Back: Sr Restitute, Sr Mechtilde, Sr Marie de l’Espérance – Front: Sr Joachim, Mère Ste Foy, Sr Dorothée
By Sr. Alice Bangnidong – Bunamwaya Community, Kampala
Honouring Our Missionary Roots
Warm greetings from Bunamwaya-Kampala, Uganda!
It is with deep joy and gratitude that we share the powerful echoes of the missionary journey of our pioneer Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa in Uganda. As we reflect on their legacy, we give thanks for the missionary presence of our Congregation in the Church of Uganda—a presence that has continued to bear fruit through the generations.
Though our brothers, the Missionaries of Africa, played a foundational role, today we focus on the lasting impact of our pioneer sisters, who proclaimed the Gospel with courage, compassion, and dedication.
A Call to Missionary Identity
“I am a Missionary Sister of Our Lady of Africa: wise, dynamic, and dedicated to the proclamation of the Gospel.”
This self-description invites deep personal reflection. Am I truly wise, dynamic, and dedicated? In light of the legacy left to us, I can boldly say “Yes” – because this missionary identity is not only a gift but also a challenge we are called to embrace.
Moments of Joy and Legacy Celebrations
In late 2024 and early 2025, we were blessed to participate in several celebrations of faith and legacy that brought great joy and deepened our sense of mission.
- 125 Years of Busuubizi Parish
We were honoured to be invited by Bishop Joseph Anthony Zziwa to the Quasquicentennial Jubilee of Busuubizi Parish in Mityana, founded by the Missionaries of Africa. The hospitality we received – seated with honour, welcomed by the clergy, and celebrated for our presence – touched us profoundly. For the first time in my four years in Uganda, we felt truly recognized as sisters of our pioneer brothers – initiators of this mission.
- Jubilee of Lubaga Hospital (1899–2024)
Celebrating 125 years of Lubaga Hospital, founded by our sisters in 1899, was a moment of grace. We learned how two of our sisters – Sr. Aloyse (Marie Criblet) and Sr. Rishildis (Kunigunde Buck) – were miraculously healed from pneumonic plague through the intercession of the Uganda Martyrs. This miracle contributed to the canonization process of the Martyrs and remains a powerful testimony of God’s healing and our sisters’ deep faith.
Lubaga Hospital is a shining legacy of our healing ministry in Uganda – a legacy that continues to inspire and challenge us today.
Seeds of Mission Still Bearing Fruit
- Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Reparatrix (Gogonya Sisters)
On January 4th, 2025, we joined the perpetual professions and jubilees of the Gogonya Sisters, founded by Bishop Henri Streicher in 1927. We were deeply moved by their testimonies and stories of schools, hospitals, and land once run by our sisters and now flourishing in their hands. It awakened in us both joy and a sense of responsibility:
What legacy are we leaving behind for the next generation?
- Celebrations with the Banabikira Sisters in Bwanda
Just a few days later, on January 8th, we celebrated with the Banabikira Sisters in Bwanda. In her speech, their Superior General, Mother Noelina, called us to the front and declared:
“These are our mothers. They are the ones who taught the Ugandan woman how to eat chicken!”
Her words, full of gratitude and humour, underscored the transformational role our sisters played in the lives of Ugandan women – restoring dignity, offering education, and uplifting entire communities.
Keeping the Flame Alive
- Trinity College Nabingo: A Living Memorial
Every year, we are invited for Founders’ Day at Trinity College Nabingo, a school established by Bishop Streicher and once administered by our sisters. Though now run by laypeople, the roots of this institution remain deeply connected to our Congregation. It continues to remind us of the seeds of faith, education, and leadership our sisters planted.
Inspired to Live the Legacy
These are just a few examples of the legacy of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa in Uganda. These memories are not just stories of the past—they are a call to action for us today.
Let us not only admire or celebrate the accomplishments of our pioneer sisters, but renew our missionary zeal to impact lives, transform communities, and sow seeds that will bear lasting fruit—just as they did.
May their courage continue to inspire us.
May their legacy challenge us.
And may we, too, leave behind a legacy of love and service in Uganda and beyond.
