not be empirically verified.

“We record them but we are still pursuing those miracles that can be scientifically ascertained.”

The postulators explained that the most sought after are the easiest-to-prove miracles, which are almost always about cures. “The patient was sick with no known cure, prayers were directed through the Blessed (or venerable) and the patient was cured. The cure must be spontaneous, instantaneous, complete and lasting and doctors cannot find any natural explanation.”

The church is therefore calling upon all people to support the process. “It doesn’t have to be Catholics only. St. Comboni’s miracle was reported by a Muslim, The Uganda Martyrs’ miracle was defended by a member of Church of Uganda.”