The Cathedral for the holy Eucharist on every Sunday while others have been there for prayers almost on daily basis, very few know how the history of the Cathedral. Today The Uganda Today brings you the story of the Mother Church in Uganda, which is popularly known as Lubaga Cathedral and how it started.
The Archbishop of Kampala Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, in his preaching at every big function at Lubaga has always praised the Kabaka of Buganda, Muteesa I for donating the land to the first Catholic White Missionaries who constructed the first church structure that was built with wattle and reeds.
According to the archives at Lubaga Cathedral, the first Missionaries in Uganda, Bishop Leon Livinhac was appointed leader of the White Fathers upon arrival from Upper Africa and after a few months he returned to Upper Africa and was replaced by Bishop Jean Joseph Hirth.
As Prince Daniel Mwanga, one of the 40 children of Kabaka Mutesa1 succeeded him also welcomed missionaries on December 8th ,1890 the day of immaculate Heart of Mary Mwanga officially received Bishop Hirth and he donated to him the whole of Lubaga hill in 1891, the kabaka urged the residents around to help Bishop Hirth to build houses.
Construction Of Mother Church Starts
Records show that since the arrival of the first missionaries in Uganda in 1879 t0 1890 many small temporary churches were constructed in different places. Pere Simeon Lourdes known as Mapers constructed were built at Lubya in 1879, Nabulagala 1880, Nalukolongo in 1884 and Nabunya in 1889.
The fifth Church was built at Lubaga where the parish hall is but there came what was referred to as a religious war and the Lubaga Church was burnt at 3pm on January 24 1892. Then later two other churches the sixth and the seventh one of which was destroyed by earth quake and another one was burnt down.
Although the burning of the church would have thrown the Christian in to utter despair, they instead stood by the missionaries and build the eighth temporary Church in 1892. They also built a ninth Church in 1893 in 1894 they constructed an eleventh church that was later and durable and lasted up to 1901.
On October 28 1895the third bishop Antonin Guillermain was consecrated in the newly constructed Church by Bishop Henery Hanlon of the Mill Hill Missionaries (MHM) of Nsambya Bishop Antonin Guillermain also transferred the Junior Seminary that had been started at Villa Maria Masaka to Lubaga in1893.
On March 19, 1901 bishop Hanlon of Nsambya consecrate the eleventh Church during a pontifical mass led by Bishop Henri Streicher locally known as Stenseera. Bishop Guillermain in 1897.
The last eleventh temporary Church that was constructed in 1901 at Lubaga lasted 24 years until they started constructing the present Cathedral. The first priest to be ordained in the Cathedral was Fr Consulate from Kenya by Bishop Streicher on Sunday March 15 1906
Later on, May 18, 1918, Bishop Forbes (WF) who was the coadjutor (Auxiliary bishop) of Bishop Streicher was also consecrated in this church Lubaga Cathedral.
According to records Bishop Streicher’s dream was to build a beautiful Church which fits to be the mother Church of all Churches in Uganda. In 1909 after the war’s bishop Streicher started preparation to build the Cathedral which is the 12th and last
In 1909, Streitcher announced his dreams and requested for those who were willing to contribute to the 12th Church. The first contribution was Rupees R.6,522, the equivalent of sh 13000 at that time, it was reported that the money was used build a bricks factory at Nalukolongo.
Bishop Streicher appointed Bro Gilbert, a professional architect to draw the church’s plan the first plan was very beautiful, the Christian could fail to finance completion brother Gilbert’s plan was modified a bit by Herman W.F into the president Cathedral.
In 1910, brother Gilbert constructed a kiln that was fitted to produce also tiles at Kisubi near Entebbe at that time Bro Cyprian WF, who was training students at Kisubi Technical School persuaded his colleagues who had also started the same technical school at Gayaza, Lubaga to merge them in to St Joseph’s Technical School for purpose of strengthening the institute under Bro Herman.
Where the students could have a variety of courses in bricklaying, carpentry, iron fabrication and among others. He also suggested that they could use the students to build Lubaga Cathedral as they earn some monies for themselves.
As the students trained in brick- making, Christians who used to pass at Nalukolongo going for daily mases at Lubaga were obliged to carry bricks on their heads for the construction of the Cathedral, Stanislaus Mugwanya, one of the Kabaka’s regents was one of the team leaders that used to carry at least four bricks Mugwanya also donated his forest at Nabbingo from where they got wood used in Klin to bake bricks
Another member Simeo Ssenkatuuka also donated all the sand and clay soil which was needed in the construction of the Cathedral.
According to the record by 1913, the Lubaga Parish Priest reported that the Christian had already carried 600,000 to the Church site. Brother Canisius W.F was the first person to prepare the construction of the Lubaga Cathedral assisted by Fr Joseph Richard who later in 1927 started congregation of Bannakalooli Brothers of Kiteredde.
However, Brother Canisius was transferred to Kisubi to start Kisubi bricks factory that is near Ggogonya Sister of Repatrix from where he used to produce bricks and tiles that was to be used in the construction of Lubaga cathedral.
Brother Cyprian fabricated a machine that assisted in moulding different types of bricks and titles the 1960s Brother Victor WF replaced Br Canisius inn the construction of the Cathedral and B rother Herman was engaged in constructing the beams.
As Bro Cyprian was appointed to build Lubaga Cathedral he decided to first build a small church within the plan of the new project, so he built Kisubi. He was at the same time training his students in different departments of constructing as he prepared to start the new project at Lubaga.
According to record Bro Cyprian worried about how he would make the pillar strong after building Kisubi Church in1913 Brother Cyprian, however was optimistic that he would succeed. He came to Lubaga on May ,3, 1914 with Matayo Bakaluba to start the construction work at the cathedral.
With the 600,00 bricks that had been delivered at Lubaga the Christian delivered 2 million bricks that completed the construction of the Cathedral. They used to transport the bricks tiles and other materials from Kisubi using a cart that had been locally made and pulled by bulls to complete the construction work at Lubaga.
In October 1914 the construction of the 6 ft foundation that consumed 500000 in total had been completed. However, the construction stalled for two years during war that raged between 1914- 1918 as there was no money after the war, the church borrowed sh 92,000 for the work to continue.
Brother Cyprian went on leave and was replaced by Brother Adalbert to continue the construction work of the cathedral. Brother Herman was charged with the responsibility of designing the pillar, windows and doors. Brother Sylvester who was a good carpenter supervised the whole work while at the same time made the doors and windows
He also designed the altar and the pulpit Bonaventure he worked on the Uganda Martyrs altar inside the cathedral. Bishop John Forbes.
In 1922, bishop Streicher sent his auxiliary bishop John Forbes to Canada to solicit for more money from the sponsors Bishop Forber’s first contacted Pope Pio XI for blessing. Pope Pio XI, blessing Bishop John Forbes fund as he himself donated unspecified amount of money towards the construction of the Lubaga Cathedral.