On November 3, 2019, the Most Reverend Cyprian Kizito LWANGA, Archbishop of Kampala, Uganda, presided over a ceremony to consecrate the Parish Church of St. Francis of Assisi in Matugga, Uganda. The church is entrusted to the care of the friars of Provincial Delegation in Uganda of the Province of St. Anthony and Bl. James of Strepar in Poland (Cracow).
The Archbishop placed relics of our Blessed Martyrs of Peru, Friars Michał TOMASZEK and Zbigniew STRZAŁKOWSKI, into the church’s main altar. He also placed relics of St. Francis of Assisi into a side altar. These spiritual gifts were provided by the Minister Provincial of the Province of St. Anthony and Bl. James of Strepar, Friar Marian GOŁĄB. Friar Marian took advantage of the occasion to make a canonical visitation to the Delegation.
About 3,000 faithful took part in the celebration. They came from Uganda, the USA, India, Sudan, Rwanda, Kenya, Italy and Spain. The Consul, Ewa ZAŁĘSKA, representing the Polish embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, was also present.
It took almost ten years to complete the construction of the church. This last year was dedicated to preparing for this event. In particular, a parish spiritual retreat was conducted on the theme: “Your Body is a Temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor 6:19).
In honor of St. Francis of Assisi, the Patron Saint of Ecology, the parish organized a week-long initiative, together with the local government and schools, to make life in Matugga cleaner and healthier.
The Wanda Health Center Hospital, located at the Friary of the Immaculate Conception of the B.V.M. in Matugga, offered free medical examinations, formation courses and invited the people to donate that most valuable of medicines, their blood. The hospital will officially open on December 2, 2019, with a solemn blessing ceremony.
We thank our many benefactors around the world who made it possible to build the church and carry out many missionary works.
Friar Adam KLAG – Friar Marek WARZECHA