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First native Ugandans ordained as Franciscan Greyfriars
The Archbishop of Kampala, His Grace Paul Ssemogerere, has congratulated Fr. Godfrey Katumba and Deacon Edward Kironde, who recently became the first native Ugandans to be ordained as Conventual Franciscans, Greyfriars after two decades of the order’s presence in Uganda.
The ordination ceremony took place on Saturday, July 15, 2023, at Uganda Martyrs Minor Basilica Munyonyo, amidst great joy and celebration from their families, friends, and parishioners.
During his Homily, Archbishop Ssemogerere emphasized that the duo had realized the aspirations of the late Pope Paul VI, who had visited Uganda on July 31, 1969, and called upon the Church in Africa to be a missionary to itself and the world.
The Archbishop expressed his gratitude to the parents of Fr. Katumba and Deacon Kironde for allowing them to dedicate their lives in service to the Church.
Archbishop Ssemogerere reminded the newly ordained priests to be faithful witnesses of Christ and cautioned them against the temptation of self-centeredness, which he attributed to the influence of modernism and futurism.
He urged them to remain steadfast in their commitment to the Gospel and to serve as shining examples for others.
Cue…Archbishop 2
Reflecting on their journey, Fr. Katumba shared a touching tale about a conversation he had eight years ago with the late Archbishop Kizito Lwanga, during their time at the seminary in Kraków. The latter expressed his desire to ordain the brothers someday, a wish that unfortunately went unfulfilled due to his passing in 2021.
However, Fr. Katumba found solace in the fact that Archbishop Ssemogerere, Lwanga’s predecessor, had also expressed the same desire during his visit to the seminary. Fr. Katumba expressed his gratitude to Archbishop Ssemogerere for keeping his promise and ordaining them. He will serve in Kakoge parish.
