Entebbe Bugonga catholic parish is one of the oldest churches in Uganda and it was built in 1902 by the white fathers, a catholic congregation that came from France as missionaries which makes the church in Entebbe to be above 100 years since it was constructed.
Its believed that the first catholic missionaries Brother Amans Delamas and Loudel Simeone Mapeera when they arrived in Buganda kingdom before being taken to meet the Kabaka of Buganda by then.
They spent the night in this place under a tree which still stands up date in the middle of the church compound hence making it a historical place in the church doctrines.
So being a gateway church near the airport a number of Priests, Bishops and other Christians moving in or out of the country have found it benefiting to spend a night or rest at the Parish fathers House before they head to their next destination.
But with the poor ‘dilapidated’ rooms which had started cracking ,licking roofs and broken ceiling , poor electricity wiring, broken sewage system, the church suspended hosting visitors in the fathers house since the conditions were not fit for Guests apart from some few priests working in the parish, the house conditions where worsening everyday and the fathers house was becoming unsafe for the Priests.
Following the poor state of the Fathers House at Entebbe Bugonga catholic parish, the new parish priest Rev, Fr Gerard Mpanju has launched a campaign to reconstruct the fathers House to a modern art of style without changing the original style since it is historical to the Catholic Church.
Fr.Gerard Mpanju says a total of shs 330 million is needed to complete the project and so far a third of the project is ongoing, he says the project will be done in 3 phases till it’s complete.
‘’We have embarked on the reconstruction of the fathers House as you can see the roof top was about to collapse on us and we still need more money to support the ongoing work”.
Am happy that a number of Christians within and outside the parish have responded to our call, we entirely depend on you Christians for the support.The newly reconstructed Fathers house will accommodated offices for the priests, visitor’s lounge, priests living room and library among others.
This the first reconstruction to be done in the 100 years since the church was constructed.
“As the parish priest am happy to see that after 100 years am coming to put a ‘new face’ on Entebbe Bugonga church which was built by the first missionaries who come to Uganda’’.
We have put up several ways to solicit for support and funds but due COVID epidemic most of our plans have stalled but we continue to call upon companies, local governments, organizations to support us, we have opened up an account in Centenary Bank AC NO. 3202699827 in the names of ENTEBBE BUGONGA PARISH CONSTRUCTION Or MOBILE MONEY No. 0753053467 in the names of FR.GERELD Mpanju”.(Report By HENRY OKECH)
