Hundreds of believers from the Catholic Faith and other religious denominations turned up in big numbers to celebrate the second parish day for St. Andrew Kaggwa Kichwa Mpoma Parish. One of the youngest parishes in Lugazi Catholic diocese, St. Andrew Kaggwa Kichwa Mpoma Parish boasts of tremendous developments.
The parish is championed by Rev. Fr. Denis Kibirige as the Parish Priest together with his assistant, Fr. Henry Wamala who is responsible for the Youth and Children’s ministry.
The Vicar General of Lugazi Diocese, Msgr. Richard Kayondo was the main celebrant. Fr. Ignatius Kaita also joined in the celebration of the mass.
Among other functions for the day, Msgr. Kayondo confirmed over 160 young Christians into the Catholic faith. The Vicar General asked the teacher catechists from different schools and those at different churches to avoid teaching the children their religion just for the sake but to make sure that they understand the real gist of the faith.
Msgr. Kayondo condemns the ADF attack to Lubiriha School in Kasese
The Vicar General joined the rest of the World including Pope Francis to mourn the over 50 children who lost their lives when the alleged Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) attacked Lubiriha Senior Secondary School in Kasese district near the Mpondwe border.
Kayondo condemned the tragic incident by the ADF to the innocent students and on top of that the abduction of over ten students whom they went with to an unknown destination.
He asked Police, Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and other security agencies to always take a keen eye on the pores borders which the rebels are suspected to have used as they entered the country and for their exit.
The Vicar General has however challenged Police and the UPDF which has got a detach near the affected school for having failed to notice the rebels for the hours they took terrorising the students and the nearby residents yet they also moved a distance of over two kilometres from the Mpondwe border.
“I am wondering what prevented either the security personnel or the locals from hearing what was transpiring in the school which also involved use of a bomb to touch the boys’ dormitory and gun shots which were fired into the students. It’s so unfortunate, may the souls of the innocent children be granted eternal life,” he said.
Msgr. Kayondo urged President Museveni and the Members of Parliament to take interest in finding out what would have transpired before the incident and who failed to play his role well, causing the tragic loss of more than 50 innocent lives.
“As Ugandans, we are so much hurt by this incident and other insecurity cases including different murders by shooting in several parts of the country. Let the security wake up and address these increasing challenges,” he said.
In response, Mukono North Member of Parliament, Abdallah Kiwanuka, the shadow Internal Affairs Minister assured Msgr. Kayondo said that as soon as the Parliament comes back from recess, he was to have the issue tabled on the floor of parliament so that the line ministers can be put to task to explain what exactly transpired.
Kiwanuka showed dismay to the fact that Uganda, through UPDF, is keeping security in outside countries like Somalia, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo and others, yet the Ugandans are innocently killed by the rebels.
Fr. Kibirige, the parish priest, boasted of a number of developments which the parish has registered in the short period of only two years. They include, the renovation of the church, the construction of the Father’s residence, working on the landscape of the place which beautified the whole place, the parish has got a vibrant choir which made the parishioners gain more love for church services.
Others are; a number of couples which were not legally married in church have made their marriages legal and acceptable before God, children have been taught their religion, a number of babies and children have been baptized, the priests are supervising and setting means of improving St. Andrew Kaggwa Kichwa Primary School, a government aided school which have gained more momentum in the last two years, among others.
While addressing the congregation, Fr. Kibirige also boasted of Deacon Ronald Ishanga who will soon be ordained as a Reverend Father.
“It’s not a simple thing for a parish of only two years to produce a Reverend Father, it’s therefore a milestone,” Fr. Kibirige said.
The Vicar General also led the fundraising which aimed at collecting sh64m which is required for furnishing of the Father’s house which has been built by the Christians in the parish.
The chief guest, Moses Ssenyonjo, the proprietor of St. Mary’s College Lugazi asked the parents of the confirmed children to help them live a religious life and avoid being diverted to the mushrooming religious sects.
Ssenyonjo contributed sh6m for the fundraising and asked other people to also contribute wholeheartedly to the God’s work if they also want Him (God) to do their work.
Out of the sh64m, sh38m was collected from the fundraising and sh17m was cash and the rest in pledges.
St. Andrew Kaggwa Kichwa Mpoma Parish comprises six different sub-parishes which include; St. Andrew Kaggwa Kichwa, St. Mary’s Lutengo, St. Atanansi Kateete, St. Charles Kabembe, St. Denis Ssebuggwawo Mpoma and St. Jude Nama.
