The international Order of St Camillus has paid tribute to the dedication of two Irish members who established the congregation’s first mission to Uganda in 2000 resulting in the ordination of the first Ugandan national in its 400-year history last week.
Fr Richard Lubaale was ordained on the Feast of St Camillus de Lellis at the young priest's home parish of Kakira near the town of Jinja in Uganda.
Three Camillians travelled from Ireland for the historic occasion; Provincial of the Anglo-Irish Province, Fr Stephen Foster, Bro Camillus McHugh and Bro John O’Brien.
The ordaining prelate was Bishop Joseph Willegers, the retired Bishop of Jinja, a Mill Hill Missionary from Holland who went to East Africa 55 years ago after his ordination.
He served as Bishop of Jinja for 42 years.
The two priests who volunteered for the Ugandan mission over eleven years ago were Frs Tom O’Connor, a native of Co Kerry, and Fr Tom Smith from Co Cavan.
Both men established a base in Lugazi Diocese and set up a mobile clinic to care for the sick who were unable to attend a hospital.
They also were involved in introducing anti-retroviral drugs and counselling for those infected with HIV/AIDS.
After a period of five years acclimatisation they set about establishing a vocations ministry, which this month culminated in the first ordination.
In Uganda, Frs O’Connor and Smith also introduced a number of diocesan priests to healthcare through study programmes at the Camillian’s university in Rome.
Following completion of their training in Rome, the priests returned to Uganda and set about implementing what they had learned in Rome and are now involved in local animation of their fellow clergy in their own dioceses.
According to Provincial of the Anglo-Irish Province, Fr Stephen Foster, Richard Lubaale’s ordination is likely to be “the first of many.”
Fr Richard Lubaale will now work with Frs O’Connor and Smith to bring their ministry to the next level of what was begun just over 10 years ago.
Two Indian Camillians who spent time in Ireland last year have now gone to Uganda where they will also help with the work started by the Irish missionaries.
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