St Balikuddembe Catholic shrine to get sh2.5bn complex

 

 

The shrine, which is located inside St Balikuddembe Market (previously referred to as Owino Marekt), is the place where two martyrs, St Joseph Mukasa Balikuddembe and St Athanasius Bazekuketta were martyred.

 

The project was unveiled by parish-priest of St Balikuddembe Catholic Church, Mengo-Kisenyi, Rev. Fr. Godfrey Kato Ssemogerere, during the celebrations of the parish's 50th anniversary at the church in Kampala Central Division on Sunday, August 4. The project will be undertaken by Mengo-Kisenyi parish, which takes care of the shrine.

 

Kato said the proposed sh2.5bn Martyrs Complex will have on it a spacious church, a presbytery, a recreation hall, a car park, offices and shops from which the shrine will generate money for its sustenance. Kato appealed to Christians and all Ugandans of good will to make financial contributions towards the project.

 

The unveiling of the project excited Christians, who made instant cash donations during the function. The prominent donors included among others the CEO of Centenary Banka, Fabian Kasi, who donated sh10m on behalf of the Bank and sh1m on behalf of his family. The Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago and the Chairman of Kampala Division, Charles Musoke Serunjoji donated sh2m and sh1m, respectively. Other donors included Fred Nnyanzi, who donated 30 bags of cement and sh1m and Assumpta  Ssempagama (who donated sh500,000), to mention a few.

 

 

Earlier during mass, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Kampala, Dr. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, who presided over the celebrations, asked the Christians of Mengo-Kisenyi Catholic parish to deepen and express their faith in their daily actions.

 

 Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga (wearing a mitre) shares a moment with Bro Francis Dewez of the Missionary Society of White Fathers, during the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of St Balikuddembe Catholic parish, Mengo-Kisenyi on Sunday

"As we celebrate 50 years of this great gift of our parish, let's renew our commitment to God. Let us be true to the commandments. Let's also live out our national motto, ‘For God and My Country'. Before you do anything, first ask yourself: "Am I doing it for God and my country? Would I feel good if it were done unto me?"

 

The Prelate of Rubaga expressed concern over the growing culture of immorality and asked all Ugandans to start a new lifestyle that reflects Christian virtues such as love, patience, justice, human solidarity, and generosity.

 

He thanked Ugandans for the warm hospitality they accorded the African Bishops, during their weeklong-long plenary assembly, and the grand-celebration of the 50th anniversary of their organisation, Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) at the Namugongo Catholic Martyrs Shrine on July 28. He said both activities went on very successfully and the Prelates of Africa went back to their respective countries very happy and contented.

 

Lwanga later asked Ugandans to yearn and work for peace and reconciliation. He thanked President Museveni and his government for accepting the proposal of the Inter-religious council of Uganda and the Leaders' Forum, to start a national dialogue. He said the two organisations would soon start a pilot project on the proposed national dialogue.

 

 "We shall go to different parts of Uganda, meeting people and receiving their views on the Uganda we want to have today. There are many people out there, with nice views, but have no opportunity to present them. Our aim is to bring Ugandans together and give them the opportunity to contribute to development and peace in our country. We want to think, reflect and forge the way forward together."

 

 The Archbishop of Kampala, Dr. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga (wearing a mitre), Centenary Bank's MD Fabian Kasi, Msgr Charles Kasibante, Fr Kato Ssemogerere cutting a cake in celebration of the golden jubilee of St Balikuddembe Catholic parish, Mengo-Kisenyi, in Kampala Central Division 

Lwanga finally encouraged Catholics in his archdiocese to form cooperative societies at the parish level, as one strategy to eradicate household poverty. He said that the cooperatives if formed, would receive support from Caritas, the socio-development arm f the Church.

 

During the function, Lwanga wedded 8 couples and also blessed the newly constructed sh100m adoration chapel. The function was also graced by Fr Katto Otto and Bro Francis Dewez of the Catholic Missionary Society of White Fathers, the missionary congregation whose confreres established the parish of Mengo Kisenyi.

 

 

St Balikuddembe Catholic parish, Mengo-Kisenyi is arguably not least among the historic parishes in Kampala Archdiocese and Uganda. The parish is home to the martyrdom sites of Saint Joseph Balikuddembe (killed at Nakivubo on November 15, 1885),  St Athanasius Bazekuketta (killed at Nakivubo on May 27, 1886) and Saint Jean Marie Muzeeyi, who was killed at Jugula (Rubaga Road) on January 27, 1887.

 

Mengo-Kisenyi parish also enjoys the historic privilege of hosting Saint Pope Paul VI, who launched the parish on August 1, 1969, and also later, sponsored its construction. The Pope laid the foundation of the church at Kisenyi when he was taken to the place, to meet the poor people who lived in the area.

 

The bricks that were used to build the Church's foundation were got from the old church at Namugongo shrine, which had just been pulled down for the construction of the current modern Basilica.