Ugandan martyrs for purity

 Holy Martyrs of Uganda Protectors against Homosexuality, Paganism and Apostasy.

June 3rd

Memorial of St. Charles Lwanga and Companions, martyrs

Ugandan martyrs for purity

  Martyrs for defending their purity and faith.

Charles Lwanga is the patron of youth and Catholic action in most of tropical Africa.

Saint Charles Lwanga was one of the 22 Ugandan martyrs who converted from paganism. He was the chief of the royal pages and was considered the strongest athlete of the court. He was also known as “the most handsome man of the Kingdom of Uganda.” He instructed his friends in the Catholic Faith and he personally baptized boy pages. He inspired and encouraged his companions to remain chaste and faithful. He protected his companions, ages 13-30, from the immoral acts and homosexual demands of the Babandan ruler, Mwanga. He and his companions were burned to death by Mwanga’s order on June 3, 1886.

For his own unwillingness to submit to the immoral acts and his efforts to safeguard the faith of his friends, Charles was burned to death at Namugongo on June 3, 1886, by Mwanga’s order.

May God through the holy martyrs of Uganda protect us from all authorities that abuse power to legitimize perverse practices and sexual abuse and that fabricate pseudo-laws that contradict their Supreme Law. Let us also ask for the healing and restoration of the victims of sexual abuse

Prayer to the Uganda Martyrs 

In the Name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit,

Amen.

O God, by whose providence
the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church:
Grant that we who remember before you
the blessed martyrs of Uganda,
may, like them, be steadfast in our faith in Jesus Christ,
to whom they gave obedience even unto death,
and by their sacrifice brought forth a plentiful harvest;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit,
ever one God, world without end,

Amen.

Our Father...

Hail Mary...

Glory Be...

O Jesus, our Lord and Redeemer,
through your passion and death,
we adore and thank Thee.

Holy Mary, Mother and Queen of Martyrs,
Obtain for us sanctification through our sufferings.

Holy Martyrs, followers of the suffering Christ,
obtain for us the grace to imitate Him.

St. Joseph Balikuddembe,
first Martyr of Uganda,
who inspired and encouraged Nephytes,
obtain for us a spirit of truth and justice.

St. Charles Lwanga,
patron of the Youth and Catholic Action,
obtain for us a firm and zealous faith.

St. Matthias Mulumba,
ideal Chief and follower of Christ meek and humble,
obtain for us a Christian gentleness.

St. Dionysius Sebuggwawo,
zealous for the Christian Faith
and renowned for your modesty,
obtain for us the virture of modesty.

St. Andrew Kaggwa,
model Catechist and teacher,
obtain for us a love of the teaching of Christ.

St. Kizito,
child resplendent in purity and Christian joy,
obtain for us the gift of joy in our Lord.

St. Gyaviira,
shining example of how to forgive and forget injuries,
obtain for us the grace to forgive those who injure us.

St. Mukasa,
fervent catechumen rewarded with the Baptism of your blood,
obtain for us perseverance unto the death.

St. Adolfus Ludigo,
conspicuous by your following
of our Lord's spirit of service to others;
obtain for us a love of unselfish service.

St. Anatoli Kiriggwajjo,
humble servant preferring a devout life to wordly honours;
obtain for us to love piety more than earthly things.

St. Ambrosius Kibuuka,
young man full of joy and love of your neighbour;
obtain for us fraternal charity.

St. Achilles Kiwanuka,
who for the sake of Christ detested vain superstitious practices;
obtain for us holy hatred of superstitious practices.

St. John Muzeeyi,
prudent councilor,
renowned for the practice of works of mercy;
obtain for us a love of those works of mercy.

Blessed Jildo Irwa and Blessed Daudi Okello
who gave up your lives for the spread of the Catholic Faith;
obtain for us the zeal of spreading the Catholic Faith.

St. Pontaianus Ngondwe,
faithful soldier,
longing for the martyr's crown;
obtain for us the grace to be always faithful to our duty.

St. Athanasius Bazzekuketta,
faithful steward of the royal treasury;
obtain for us a spirit of responsibility.

St. Mbaaga,
who preferred death to the persuasions of your parents;
obtain for us to follow generously divine grace.

St. Gonzaga Gonza,
full of sympathy for prisoners,
and all who were in trouble;
obtain for us the spirit of mercy.

St. Noe Mawaggali,
humble worker and lover of evangelical poverty;
obtain for us love of evangelical poverty.

St. Luke Baanabakintu,
who ardently desired to imitate
the suffering Christ by Martyrdom;
obtain for us a love of our motherland.

St. Bruno Serunkuuma,
soldier who gave an example of repentance and temperance;
obtain for us the virtue to repentance and temperance.

St. Mugagga,
young man renowned for your heroic chastity;
obtain for us perserverance in chastity.

Holy Martyrs,
firm in your fidelity to the true Church of Christ;
help us to be always faithful to the true Church of Christ.

Let us pray.

O Lord Jesus Christ, who wonderfully strengthened the Holy Martyrs of Uganda
St. Charles Lwanga,
Matthias Mulumba,
Blessed Jildo Irwa,
Blessed Daudi Okello and their Companions;
and gave them to us as examples of faith and fortitude,
chastity, charity, and fidelity;
grant, we beseech you,
that by their Intercession,
the same virtues may increase in us,
and that we may deserve to become propagators of the true faith.
Who lives and reigns world without end.

Amen.

COLLECT PRAYER

O God, who have made the blood of Martyrs the seed of Christians, mercifully grant that the field which is your Church, watered by the blood shed by Saint Charles Lwanga and his companions, may be fertile and always yield you an abundant harvest. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.