RECTORS MESSAGE FOR THE SHRINE WEBSITE.
Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, an ecclesiastical writer of the second century and Church Father once wrote that "the blood of Martyrs is the seed of the Church", implying that the martyrs' willingness to sacrifice their lives leads to the conversion of others.
Filled with the Holy Spirit, the twenty two Uganda Martyrs and now Saints sacrificed their lives for the love of Christ and the Church. By this miracle of grace, St. Charles Lwanga and his companions sawed a seed of faith on the then virgin and fertile soils of Uganda.
These twenty-two seeds germinated, grew and spread in less than a century; making the Catholic faith the most dominant religion in Uganda today. Through these heroes’ intercession, Christians continue to be nourished; millions of people make pilgrimages to Namugongo and other Martyrs’ sites, they offer novena prayers, mass intentions and personal prayers and have really tested the fruits from the seeds sawed by these forefathers in faith.
Burdens, troubles, and worries are carried daily through the Uganda Martyrs to Jesus and people have walked back totally freed and their souls saved.
Two saints of our time, St. John Paul II and Mother Teresa and Bl. Paul VI, made a pilgrimage to this holy shrine of the Martyrs in search for spiritual nourishment and they got it. As we talk today, they rejoice with the Martyrs of Uganda in heaven.
Although some of our ancestors in faith like Fr. Mapeera and Br. Amans (servants of God) never managed to step a foot at Namugongo, we are very humbled to be the caretakers of this holy ground, and instruments through which the gospel they brought and defended is still feeding souls. Today, we share this love for Christ with millions that make pilgrimages during the Uganda Martyrs Day and thousands that come on other days, throughout the whole year.
We welcome you all to pray with the Uganda martyrs at this holy shrine. The staff serving at the shrine are ever present and willing to guide you whenever you visit this holy place.
HOLY MARTYRS OF UGANDA PRAY FOR US