Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala (Left) and now the late Reverend Monsignor Henry Kyabukasa (Right) when they hosted President Museveni in the home in Kyotera in district last year
Parents of Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala and now the late Reverend Monsignor Henry Kyabukasa have left a living legacy in the communion of the Catholic Church in Uganda, the Masaka diocesan Bishop Severus Jjumba has said.
The two, together legendary educationist Brother Aidan are children of the late Cosma Kyamera and Theresa Namayanja, who were residents of Kamaggwa village, Lwankoni sub county in the present-day Kyotera district.
According to Bishop Jumba, the couple passed an unimaginable test of their time, when they exhibited rare traits of commitment and love for their faith by committing three of their children into the priesthood to continue professing and expanding Christianity.
Besides Cardinal Wamala and Msgr. Kyabukasa, the family also gave the Catholic Church Reverend Brother Aiden Mulabannaku, who trained under the congregation of the Brothers of Christian Instruction before he eventually become the first black Headteacher of St Henry’s College Kitovu.
Bishop Jjumba indicates that it is not by coincidence that the trio has left behind strong legacies that fetches church pride, owing their achievements to their parents who properly nurtured them into responsible human beings.
In the same footsteps according to Jumba, the diocese has continued to register more families that express willingness to offer more than one of their children into the vocation of priesthood.
He made the remarks in his eulogy to the late Monsignor Henry Kyabukasa, the longest-serving priests’ fomenter at Bukalasa Minor Seminary who breathed his last on Wednesday.
Bishop Jjumba who is the fifth ordinary of Masaka Catholic diocese, was by coincidence admitted to Bukakalasa minor Seminary by the late Monsigor Kyabukasa, whom he describes as a great instructor who had rare attributes of humanity.
On top of his unique accent and strong command of the English language, Jjumba says, the deceased had a very strong memory for history and that until his death, he has been a reliable point of reference to many people.
He adds that Monsignor Kyabukasa has been an all-round priest, who has been exemplary to many people in his home diocese of Masaka and the entire Catholic Church in Uganda.
In 2013, Pope Francis II bestowed upon the Reverend Father Henry Kyabukasa, a distinguished honor of “Monsignor”, a title given to a priest who has exhibited exceptional competencies in his services and vocation.
He is among the cohort of four priests who last got the honor of Monsignor in Masaka Diocese.
Reverend Father Alex Ssekatawa, the Head of the Archive in Masaka diocese says the deceased has been a great resource who has left behind a wealthy collection of different kinds of literature in both books and pamphlets for students.
He says that they are considering collecting Msgrs Kyabukasa’s literatures to generate a complete autobiography of his life.
The deceased priest who breathed his last at 92 years was buried on Saturday in the Priests’ mausoleum at Bukalasa minor seminary in Kalungu district.
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