WELCOME TO NAGGULU THE NATIONAL SHRINE OF. JUDE THADDEUS

I wish to welcome all people of God, pilgrims, devotees, and friends of St. Jude to this year's Annual Solemn Novena and the Feast of St. Jude Thaddeus Naggulu.

We especially welcome our Main Celebrant Archbishop Paul Ssemogerere, who has honored us today by leading Holy Mass at this celebration of the Solemn Feast of St. Jude. We thank you Your Grace for the continued support and guidance now as we are constructing the new church-the National Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus

Today, we come to God our father with a broken heart and in thanks giving for the many favours he has bestowed upon us. We shall always give thanks to the Lord for he is good and his love is eternal. We join the Psalmist (Psalms 100, 105, 113), to praise and sing the glory of God.

We have come from far. Last year, we could only visibly show the foundation of the new church; but today, the physical frame of the Church is standing. We thank our Parish Priest and the Building Committee for continuously rallying the parishioners, the Basic Christian Communities and the various categories of the People of God, the Parliamentarians, the Business Community, the Professionals; Teachers, Doctors, Medical Practitioners, Lawyers, Accountants, and many others who tirelessly joined hands in raising the required funds. We also called on the Ecclesiastical Provinces, the Archdioceses of Kampala, Mbarara, Tororo and Gulu; and they all came in to support this cause. Indeed, we are grateful!

This church construction project is broken down into four phases. Phase one was the foundation which was completed. Phase two; the columns and roof is ongoing. Phase three; the walls, gallery and stairs is also currently underway. Finally, Phase Four will be, the internal and external finishes including; plastering, the façade, ceilings, floors, doors & windows.

Phases 2 and 3, that is; columns and roofing, then the walling, are being executed concurrently today; and we need 512, 000,000 (Five hundred and twelve million) shillings to get them through. With the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Jude, it is our prayer and hope that we shall get generous hands to help us through this current stage of the project.

We are equally grateful to God that we have continued with the pastoral activities of the Church through our apostolate in the various departments for example; the Good Samaritans, the Youth, the Women, the Association of Saints Joachim and Anna, and all other associations that are critical in deepening evangelization.

I wish to recognize the eight Small Christian Communities (S.C. Cs) that are pillars upon which this Parish is anchored. These are St. Anthony, St. Balikuddembe, St. Charles Lwanga, St. Gonzaga Gonza, St. Kizito, St. Jude Nakawa Market, St. Paul’s Mobile, and St. Ponsiano Ngondwe (the Police) community. In all these, we have a representation of the people of God from all four Ecclesiastical Provinces (or regions of Uganda). The leaders in these communities are doing well as diligent pastoral collaborators.

We continue to thank our Main Pilgrims who have come in over the past nine days (novena) of prayer through St. Jude, and the support they have given us. We are grateful to our forefathers and parishioners who were so committed to the construction of the church and the upgrading of the Parish as a whole (the Naggulu City project). We pray that God grants them eternal peace.

On behalf of the Parish Council, the Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Joseph Mary Bbuye, and our Curate Rev. Fr Marvin Lukyamuzi, I welcome you again, and May St. Jude continue to intercede for us in all our difficult and impossible cases as we continue to glorify God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

"Let us journey Together, in Communion, participation, and Mission.”

Tue 29, Oct 2024 02:10 am