Nalukolongo gears up for Pope Francis

It was Pope Francis’ request that a home for the destitute be included on his itinerary in Uganda. And thus, Mapeera Bakateyamba’s home at Nalukolongo will host the pope at 5:00pm on Saturday November 29, 2015. Juliet Lukwago narrates the history of the home

The administrators at Mapeera Bakateyamba’s Home at Nalukolongo are excited at the prospect of hosting Pope Francis to dinner.

Bakateyamba is a place for the disabled, elderly, poor and vulnerable persons. The home is found in Nalukolongo, 4km on the old Masaka Road in Rubaga division.

The beautiful place is surrounded with blooming fl owers and a wellmanicured compound giving the home a cool environment.

The Church facing the main road and Virgin Mary statue in the compound are the landmarks announcing its location.

The place is now under renovation in preparation for the Pope’s visit next month.

Behind the historical church is a mausoleum where the founder of the home, Emmanuel Cardinal Nsubuga, was buried as he had willed. In the compound stands an old mango tree, the only one remaining out of the four planted by Pere Simeon Lourdel (Mapeera) in 1879.

The tree is 136 years old.

The administrator of Bakateyamba’s home, Sister Theresa of Avilla Basemera, welcomed me warmly and took me around.

true
Sister Basemera and one of the residents of the home.

“Welcome to our humble home, which nevertheless embodies a rich history of the Catholic faith and its mission in Uganda,” she said.

Currently, Basemera said, there are over 102 disabled, elderly, destitute and vulnerable persons at the facility.

The home houses the vulnerable regardless of their faith and belief. These are being looked after by eight sisters of Good Samaritans Order, out of the 30 who reside there.

History

According to Basemera, the first missionaries lived in Nabulagala from 1879 to 1882 when they left for Tanganyika for safety reasons.

After the death of Kabaka Muteesa I in 1884, his successor, Mwanga, at the request of Joseph Balikuddembe and his companions, invited the missionaries back to Buganda.

The team, which came included Mapeera, Pierre Giraud and Bro. Delmas Amans. They arrived on July 13, 1885.

The following day, they were given Nalukolongo as their first preaching site.

Mwanga wanted to give them a piece of land nearer to his palace at Mengo, but the missionaries preferred Nalukolongo because it was easier for ordinary people to access as opposed to the heavily guarded area close to the palace.

true
The church built in memory of the Uganda Martyrs at Nalukolongo

“It was also at the crossroads. Unlike Nabulagala, where some people feared to go for religious instruction, Nalukolongo was accessible and that boosted Mapeera’s catechism classes,” Basemera said.

However, during the time of persecution that followed, Nalukolongo became the crucible of faith—a source of encouragement and spiritual strength for the Christians— preparing them for the highest form of Christian witness and martyrdom.

Soon after, the missionaries at Nalukolongo were also imprisoned and eventually expelled from the country in 1888 by the Muslim supporters of King Kalema.

Construction

On June 3, 1924 the foundation stone for the memorial chapel at the home was laid by Msgr Joseph Forbes.

The Church was built in memory of the Uganda Martyrs, Msgr Livinhac and Mapeera and dedicated to the mother of Jesus, who was the patron Saint of Buganda.

The work was initiated and supervised by Fr Raux Modeste, who was then the Parish Priest of Rubaga, with close collaboration of the Catholic cultural chiefs, especially Stanislaus Mugwanya.

The solemn blessing of this chapel was done by Msgr Arthur Hinsley on June 3, 1929.

This was the first chapel in Uganda to be built in memory of the Uganda Martyrs, long before they were canonised.

true
The Mango tree planted by the first missionaries is 136 years

Destitute home

The idea of developing it into an elderly and disabled people’s home was conceived by Cardinal Nsubuga after his residence at Rubaga was crammed with people seeking food, clothing and shelter.


It was in 1978 that Nsubuga decided to turn the place into a home for the needy (Bakateyamba). He constructed a hostel with a capacity of 300 people. This home began with 10 disabled people. Soon it was overwhelmed with over 100 refugees from the 1979 war.

But after the war, most people left the home.

Nsubuga died of blood and bone cancer on April 20, 1991 in a hospital in Cologne, Germany.

Kampala Archbishop Dr. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga said Nsubuga’s vision of selflessness has bone a home that can, in its own right, attract a Pope to visit.

“The late Cardinal Nsubuga is remembered for many other things including inviting Pope Paul VI to Uganda in 1969, the fi rst Pope to visit Africa and Uganda in particular. Bakateyamba Home is a home for the elderly people including priests, youth, men and women, who have no relatives to take care of them.

true
Emmanuel Cardinal Nsubuga’s Mausoleum at Mapeera Bakateyamba’s home in Nalukolongo

How ready is the home?

Basemera says: “The renovation is going on in different parts of the Bakateyamba’s home and anybody who wants to assist us financially is welcome. But I can assure you, we shall be ready to welcome the Pope.”

She added many other elderly, needy and the sick from their other branches in Katalemwa and Kankobe, will be brought to meet the Pope.

Asked about the gifts they are planning to give Pope Francis, Basemera said it was their secret.

She would also not say how much money they have spent so far on the renovations.

Tomorrow we bring you Namugongo Nakiyanja

Related to the story

Rubaga ready for Pope Francis

Munyonyo: where Pope will start his pilgrimage

Namugongo gets set for Pope