The Martyrs of Uganda
Dedicated young men who have devoted time, energy and life to the conversion of their people have abundantly blessed Africa. The blood of her martyrs and their zeal, for they have nourished the Church of Uganda were all apostles to their brothers before being martyrs. Everyone said that they wre the best in the country, the most sincere, the most intelligent and the most generous. Yet, King Mwanga hated them so intensely for their purity he ordered them cut into pieces, burned and thrown to the dogs.
The White Fathers had converted many Africans to Christianity, and because of their success, they were expelled from the country. The new converts dedicated their lives to carrying out the work of the missionaries. They revised the catechism, printed it in their native language, and secretly gave instruction. They taught the people the true faith, encouraged them to pray and give witness to Christ and, although there were no priests in the country, the kept alive the faith. The met great opposition from tribal chiefs, medicine men, pagans and Muslims.
Because Christian pages attached to the court refused to perform impure acts, the King ordered twenty-two boys ranging in age from thirteen to thirty to be tortured. They endured horrible cruelty with heroic courage and died nobly for Christ. Immediately after the persecution there were 500 Christians and 1000 catechumens in the country. The White Fathers were asked to return to the country after the death of King Mwanga. They baptized more than 150 catechumens. Now Uganda, a Christian land, has two million Catholics, three major and eight minor seminaries. Some 200 African priests, 200 brothers and 1000 sisters, natives of the country, dedicated themselves to evangelizing their people. Two institutes of African religious, seven institutes of African sisters and four thousand catechists continue the work of the Uganda Martyrs.