Fare-thee-well Archbishop Lwanga

Rubaga Cathedral yesterday exploded into loud wails and outpouring of emotions as the casket bearing the remains of late Kampala Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga was lowered into a crypt inside the Church.
The cathedral pews and the marques on the church grounds teemed with mourners who braved the scorching sun to witness the burial of a man revered as generous and pragmatic shepherd.

Speaker after speaker eulogised Lwanga as a man who not only nurtured them spiritually, but offered them directions when they almost strayed.

A final requiem Mass at Rubaga Cathedral, Lwanga’s administrative and pastoral seat until his sudden death on April 3, was filled with praise for a man who believed materially endowed humans would be more devoted Christians.
He worked to economically empower his flock through saving cooperatives and other wealth-creation programmes.
Yesterday, he finally departed from the treasures and travails of the earth and the moments of his interment suddenly collapsed the congregation into an emotional meltdown – one in which the clergy and lay wailed loudly and inconsolably.

Tears flooded faces of many. Others stood transfixed while others shook their heads in disbelief.

It had been fairly calm from the time Uganda Funeral Services pallbearers, this time dressed in white shirts and jackets and black pants, rolled the casket containing Lwanga’s remains into the cathedral slightly after 10am.
Emotions rose and fell as mourners paid their last respects to the prelate and throughout the Mass and eulogies.
Then at 2:45pm, the church bell began to toll. Inside, the choir sang and many funeral-goers began to feel a lump in their throats. Many fought back tears, but only for a moment.
When the pall bearers began rolling away the casket to the Uganda Martyrs Corner of the church for interment in the crypt, the emotions welled over.

Papal knights and dames followed the pall bearers ahead of a procession of clergy and dignitaries as they escorted Lwanga on a journey of no return.
The coffin suspended on straps of a lowering device and rolled gently into the grave as the bell tolled and emotions engulfed hundreds in and outside the church.
Earlier while celebrating Mass, Kiyinda-Mityana Bishop Joseph Antony Zziwa, who doubles as the chairperson of the Uganda Episcopal Conference, said Lwanga left a mark both in Kampala and Luwero where he was founding bishop before his elevation.

“Archbishop Lwanga has left a mark on the Catholic Church in Uganda and the social and political life of our country with his bundles of energy he used to exercise his ministry as a priest and bishop… [he] committed himself to promote the Catholic Church’s mission of integral human development,” Bishop Zziwa said. He said Uganda will not forget the good deeds of the late Archbishop whose untimely death caused shockwaves across the country.

Emmanuel Cardinal Wamala, Archbishop Emeritus of Kampala Archdiocese, who did not attend the requiem Mass in his words due to “frailty”, noted that it was the hardest thing for his successor to go to the grave before him.

Cardinal Wamala’s pain
“In 1997, when Pope Benedict XVI chose him as the first Bishop of Kasana-Luwero, it was my privilege to consecrate him on March 1 and, in 2006, when he was appointed 3rd Archbishop of Kampala, it was me who happily received him and had the honour of installing him in September at Rubaga Cathedral. So, sending him off today, moreover spiritually, due to my frailty, you can all imagine what goes on within my heart, given that when death occurs sooner than it is normal or expected, [it] brings about a high level of anxieties,” Cardinal Nsubuga noted.

Bishop Paul Ssemogerere of Kasana-Luwero, Lwanga’s successor whom the Pope yesterday named as the Apostolic Administrator for Kampala Archdiocese, said Lwanga’s demise robed the church of a true shephard whom the country will live to remember.

“We condole with the Archdioceses of Kampala, with the family, relatives and friends of the late Archbishop, and with the entire Church in Uganda as well as with all Ugandans. We all have lost a shepherd, a father, a great spiritual director and herald in development and in the improvement of the condition of people’s lives,” he said.
Church of Uganda Archbishop Dr Stephen Kaziimba said he was saddened by the death which occurred a day after they celebrated the Way of the Cross together.

“We walked the Way of the Cross together, and, it is a shock to all of us. His clear Gospel voice of advocacy for the poor and oppressed, his commitment to Christian unity and justice for all will be dearly missed. Yet, we know that he has moved into the nearer presence of our Lord and is advancing from glory to glory. He fought the good fight; he finished the race; he kept the faith,” Kiziimba said.

Museveni’s message
In a condolence message read by Vice President Edward Ssekandi, President Museveni described Archbishop Lwanga as a humble and faithful servant of God whose noble actions and wise counsel facilitated the growth of the Christian faith in Uganda and beyond.
He said under his able stewardship, Kampala Archdiocese grew to a great proportion and continues to thrive because of the solid foundation he built.

“He will be remembered as a practical Christian who placed equal emphasis on both the spiritual and physical needs of the people. He recognized the importance of encouraging believers to fulfil their responsibility as co-creators with God here on earth. This is demonstrated by the numerous development projects he initiated,” Mr Ssekandi said.

Condolence messages
Message of His Holiness Pope Francis: “His Holiness Pope Francis was saddened to learn the untimely death of Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga and he sent his heartfelt condolences to the religious, the clergy and the lay faithful of the Archdiocese of Kampala. United with them in thanking for Archbishop Lwanga’s years of devoted priestly and episcopal ministry, his holiness joins the family of solemn funeral right in praying that God may grant him the reward of his work and welcome him into the peace and joy of heaven. The Holy Father cordially imparts his apostolic blessing as a pledge of consolation and peace in love.

Stephen Kaziimba, the Archbishop of Church of Uganda
“On behalf of the Church of Uganda, please accept our sincerest condolences to you and all Ugandan Roman Catholics who are grieving the sudden death of Archbishop Cyprian Lwanga. We walked the Way of the Cross together, and, it is a shock to all of us. His clear Gospel voice of advocacy for the poor and oppressed, his commitment to Christian unity, and, justice for all will be dearly missed. Yet, we know that he has moved into the nearer presence of our Lord and is advancing from glory to glory. He fought the good fight; he finished the race; he kept the faith. Now he, who longed for our Lord’s appearing, receives the crown of the righteousness.”

Archbishop Augustine Kasujja, Apostolic Nuncio to the Kingdom of Belgium
“It is with great shock and sadness that we all received the news of the passing away of Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga last Holy Saturday. The Lord called him after his last Eucharistic celebration of the Lord’s last supper and the Ecumenical Stations of the Cross on Good Friday. It is a consoling conclusion of the long mission of an active, hardworking and beloved pastor as he was. We all remain grateful for his selfless pastoral service to encourage the faith, mutual leave, hope and the development of the faithful and the people of Uganda as a whole.”

Emmanuel Cardinal Wamala, Archbishop Emeritus of Kampala
“Dear fellow mourners, sending off one’s successor is indeed a painful experience. The mystery surrounding the abrupt demise of His Grace Dr Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, undoubtedly confirms what our risen Lord Jesus Christ said when giving us His stern warning that “you also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.”

President Yoweri Museveni
“I received the sad news of the death of the Archbishop, Dr Cyprian Kizito Lwanga. I wish on behalf of my family, government and the entire nation to extend our heartfelt condolences and sympathies to his family and the Catholic Church. The late Archbishop Lwanga was a humble and faithful servant of God whose noble actions and wise counsel facilitated the growth of the Christian faith in Uganda and beyond. Under his able stewardship, Kampala Archdiocese grew to a great proportion and continues to thrive because of the solid foundation he built. The late Archbishop Lwanga inspired Christians to participate in the work of creating a secure and prosperous Uganda. May the soul of the late Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga rest in eternal peace.”

Joseph Anthony Zziwa, chairman of Uganda Episcopal Conference and Bishop of Kiyinda-Mityana Diocese
“On behalf of the Uganda Episcocal Conference, I wish to express our heartfelt condolences to the clergy, religious, and faithful of the Archdiocese of Kampala, his family and all those who mourn the death of our brother Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, whom the Lord called on Saturday, April 3, 2021. We extend our appreciation to all those who have helped the archdiocese of  Kampala and the Catholic Church in making all the arrangements for organising his funeral so far, and, continued to help in all ways possible as we prepared for his final send off.  

He was a representative of the Conference on the Centenary Bank Board and also represented the Catholic Bishops in the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda, as well as in the Uganda Joint Christian Council. Archbishop Lwanga initiated several projects in the Archdiocese of  Kampala, serving all interest groups, including the youth and women. Eternal rest grant unto him, Oh Lord, and let your perpetual light shine upon him.”