Missionaries of Africa


Fr. Richard Nnyombi M.Afr

Let us Be Courageous as our Ancestors, the Uganda Martyrs
Feast of the Uganda Martyrs 3rd June

1. Introduction : Some historical notes about the Uganda Martyrs
2. Be courageous as our Ancestors, the Uganda Martyrs
3. Annual Celebration in honour of the Uganda Martyrs, Annual Spiritual Renewal

1. Introduction : Some historical notes about the Uganda Martyrs

125th Anniversary: With exception of Joseph Mukasa Balikuddembe 15th November 1885 and John Mary Muzeeyi (27th January 1887), the 20 others were martyred in 1886, between 26th May and 3rd June.

- Beatification: 6th June 1920, at St. Peter's in Rome, by Pope Benedict XV.
- Canonization: Mission Sunday, 18th October 1964, at St. Peter's, by Pope Paul VI. It was attended among many others the Vatican II Council Fathers who were at that time in session.
- Their Feast Day was put on 3rd June because majority were killed on this day.

NB: Two new Martyrs (blessed) were added to the list since 20th October 2002: David Okelo and Jildo Irwa martyred in 1918 (Paimol, Diocese of Gulu)

These Martyrs belonged not only to the first generation of the Ugandan Christians, but were among the "first born Christians".

- 1st Baptisms were in 1880 but none of these were a martyr
- 4 Baptised in 1882 at Nabulagala (Joseph Mukasa Balikuddembe, Andrew Kaggwa, Luke Baanabakintu and Mathias Mulumba); these were among the prominent leaders of the Christian community after the departure of the missionaries at the end of 1882.
- 13 Baptised in 1885 :
+ Missionaries had just come back in Buganda after three years of exile in Tanganyika (July 1885)
+ These were baptised after the martyrdom of the first martyr: Joseph Mukasa Balikuddembe (15th November 1885)
- 4 baptised 1886, on the very day of their condemnation to death i.e., 26th May 1886 (Kizito, Mugagga, Gyavira, Mbaga-Tuzinde). All baptised by Charles Lwanga NB: These have no "christian names" or "baptism names"!
- 1 : was not baptised, Mukasa Kiri-ewawanvu

Different tribes: 17 Baganda, 3 Banyoro (Kaggwa, Kiriggwajjo & Ludigo) and 2 Basoga (Mulumba, Gonzaga Gonza).

Majority young, between 17 - 25 years. Oldest, Mulumba, 50 years.

All had official duties vis-à-vis the King: pages, chiefs

Among them some had been Muslims or Protestants or both; not forgetting their "mother religion", the traditional religion.

Ecumenism: Catholics and protestants were condemned and martyred at the same time: 13 / 13 at Numugongo (cf. Protestants' Shrine). In fact, relationships between the protestant and catholic pioneer missionaries were good more than talked and written about: visits to each, sharing medicine, taking each other's letters to the coast or Europe, etc.... This must have had a positive impact on their respective first Christians. Also during the time of persecution the two groups were equally affected and the two missionary groups helped each other to go through it.

+ In his homily during the canonization, Pope Paul VI mentioned the "Protestant Martyrs".
+ There were protestant representatives at the Canonization in Rome
+ Presently, there is an annual Joint Catholic-Protestant Episcopal conferences' meeting before the 3rd June.

All were lay people : A number of them were among the leaders of the first Christian community. The long tradition of the "catechists" as auxiliaries to the missionaries (priests) has its origin from their experience which started during the time when the missionaries had left Buganda (1882 - 1885).

All were men! Why no women amongst them?

- Context of the first evangelisation: In the first years, teaching religion was done only at the mission post and at that time only men could freely move to go there.
- Traditionally, women (and children) were not killed in wars, raids.
- NOTE: One of the causes that provoked the persecution of 1886 was the "courageous act" of a Christian woman, princess Nalumansi Claire, who destroyed the royal amulets which had been put under her care. (22nd May 1886)

Beatification - Canonization....Message (Missionaries of Africa - Universal Church)

- Dream of Lavigerie: "Algeria the door to the evangelization of black Africa" is starting to become a reality.
- Call to renew our 'specific missionary vocation for the evangelization of Africa (Livinhac)
- Rebirth of Africa and Christianity in Africa ...."Blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church" (Pope Paul VI)

2. Be courageous as our Ancestors, the Uganda Martyrs

Whoever reads or hears the story of the Uganda Martyrs is left in admiration of their "extraordinary courage (heroism)"! One remains wondering where they might have got that courage taking into consideration that they were still new converts to Christianity, 5 to 6 years only! This 'courage' , even before their beatification and canonization, has been taken to be a big lesson and challenge for Christians.

Cardinal Lavigerie wrote : "L'Eglise par le plus sages motifs, nous défend de rendre un culte publique, même aux martyrs, avant que le Saint-Siège n'ai prononcé sur leur cause avec sa prudence et sa maturité ordinaires; mais elle ne nous défend pas d'admirer et d'imiter leur courage (Alger, 19 Mars 1887)

Pope Paul VI who canonized these martyrs in 1964, while visiting Uganda in 1969, addressed the faithful at Namugongo saying:

"But, you will ask me, why should the Martyrs be honoured?
And I answer you: It is because they have performed the most heroic, and therefore the greatest and most beautiful of all actions; they have, as I said, laid down their lives for their Faith, that is, for their religion and for the freedom of their conscience. Therefore they are our champions, our heroes, our teachers. They teach us how real Christians should be. Listen to me now: Should a Christian be a coward? Should he be afraid? Should he betray his own Faith? No! Of course not! Your Martyrs teach us just how true Christians should be, especially young Christians, African Christians. For Christians must be courageous, they must be strong, they must, as Saint Peter wrote, "be firm in the faith" (1 Pet. 5, 9). Your Martyrs teach us how much the Faith is worth!" (2nd August 1969, at Numugongo)

The late Bishop of Masaka Diocese, Rt. Rev. Adrian Ddungu, in the special prayer for sending off the missionaries originating from his diocese, always exhorted them to "be courageous as our ancestors the Uganda Martyrs."

Where did these Martyrs get the "courage" to peacefully and joyfully accept all the sufferings they had to go through up to giving up their lives for the sake of their "religion and freedom of their conscience"? Reading through their story I find the following as being the source of their courage:

1. Strong Faith in God & New Religion

- "Child-like-faith" but not "childish-faith". A faith which would transport mountains, a faith which transformed them into adults to follow the freedom of their conscience whatever the cost!
- The new religion had "empowered" them and "transformed" them from 'yes-yes-men' to "men whose yes was yes and whose no was no" (Mt. 5:37), men who could follow their "conscience".
- The new religion had strengthened in them the 'traditional Ganda virtue of respect for leaders, and especially the King'; they were among the king's most faithful and hard working servants. But, at the same time, this religion had driven out of them the fear to 'challenge their leaders', the king included, when they judged that their actions were in contradiction to the 'gospel values' and the teachings of their religion. Balikuddembe challenged Mwanga on killing Bp. Hannington and this lead to his death.

2. Gift from the Holy Spirit
3. Sacraments and prayer
4. Solidarity from fellow martyrs
5. Spiritual fathers, Mapeera and his confreres
6. Hope in "a life better" (heaven)

- Should a Christian be a coward, the Pope asked the faithful gathered at Namugongo. And his answer was a big No. "Cowards live longer but they miss fun", so goes a popular saying! What type of "fun" am I missing by accepting to be a coward christian? Fun to be tear-gassed? ... to be thrown on police trucks like a sack of potatoes?... to be beaten like an animal? .... fun to be killed?
Which concrete situations are challenging us to witness to this "christian courage"?
Which structures and teachings in the church / Society are making us 'cowards'?
How does our cowardice reveals itself: appeal to prudence, silence in face of policies and actions contradicting the gospel values?

3. Annual Celebration in honour of the Uganda Martyrs, an Annual Spiritual Renewal

If we are to be courageous as the Uganda Martyrs, we have to celebrate their annual feast day in such a way that it is for us an occasion for 'spiritual renewal'. Let us go back to two important moments in the history of their beatification and canonization and profit from the reflections and meditation made by Mgr Livinhac Leo and Pope Paul VI which invite us to this spiritual renewal.

Mgr. Livinhac Leo (Superior General 1892 - 1922):

- Father of the Catholic Church in Uganda (Superior of the first team of the missionaries in Uganda; baptised the 4 first Christians on 27th March 1880)
- Although none of the Martyrs were baptised by him, but he confirmed some of them.
- Arrived in Buganda, first time as bishop, on the very day of the condemnation of the future martyrs (26th May 1886).
- He could not attend the beatification (6th June 1920) ceremony because of bad health. He was represented by Fr. Ludovic Girault who was one of the pioneers missionaries in Uganda and had baptised two of the martyrs: Mathias Mulumba and Luke Baanabakintu.

For the spiritual preparation of the beatification of the Uganda Martyrs, he wrote a letter to all the members of the Society of the Missionaries of Africa.

- Date: 6th March 1920: Feast of Felicity and Perepetua, Saints from North Africa.
- This Letter had to be read on the day of reception, during the time of spiritual reading.

Main points
- Beatification will bring honour to the Society, and encouragement to the Missionaries working in Africa
- Bring joy to the Africans Christians and inspire them to be more fervent in their christian living.

Side of Martyrs (in heaven)
+ Will get more interested to Africa, to their Country, intercede for the Christians (Africans) for the grace of 'perseverance', and for more conversions
+ Their first prayer will be for the Missionaries of Africa, their spiritual fathers for virtues of: 1. Piety, 2. Zeal to be inspired by charity and guided by prudence, 3. Generosity and 4. Love for the rules and laws of the Society

Side of Missionaries
- Have to "renew the spirit of their vocation", without which the intercession of the Martyrs will come to nothing. And he concluded saying:
"The beatification of the Martyrs of Uganda will be for us the signal for a serious renewal of spiritual life in our Society, and the beginning of a new era of piety, zeal, generosity and observance, which will bring greater glory to God and will gain for Him thousands of souls." (Maison-Carée, 6th March 1920)

Pope Paul VI
"These African martyrs herald the dawn of a new age. If only the mind of man might be directed not toward persecutions and religious conflicts but toward a rebirth of Christianity and civilization!

Africa has been washed by the blood of these latest martyrs, the first of this new age (and, God willing, let them be the last, although such a holocaust is precious indeed). Africa is reborn free and independent.
The infamous crime by which these young men were put to death was so unspeakable and so expressive of the times. It shows us clearly that a new people needs a moral foundation, needs new spiritual customs firmly planted, and to be handed down to posterity." (Extract from his homily, day of Canonization, 18th October 1964)

Fr. Richard Nnyombi M.Afr
3rd June 2011

See also

* Album photos : Canonization of the 22 Uganda Martyrs 18th October 1964
* More about the Feast of the Uganda Martyrs
* Africa /Uganda - Crowds attend the festival for Ugandan Martyrs 2008
* The beginning of the Mission in southern Uganda an the organization of the catechumenate 1879-1914
by Marinus Rooijackers
* Les Débuts de la Mission au sud de l'Ouganda et organisation de son catéchuménat 1879-1914 de Marinus Rooijackers