{UAH} Uganda Martyrs' celebrations in France, a tremendous success!
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The 3rd of June is always well celebrated in France where the Holy Martyrs of Uganda
are very popularly loved and honoured! Throughout the country people went to Mass
and heard more about these gallant heroic individuals who now impress by their example of
chastity, humility, and apostolic zeal to embrace and spread Christ's word to all peripheries!
In Paris the attendance was very good and many numbers turned up for services. A good number
of us went to the Holy Miraculous Medal Shrine where some two centuries ago the Holy Virgin
appeared to St Cathjerine Labouré, then a nun at the adjoining convent and communicated to her
a fervent Christian message on the need for repentance and prayer.
At the Shrine there were many Masses programmed for the day. Ours in early afternoon was celebrated by
the Rector of the Shrine himself before hundreds of pilgrims who crammed the Church. The priest called the
attention of the faithful to the red colour of his liturgical vestment and expressed wonder why he was dressed
in red when the Church hadn't yet celebrated the holy feast of Pentecost! Answering his own question he said
it was because of the courage of twenty-two individuals, all of them illiterate and very loyal to their king, but who
when the missionaries arrived in their country ( Uganda ) chose to firmly opt for Christ and were ready to pay the
price with suffering and death which never faltered out their resolve to embrace firmly Christ and his gospel message!
The celebrant further noted that the twenty-two individuals were very young people, most of them aged between
15 and early twenty. and he further singled out St Kizito who was only 13. He then summoned the attention of the
very attentive congregation to look at St Charles Lwanga's very great heroism in leading his colleagues in all risky
and very dangerous undertakings including baptizing four of them, a thing which very strongly annoyed the Kabaka
and his entourage! The celebrant then turned to the congregation and prayed them to draw inspiration from the very
exemplary zeal, courage, and trust in God as portrayed by the Ugandan martyrs.
During prayer intentions at the offertory a French nun invoked the Holy Ugandan Martyrs requesting them very earnestly
to pray for Pope Francis so that God continues to give him energy to continue leading with example the Catholic Church.
She also asked the Martyrs to protect the youth especially in this internet era, and to help the poor, the marginalized and
the unemployed.
All in all, the Mass was very touching. There were people from many nationalities and everyone commended the celebrant
for his very good words on our Martyrs.
Many are getting ready to hear more from those other French pilgrims who made it to Namugongo..Last year some of them
affirmed having seen close to three million people at the Shrine! Their figure corresponded with the estimates provided by the
the Ugandan Police.
Dr G.H. Kkolokolo ( Paris / France )
--
UAH forum is devoted to matters of interest to Ugandans. Individuals are responsible for whatever they post on this forum.To unsubscribe from this group, send email to: ugandans-at-heart+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com or Abbey Semuwemba at: abbeysemuwemba@gmail.com.
are very popularly loved and honoured! Throughout the country people went to Mass
and heard more about these gallant heroic individuals who now impress by their example of
chastity, humility, and apostolic zeal to embrace and spread Christ's word to all peripheries!
In Paris the attendance was very good and many numbers turned up for services. A good number
of us went to the Holy Miraculous Medal Shrine where some two centuries ago the Holy Virgin
appeared to St Cathjerine Labouré, then a nun at the adjoining convent and communicated to her
a fervent Christian message on the need for repentance and prayer.
At the Shrine there were many Masses programmed for the day. Ours in early afternoon was celebrated by
the Rector of the Shrine himself before hundreds of pilgrims who crammed the Church. The priest called the
attention of the faithful to the red colour of his liturgical vestment and expressed wonder why he was dressed
in red when the Church hadn't yet celebrated the holy feast of Pentecost! Answering his own question he said
it was because of the courage of twenty-two individuals, all of them illiterate and very loyal to their king, but who
when the missionaries arrived in their country ( Uganda ) chose to firmly opt for Christ and were ready to pay the
price with suffering and death which never faltered out their resolve to embrace firmly Christ and his gospel message!
The celebrant further noted that the twenty-two individuals were very young people, most of them aged between
15 and early twenty. and he further singled out St Kizito who was only 13. He then summoned the attention of the
very attentive congregation to look at St Charles Lwanga's very great heroism in leading his colleagues in all risky
and very dangerous undertakings including baptizing four of them, a thing which very strongly annoyed the Kabaka
and his entourage! The celebrant then turned to the congregation and prayed them to draw inspiration from the very
exemplary zeal, courage, and trust in God as portrayed by the Ugandan martyrs.
During prayer intentions at the offertory a French nun invoked the Holy Ugandan Martyrs requesting them very earnestly
to pray for Pope Francis so that God continues to give him energy to continue leading with example the Catholic Church.
She also asked the Martyrs to protect the youth especially in this internet era, and to help the poor, the marginalized and
the unemployed.
All in all, the Mass was very touching. There were people from many nationalities and everyone commended the celebrant
for his very good words on our Martyrs.
Many are getting ready to hear more from those other French pilgrims who made it to Namugongo..Last year some of them
affirmed having seen close to three million people at the Shrine! Their figure corresponded with the estimates provided by the
the Ugandan Police.
Dr G.H. Kkolokolo ( Paris / France )
--
UAH forum is devoted to matters of interest to Ugandans. Individuals are responsible for whatever they post on this forum.To unsubscribe from this group, send email to: ugandans-at-heart+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com or Abbey Semuwemba at: abbeysemuwemba@gmail.com.
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