Katoosa consecrated rocks: Such a blessing for Christians

On a Thursday sunny morning of January 27, at Katoosa Catholic Parish located about two kilometres from Kyenjojo Town on Kyenjojo-Kagadi Road, one is welcomed by the newly-constructed church structure. It is Katoosa Catholic Parish.

Just a few metres away from the church is a cross placed atop a huge  rock with the inscription, St Mukasa Kiriwawanvu, one of the Uganda Martyrs. On the same spot, are other 22 rocks leaning on each other all bearing inscriptions of names of the first 22 Catholic Uganda Martyrs. This year, because of Covid-19, pilgrim prayers were limited to guests by invite and other few Christians around Katoosa Parish. Prayers were conducted inside the church unlike in the past where prayers were by the rocks. The Bishop of Fort Portal Catholic Diocese, Rt Rev Robert Muhiirwa, was the main celebrant.

However, immediately after the prayers, Christians proceed to the shrine area by the rocks to immerse further in prayers.

This place of rocks was ‘established’ after Fort Portal Diocese sanctified this place in honour of St Adolf Tibeyalirwa (Ludigo) Abwooli, one of the martyrs born in Katoosa, Kyenjojo District.  Tibeyalirwa is among the first 22 Ugandan martyrs killed by Kabaka Mwanga on June 3, 1885 and canonised in 1964. The rocks originally belonged to traditionalists who used to offer sacrifices to their gods there. It is said that in the 1960s, the diocese bought the land.

Pray

After the place was sanctified, it became a centre of devotion where people go to offer their petitions to different martyrs. From children to the elderly, this place attracts all. As church goers come for prayers at Katoosa Parish Church on a Sunday, some make a pit stop at the rocks in supplication. Those in a hurry, bow or genuflect and some make the sign of the cross before continuing to church for prayers.

Those who want to spend a longer time, arrive as early as 6am before the  Mass.

We visited on Thursday Janury 27, which is the date for the pilgrimages. After Mass at about 12.30pm,  Richard Kaizire, who is a member of Martyrs Guild Association at Katoosa Parish, arrives to recite his rosary, and read bible scriptures.

He says he intercedes through St Ponsiano Ngwondwe. It takes him 30 minutes to make his intercession and through St Ponsiano Ngondwe, the martyr he is able to make his supplication. Five minutes later, a couple arrives for prayers. They go to the rock inscribed with St Muggaga Lubowa, kneel down facing the rock. Their prayer lasts more than 30 minutes.

Everyone who comes  has their style of worship from those kneeling to those standing and counting on their rosary beads while others sing. Then, peculiar ones hit and get some aggregate off the rocks and pack it. When we approach them, one says, “When I feel uneasy or troubled, I put these stones in my drinking  water and sip on it  to feel better. The saints heal us.”

There are many who write their petitions on pieces of paper and leave them in the crevices of the rocks.

In the 1940s, this place was referred to as the devil’s place but today it has turned out to be one of the holy places in Uganda.

 “Today I missed Mass but when I was passing by, I felt the urge to say my prayers through martyrs here. Even if I don’t go for church prayers the blessings I get from here they are sufficient,” Kaizire says.

He says every Friday, their Martyrs Guild Association of about 70 members, agreed to always meet at the rocks for their meetings and prayers.

 “I have witnessed many miracles here. One of our members had poor sight. We prayed for her and now she can see well, other women who came seeking fertility have been able to conceive. They claim this to prayers offered here,” he says.

Turning  into pilgrim centre

Fr John Tumuhairwe, the chancellor of Fort Portal Diocese, says the idea of the shrine was initiated by Bishop Vincent Joseph McCauley CSC, the first bishop of Fort Portal Catholic Diocese in 1964. The works started after the canonisation of Uganda Martyrs in 1964.

To develop the area the bishop set up a committee chaired by the late Msgr Hilario Kaijanabyo of which Msgr Francis Kibira was a member.

Bishop McCauley asked the faithful to support the work and to start making local pilgrimages to the holy place every year to celebrate the victory of the Ugandan Martyrs and to seek their intercession.

On January 22, 1984, Katoosa Parish was opened as an independent parish after being carved out of Butiiti Parish and this was during the reign of Bishop Serapio B. Magambo (RIP) who installed Fr Fortunate Kasangaki (RIP) as its first parish priest and Msgr Kaijanabyo as curate.

Msgr Kaijanabyo, who worked in Katoosa from 1983 to 1994, facilitated paintings on the rocks assisted by  Leo Baryabuuza (then, a seminarian).

Fr Moses Mutagirizi, the former parish priest of Katoosa, who has been in the area for the last 20 years, now parish priest at Bukwali, says before Christianity came to Uganda, people had their traditional religion and people around Katoosa used to offer their sacrifices around rocks.

“In the past, people used to offer sacrifices to their gods in these rocks but when the church was established around the area which attracted people, they took catechism classes and got converted to Christianity,” he explains.  After the canonisation of Uganda Martyrs, Christians started making pilgrimage to Namugongo every June 3, those Christians who could not make it to Namugongo opted for Katoosa on the same day.   The Bishop then Rt Rev Paul L.Kalanda (RIP) instituted November15, as diocesan day of pilgrimage to Katoosa. It is the day St Joseph Mukasa Balikuddembe was killed.

When Bishop Robert K. Muhiirwa became fourth Bishop of Fort Portal Diocese on June 15, 2003, he changed the diocesan day of pilgrimage to Katoosa Shrine  January 27, due to weather conditions.

“During those times every November we would experience heavy rains unlike January,” Bishop Muhiirwa says.

On the same day, the Catholic Church marks the day St John Mary Muzeeyi was killed. Henceforth, thousands of Christians from all the parishes of Fort Portal Diocese and outside make pilgrimage to Katoosa. It is estimated that in 2017 the number of pilgrims was over 70,000. However, last year’s pilgrimage was cancelled because of Covid-19.

For St Adolf

Before canonisation of Uganda Martyrs, Bishop McCauley at that time instructed Msgr Kibira  to find out about the life of Blessed Adolf Tibeyalirwa Ludigo Mukasa.

Kibira worked tirelessly to make the necessary findings and came up with a report which he submitted to Rome by May1962.  He then represented Fort Portal Diocese in Rome for the defence of the report and for Adolf’s canonisation and other martyrs by St. Paul VI (The Pope by then) on October 18, 1964 in St Peter’s Basilica, Rome.

Because Adolf the martyr had been born in Katoosa, Fort Portal Diocese chose him to be patron of Katoosa Parish. The diocese selected January 27, in honour of him. The Uganda Martyrs Guild Lay Movement under Fort Portal Diocese championed annual pilgrimage to Katoosa.

According to Adolf Kamara Ruhweza, the guild president of Uganda Martyrs of the diocese, says to increase the number of pilgrims annually, they moved to other nearby dioceses of Kasese, Hoima and in DR Congo where they spearheaded the formation of Uganda Martyrs Lay Movement. The members in the lay movement mobilise Christians to make pilgrimage to Katoosa.

Going to Katoosa

Before Covid-19, Ruhweza says, people would arrive at Katoosa two days before the actual date. Also, before the pilgrimage to Katoosa, members of lay movement from all parishes say novena that starts on  January 18.

Plans to develop

Fr Mutagirizi says before he was transferred to Bukwali, the parish had developed a master plan that required Shs 37 billion to develop the area by building hotels, roads and accommodation facilities for people who come to visit the place.

On Thursday, Bishop Muhiirwa launched a fund where the faithful will be contributing towards the development of the area. He says the government promised them money to develop the area, which they are yet to see.

About Shs15 million was pledged to support the initiative.