In the year 1886 in my home country of Uganda when Christianity had been introduced in the country for around 20 years, the King of Buganda then, Mwanga, issued an order that there was not to be any more practice of the faith in his kingdom. He ordered all who had embraced the faith and were practicing it to renounce it or he would put them to death.
The Ugandan Martyrs
To be fair, at his palace in Munyonyo Kampala, he presided at a session where he gave the believers an opportunity to make a choice of where they wanted to stay. Many of the young men choose to stick to their faith. He ordered them to be punished extremely, and many while still alive, were thrown over a huge bonfire that was made at the Namugongo execution site. That happened on 3rd June 1886. There were 22 Catholics and 23 Anglicans. On the Universal Church’s Calendar, the Catholic Church celebrates 3rd June as the Memorial of St Charles Lwanga and Companions, the Uganda Martyrs.
Seeds of the Church
King Mwanga’s plan was to stamp out Christianity once and for all from his kingdom. However, his actions produced the exact opposite of what he intended. Instead, a new generation of believers sprung, they were even more deeply committed to the faith. The Church started growing in leaps and bounds. As of now, Uganda is predominantly Catholic. The Catholic Churches in Uganda are full, the seminaries are full, the convents are full, and the Church’s institutions such as schools, the hospitals, the bank, the insurance company and other social services programs are among the best in the country. The great Christian historian Tertullian wrote that “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” Those words are true in the context of the Ugandan Martyrs. Through the pains and the suffering of some believers, the faith was watered and something good grew out of it.
Enduring for Faith
Today we heard in the gospel about the martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist, who spoke truth to power. Herod thought by imprisoning and eventually murdering John the Baptist, Truth would be buried. It wasn’t buried, instead grew and spread. There is something rich about suffering and persecution when it comes to matters of faith. On a personal level our faith is purified, and on an institutional level our faith is strengthened. We may not be able to see that when we are in the middle of it, but there is fruitfulness that comes out of suffering and persecution due to our faith.
We pray in this Mass that the Lord gives us the gift of Fortitude amidst challenging circumstances related to the profession and practice of our faith. May the Lord grant us His grace to give brave witness to Him as individuals and families.
- Father Fred's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this morning. You can view the Mass (and the Rosary at the 30-minute mark) on the Family Rosary YouTube page.
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