Priesthood Heros of Africa......“Mapera [Father], why be sad? What I suffer now is little compared with the eternal happiness you have taught me"
In 1877, the king Mutesa ruled Uganda. He opened the doors of his kingdom for Christianity and Islam at the same time. The missionary priests were called as’ white Fathers” by the locals preached the Gospel to the spiritually hungry people in Uganda. Many people embraced Christianity leaving their polygamy lives and even their traditional rituals. The Christians began to follow the living word of God literally in their life, with the guidance and motivation of missionary priests.
However, the king did not like the people conversion and abolision of their native rituals. Moreover he was heavily influenced by the Islam religion and he began to promote and favor Islam than Christianity. He proceeded sending away all the Christian missionaries from his kingdom. But the seed of Gospel grew even in the absence of the shepherded. Many local youth were becoming vibrant in the Christian faith. The missionary priests returned to Uganda after the death of that king.
Among the youth who followed Christianity, Joseph Mukesa was very courageous, who even challenged the new king in his acts and verdict against Christianity. He motivated many young Christians to follow the living faith, for which he was beheaded and burned.
Then the king ordered to kill all the Christian pages. They imprisoned the pages and tortured them. Fr. Lourdel who reported the martyr cruel scene and the serenity among the saints as, ‘“they were tied so closely that they could scarcely walk, and I saw little Kizito laughing merrily at this, as though it were a game.” Another page asked the priest, “Mapera [Father], why be sad? What I suffer now is little compared with the eternal happiness you have taught me to look forward to!. The prisoners suffered greatly during the long march to the execution site, but they prayed aloud and recited the catechism all along the way. Three of them were speared to death before reaching the village. The others were led out to a massive funeral pyre. It was Ascension Thursday morning.” {Source: The Uganda Martyrs
Their Countercultural Witness Still Speaks Today By: Bob French}
The above story is very extraordinary, which depicts the faith seeds planted by the European missionaries in the Uganda soil flourished to reap the living faith. It is also the proclamation of trust, faith, and the love and bonding between shephered and the sheep. It also highlights the importance of priesthood guidance for the youth and their faith. It captures the majesty of priesthood in the field of faith journey. In the face of the kings torture and hostility, and even in the exile of the missionaries from the land, the faith initiation and motivation of the priests set the evergreen stage for the Christianity to grow daya by day in Uganda. By the brave efforts of the white fathers in Uganda and the Holy spirit conversion acts brought forth the faith proclamation glory of Martyrs of Uganda.
Let us pray for bishops and priests in Africa.
However, the king did not like the people conversion and abolision of their native rituals. Moreover he was heavily influenced by the Islam religion and he began to promote and favor Islam than Christianity. He proceeded sending away all the Christian missionaries from his kingdom. But the seed of Gospel grew even in the absence of the shepherded. Many local youth were becoming vibrant in the Christian faith. The missionary priests returned to Uganda after the death of that king.
Among the youth who followed Christianity, Joseph Mukesa was very courageous, who even challenged the new king in his acts and verdict against Christianity. He motivated many young Christians to follow the living faith, for which he was beheaded and burned.
Then the king ordered to kill all the Christian pages. They imprisoned the pages and tortured them. Fr. Lourdel who reported the martyr cruel scene and the serenity among the saints as, ‘“they were tied so closely that they could scarcely walk, and I saw little Kizito laughing merrily at this, as though it were a game.” Another page asked the priest, “Mapera [Father], why be sad? What I suffer now is little compared with the eternal happiness you have taught me to look forward to!. The prisoners suffered greatly during the long march to the execution site, but they prayed aloud and recited the catechism all along the way. Three of them were speared to death before reaching the village. The others were led out to a massive funeral pyre. It was Ascension Thursday morning.” {Source: The Uganda Martyrs
Their Countercultural Witness Still Speaks Today By: Bob French}
The above story is very extraordinary, which depicts the faith seeds planted by the European missionaries in the Uganda soil flourished to reap the living faith. It is also the proclamation of trust, faith, and the love and bonding between shephered and the sheep. It also highlights the importance of priesthood guidance for the youth and their faith. It captures the majesty of priesthood in the field of faith journey. In the face of the kings torture and hostility, and even in the exile of the missionaries from the land, the faith initiation and motivation of the priests set the evergreen stage for the Christianity to grow daya by day in Uganda. By the brave efforts of the white fathers in Uganda and the Holy spirit conversion acts brought forth the faith proclamation glory of Martyrs of Uganda.
Let us pray for bishops and priests in Africa.
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