2nd Annual Solemn Novena to St. Jude, 7 July to 15 July 2018

Members of St. Jude Thaddeus Devotion, all devotees of St. Jude, Naggulu parishioners and interested people of God, on (7/7/2018) evening, opened the second annual solemn novena to St. Jude. The ceremony, which started with a procession at 04:00 p.m,  took place in our church during a solemn Eucharistic celebration) Mass.

As usual, we are celebrating the novena Masses in the evening, and concluding with St. Jude Novena prayers. The faithful are encouraged to be in time, and the organizers are expected not to waste time with unnecessary speeches or lengthy announcements. All concerned are reminded that some of the faithful come from far and evening transport tends to be problematic.

Then on the ninth day  -  Sunday 15th July  -  Mass will start at 10:30 a.m. The main celebrant for this closing Mass is expected to be the chancellor of Kampala Archdiocese, Fr. Joseph Mary Ssebunya. The choir to lead the liturgical singing will be ‘Morning Star Choir’ from Old Kampala Parish.

Msgrs. J.B. Kanyi & A.K. Kamya and Fr. H. Steegmans R.I.P.

Sticking to tradition, the 2nd Annual Solemn Novena, will be dedicated to   Msgr. John Baptist Kanyi who worked devotedly and tirelessly to see that the devotion to St. Jude germinates and sprouts here at Naggulu and in Uganda at large; Msgr. Anatoli Kiriggwajjo Kamya who madesure that what his predecessor started continued to grow stronger, and finally Rev. Fr.  Henry Steegmans who not only founded this parish but also made sure that St. Jude was one of its patrons.

Since Msgrs. Kanyi and Kamya were laid to rest behind our church, on the last day of the Novena, again according to tradition, we shall have a brief memorial prayer service before we proceed to Hill Top gardens for Mass. As for Fr. Steegmans, who is buried elsewhere, our prayers for his eternal rest and our thanksgiving to God for sending him to us, will suffice.

Theme of the Novena

We did not see any good reason to have a different theme from that of the Archdiocese of Kampala, under whose jurisdiction we fall. Thus we continue to: Remember, Rejoice, Renew.

We remember what God has done for us through St. Jude, through the aforementioned men of God and through many other men and women  devoted to St. Jude. We rejoice that the hand of God is still working today through St. Jude, and show our gratitude in visible symbols. Then we renew by tuning our lives to the Good News that St. Jude was sent to spread and by ‘cleaning’ any areas in our lives which may not be shining in the light of the gospel.

Novena at Diocesan Level

We have official branches of the Devotion in the following Diocese: Arua, Bungoma (Kenya) Fort Portal, Gulu, Hoima, Jinja, Kabale, Kampala, Kasana, Kaseese, Kiyinda Mityana, Lira, Lugazi, Masaka, Mbarara, Soroti and Tororo.

The Executive Committee of the devotion recommended that, as we celebrate the three annual novenas here at the center, we should also do likewise at the Parish and at Diocesan levels. Thus the March novena be at the Parish level and that of July, at the Diocesan level. Then for the third, all branches come here at the centre and conclude everything with the celebration of the Feast of Ss Simon and Jude  -  28 October. The recommendation received the approval of the branches and is already operational. We therefore wish all our braches in the various dioceses a successful 2nd Annual Novena. We shall see them in October for the “grand finale”.

Wed 11, Jul 2018 13:07 pm