Sts. Charles Lwanga & Companions
The Martyrs of Uganda, Memorial
Other Celebrations for this Day:
Liturgical Cycle: A, B, C | Lectionary Cycle: I, II
Introduction
In 1886, barely a few years after Christianity had been introduced in Uganda, King Mwanga, fearing that Christianity would put an end to his lucrative slave trade, started a persecution; his first victims were the pages of his court, even some of his relatives, among them, who had refused to submit to his perverse solicitations. Thirteen of the pages, headed by Charles Lwanga, were burned to death, Catholics and Protestants alike. They kept their promise “not to stop praying as long as we live.” Many others followed; twenty-two of them were canonised by Paul VI in 1964. They are the first saints from young, black Africa and seeds of African ecumenism.
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
Your young, holy martyrs from Uganda
were willing to lay down their lives
rather than to give in to evil.
We ask you today for the courage
of your Holy Spirit of wisdom and strength
to be always consistent in our faith
and to respond to your love
also when it demands sacrifices.
We ask your this through Christ our Lord.
First Reading
The Seven Brothers and Their Mother
It happened also that seven brothers were arrested with their mother. The king had them scourged and flogged to force them to eat the flesh of a pig, which was prohibited by the law.
One of them, speaking on behalf of all, said: “What do you want to find out from us? We are prepared to die right now rather than break the law of our ancestors.”
At the moment of his last breath, he said: “Murderer, you now dismiss us from life, but the king of the world will raise us up. He will give us eternal life since we die for his laws.”
After this, they punished the third. He stuck his tongue out when asked to, bravely stretched forth his hands,
and even dared to say: “I have received these limbs from God, but for love of his laws, I now consider them as nothing. For I hope to recover them from God.”
This young man’s courage touched the king and his court, so unconcerned about his sufferings.
When this one was dead, they subjected the fourth to the same torture.
At the point of death, he cried out: “I would rather die at the hands of mortals and wait for the promises of God who will raise us up; you, however, shall have no part in the resurrection of life.”
Responsorial Psalm
R. (7) Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare.
Had not the LORD been with us--
When men rose up against us,
then would they have swallowed us alive
When their fury was inflamed against us.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare.
Then would the waters have overwhelmed us;
The torrent would have swept over us;
over us then would have swept
the raging waters.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare.
Broken was the snare,
and we were freed.
Our help is in the name of the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
R. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are the poor in spirit;
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Sermon on the Mount: The Beatitudes
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain. He sat down, and his disciples gathered around him.
Then he spoke and began to teach them:
Fortunate are those who are poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Fortunate are those who mourn; they shall be comforted.
Fortunate are the gentle; they shall inherit the land.
Fortunate are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied.
Fortunate are the merciful, for they shall be shown mercy.
Fortunate are those with pure hearts, for they shall see God.
Fortunate are those who work for peace; they shall be called children of God.
Fortunate are those who are persecuted for the cause of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Fortunate are you when people insult and persecute you and speak all kinds of evil against you because you are my followers.
Be glad and rejoice, for a great reward awaits you in God. That is how they persecuted the prophets who lived before you.
Prayers of the Faithful
Prayer over the Gifts
God of our youth,
with bread and wine we express
that we want to follow your son Jesus Christ
also when it is difficult to do so.
Give us the strength
and a young, lively and strong faith
to do so in all circumstances of life.
For you are dear to us and we love you
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Almighty God,
those who have heard the word of your Son
and who have received the food
of his body and blood
let their lives express their fidelity
even in the face of oppression and persecution.
May they receive from you
the blessing of your kingdom
with a happiness that no one
can ever take away from them.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
REFLECTIONS
The Seed of Faith: The Witness of St. Charles Lwanga and Companions
The Call of the African Mission
Though the light of Christ reached the shores of Africa in antiquity, it was not until the late 19th century that the Holy Spirit moved the Church to a renewed evangelical fervour in the continent’s heart. In 1879, Catholic missionaries arrived in Uganda, sowing the seeds of the Gospel among a people eager for the Truth. This mission, however, was soon to be purified by the fire of persecution.
The Courage of Joseph Mkasa
The early community flourished under the care of Joseph Mkasa, a man of profound faith who served in the royal court. When the leader Mwanga descended into a life of vice—imposing his will upon the young pages under his protection—Joseph stood as a shield. He did not merely serve; he pastored.
Joseph openly rebuked the ruler’s indulgence and the slaughter of fellow Christians. When threatened with execution, he uttered the eternal cry of the martyr: “A Christian who gives his life for God is not afraid to die.” In November 1885, Joseph was beheaded, becoming the first-fruits of this modern sacrifice.
The Shield of Charles Lwanga
The mantle of leadership fell to Charles Lwanga. Recognising the grave moral danger facing the young attendants, Charles became a spiritual father to the pages, secretly instructing them in the faith and protecting their dignity from the king’s demands.
In May 1886, the king’s wrath boiled over. Discovering that the pages were being catechised, he sealed the palace. When confronted with the choice between their lives and their Lord, Charles and the boys did not waver. Their response was a unified profession of faith: “Till death!”
The Journey to Namugongo
What followed was a literal Via Crucis. The group was forced on a 37-mile march to their execution site. Along the way, several were martyred, yet the survivors continued, bound together in prayer. At Namugongo, these young souls were wrapped in reed mats and cast into the flames. Like the incense of the liturgy, their lives rose to God as a sweet-smelling sacrifice.
The Fruit of the Martyrs
The world may have seen a defeat, but the Church saw a victory. By the time missionaries could safely return to Uganda, they found that the blood of these 22 martyrs had acted as the "seed of the Church." In the silence of the king’s shadow, the community had grown four-fold.
Reflection: A New Life in Christ
Today, the Basilica of the Uganda Martyrs stands as a beacon of hope. The relics of St. Charles Lwanga remind us that "building a new life" often requires the courage to abandon an old one. For your mission, these martyrs serve as the ultimate patrons: they were "lay visitors" of a kind, bringing the light of the Gospel to those in the "prison" of a corrupt court, and leading them to the ultimate reintegration—union with God.
St. Charles Lwanga and Companions, who confronted the darkness with the light of the Word, who protected the vulnerable and died for the Truth, pray for us as we seek to bring new life to those in need. Amen.