BISHOP SSEKAMAANYA CLOSES THE 2ND ANNUAL NOVENA TO ST.JUDE THADDEUS

The 82-year-old Bishop Emeritus of Lugazi, Matthias Ssekamaanya, surprised many who are used to waiting for Main Celebrants for hours, by arriving over an hour to the beginning of Mass on 14.07.2019. This Main Celebrant was in the area to lead the Mass for the closing of the second annual solemn novena to St. Jude!

At the appointed time of 10:15 a.m., we were at the graves of Msgrs. J.B. Kanyi and A. K. Kamya, for a brief prayer service and laying of wreaths to the tombs of each one of them.

Many thanks to the family of Mr. and Mrs. Narcis Byarugaba who cleaned the tombs days earlier and also brought wreaths for this ceremony, although they were caught up by time. May God reward their good corporal works of mercy; one of which as we know is: “bury the dead”.

The Bishop led the Mass well within reasonable time. The Choir that led the singing during the liturgy came from Kampala Archdiocese St. Jude Devotion.

In his homily, he urged Devotees of St. Jude:

1. To be like the Good Samaritan and not pass by when their brothers and sisters are in trouble. They should show their love for one another by helping them in their physical but mostly spiritual problems. Let them not look aside but approach them and offer all the assistance they can. :

2. He also stressed fidelity in our lives, in families and other vocations. He castigated men for being unfaithful in their marriages and for keeping on postponing  the Sacrament of Matrimony. When asked whether this was so, women responded that it is (whether this is the case or not, I do not know). But when the men were asked to defend themselves, there was a muffled response!!

3. Turning to devotees in general, he decried the present practice of going back to “ebyaffe” the wrong way; that is going back to idolatry, “Balongo” and devil worshipping. He counseled that St. Jude would like to see his devotees follow the path of Christ not of the evil one.

4. Lastly he reminded the devotees to always remember Msgr. Bonaventure Sserunkuuma, who was attacked here and severely injured with a machete during one of the Novenas, and became blind until his death, R.I.P.

Mr. Ssebalu, Vice Chairman of the Building Committee, gave a brief about the construction of our New Church. Much of the information can be found in our 65th anniversary and Parish Day Celebrations Magazine pp. 10 - 11.

The day ended with Lunch. According to the donor of our Lunch, during the March and July Novenas, such “Light Lunch” of pilao should be the order of the day and spare the feasting for the 28th October Feast. I did not stick around to see how the “Light Lunch” was served, I do not yet know who ate something and who did not!

One thing I am sure of is this: we successfully ended our novena, the conclusion ably handled by Bishop Emeritus of Lugazi, Matthias Ssekamaanya. We thank the Lord for a good weather and for the Holy Spirit who guided us throughout the nine days and made the final day a real climax of all we did.

Meanwhile let us go back and prepare the October Novena well. Till we meet.

Fri 02, Aug 2019 11:08 am