Easter Monday at Lavigerie House is usually a time for the
first year students to have a trip to some of the historical faith sites,
namely: Namugongo Martyrs Shrine, Kigungu landing Site, Mapeera-Nabulagala
Parish and Munyonyo Shrine. This previous Easter Monday, ten first years
accompanied by Fr. Yago Abeledo and three Servite Sisters visited the above
sites.
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| At Namugongo Shrine. The picture is taken where the Pope celebrated Mass last year's visit |
With the warm welcome of Fr. Lubega Vincent, M.Afr (Rector and
Parish Priest of Namugongo Shrine) and Fr. Otto Katto (Vocations’ Animator) we
toured the place. We admired the magnificent efforts and works transpiring. We
also had the chase to visit and kiss the rock on which St. Charles Lwanga’s
head is believed to have fallen on. This is where the altar of the basilica was
constructed.
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| Miscellaneous pictures of our pilgrimage |
Leaving Namugongo, we departed for Kigungu, the first place
where Fr. Simeon Lourdel Mapeera and Br. Amans Delams landed on the 17th of February,
1879. Striking were the sculptures of the two, on their knees, praying and the
story of how their canoe split into two just after they had landed. We then
left for Mapeera-Nabulagala Parish where the first four baptisms were performed
and the distribution of first Holy Communion during the celebration of the
first 25th
June, 1879. This was also the first mission in Uganda. Here we had mass
celebrated by Fr. Otto Katto.
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| At Munyoyo Shrine |
After touring the place, we moved on to
visit Munyonyo Shrine, where the tomb of St. Andrea Kaggwa is, and this place
is believed to be the place where the King, ‘Kabaka’, ordered the killing of
the martyrs. We also got the onus to visit the new church under construction
under the care of the Polish Franciscans. When all this was done, we traveled
back to Jinja.