St. Dennis Ssebugwawo Holy Cross Parish Konge-Lukuli, was inaugurated in September 2019 by His Grace Dr. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, Archbishop of Kampala Archdiocese. The parish is located in Kampala Archdiocese, Uganda.
Holy Cross Parishes in the Province of East Africa
They are Communities of Faith, Action, Witness and Hope. Wherever we have a parish we administer sacraments, foster youth ministry, care for the spiritual well-being of families/widows and widowers/the orphaned etc., we also promote lay apostolic movements alongside the education of the heart and mind, social justice work, care for creation among others.
We believe Christ was anointed to bring good news to the poor, the release for prisoners, restoring sight to the blind, among others. Our efforts, which are His, reach out to the afflicted with a preferential option to the poor and the oppressed. We come not just as servants but as their neighbors, to those we serve.
The first Holy Cross Priests were recruited by Blessed Basil Moreau to preach in parishes and assist diocesan clergy in the French countryside. After Fr. Edward Sorin, C.S.C., crossed the Atlantic and settled in Northern Indiana, to celebrate Mass and the Sacraments for Catholics who rarely saw a priest.
It was in 1958 that the Congregation answered the mission call to East Africa at the invitation of Jean Ogez, W.F., Bishop of Mbarara, in western Uganda. On November 4, 1958 . Four members from the U.S. arrived in East Africa to start a mission. After Bishop McCauley has established the diocese of Fort portal as a founding Bishop, Holy Cross started ministry in Parishes of Bukwali (1960), Munteme (1961), Kahunge (1963), Kasese (1966), Kasanga (1968). As the ministry grew more parishes were established. St Jude Tadeo Parish, Kyarusozi F/P (1994), Sombetini, Arusha T.Z. (2015). • Musoma, TZ (2017). • Mwanza, T.Z. (2017). • Konge Lukuli, Kampala Uganda (2018). • Koch Goma – Gulu (2023) • Timboroa Eldoret, Kenya (2023)
Holy Cross Parishes - Uganda
Fort Portal Region
St Jude Tadeo Parish, Kyarusozi
St. Jude Kyarusozi Parish was officially elected as a Parish on 25th September 1994 by Rt.Rev. Dr. Paul Kalanda Akiiki Bishop of Fort portal diocese by then. The parish was put under the charge of the Congregation of Holy Cross that was ministering Butiti parish. The Parish is located in Fort portal catholic diocese in Uganda.
St Adolf Parish Kanyabachope
In memory of St. Adolf, Kanyabachope Church structure depicts a life of witness to Jesus’ saving event on the Holy Cross. A cross elevated atop, sits on a round small structure house similar to an African hut. This structure depicts a way of life in imitating Jesus as the Martyrs exemplify. This wonderful addition in Kanyabachope communicates a spirituality of the Cross and of the Uganda Martyrs.
Bugembe, Jinja- Uganda
Holy Cross Parish Bugembe
Jinja Region
Holy Cross Parish Bugembe is located in Bugembe along Jinja – Malaba Highway, 3 Km away from Jinja Town. It is under the Catholic diocese of Jinja. It was started by the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1990 and it has the following centers.
- Bugembe, St. Luke
- Wanyange, St. Andrew
- Buwekula, St. Jude
- Kalungami, St. Kizito
- Budumbuli, St. Augustine (Proposed)
- Wairaka, (Proposed)
Kampala Region
St Denis Sebugwawo Parish Konge
Holy Cross Parishes - Kenya
Nairobi Region
Holy Cross Parish Dandora
Holy Cross Parish Dandora was inaugurated in 1978. It was put under the administration of the congregation of Holy cross. It is located in the Archdiocese of Nairobi – Kenya. The ministries of the parish include St. James Nursery and Primary School, the Brother André Dispensary, a tailoring school for women, and a microfinance lending program. Today, the parish has 59 Small Christian Communities (SCC) and out of these, 6 belong to the youths from the 6 regions of the parish. The Youth Small Christian Communities of our parish have got the favour of the AMECEA (Association of Member Episcopal Conferences of Eastern Africa). In September 2019, the parish received a delegation from the AMECEA led by Bishop Methodius from Bukoba Tanzania with many other priests and religious from Uganda, Congo and Cameroon to meet our Dandora Youths.
Rift Valley
Our Lady of Peace Parish Timboroa Eldoret, Kenya
The generosity of our donors enables our priests and brothers to fulfill their mission of being men with hope to bring. We are responsible for providing for our young men in formation, retired and infirm religious, and our ministry to the poor — both here at home and in our international missions.
Holy Cross Parishes - Tanzania
Arusha Region
St Brendan Parish Kitete
St. Brendan Parish Kitete is located in Tanzania in the Catholic Diocese of Mbulu. It was in the year 2000 when Holy Cross took over Kitete parish. By then Kitete parish had 34 Small Christian Communities and 4 Main Sub-Centres. Currently Kitete has 7 sub-centres and 109 Small Christian Communities. The parish has significantly grown in many ways but more especially the evangelization mission and sacramental ministry.
Secred Heart Parish Sombetini
Sacred Heart Parish Sombetini is a Holy Cross second mission in Tanzania, being the first in the Archdiocese of Arusha. It was erected a Parish in 2007 after being an outstation of Ngarinaro and Burka parishes respectively. The Congregation of the Holy Cross took responsibility of its administration in July 2015. It is located in the Northeast of Arusha city.
Lake Region
St. Felista Parish, Utegi - Musoma
St. Felista Parish Utegi, formally a sub-parish of St. Bright Catholic Parish Kowaki (administered by the Merrynol Fathers) in Musoma Diocese Tanzania, it was elevated to parish status on the 09 October 2014 by the Bishop of Musoma Diocese, the Rite Reverend Michael Msonganzila. Apart from the parish church, Utegi parish has got eight outstations, namely; Kotwo, Nyasoro, Mika, Bukwe, Kongo, Kitenga, Mang’ore, and Nyanduga.
St. Anthony Of Padua Parish, Nyasaka Tanzania
St. Anthony of Padua Parish Nyasaka was inaugurated 2017 and was put under the administration of the Congregation of Holy cross by the Local Ordinary.
The Parish is located in the Lake region in Mwanza Archdiocese, Tanzania.
Our Parish Ministry
With Mary you can Never go Wrong - Bishop Vincent McCauley
“It is God’s hand which has guided everything, and it is God whom we must thank above all.”
—Bl. Basil Moreau, Circular Letter 36
Ministries
While the work of Holy Cross began in Education and Parish ministry, our mission takes across borders of every sort. For the Congregation of Holy Cross Province of East Africa, our mission includes outreach ministries to the poor, spiritual wellbeing of families (through HCFM), Parish Ministry, Health care/ Healing Ministry, Social Justice among other ministries for families, our mission also includes international ministries, where we seek to educate the hearts and minds of people around the globe.
Education
The priests and brothers of Holy Cross serve in educational institutions around the country, where they seek to form the hearts and minds of young people.
Parish
The Congregation of Holy Cross East African Province staffs 10 parishes in the Africa, focusing the Congregation’s resources on parishes with schools and those that serve the poor.
Mission
We participate in God’s mission as “Educators in the Faith” reaching out to the afflicted and in a preferential way to the poor and oppressed” (C2:12-13). We thereby seek to embody with zeal the mission of Jesus.
Dispensaries
The Congregation of Holy Cross Province of East Africa involves in healthcare through dispensaries and health centers attached to various parishes like St. Brother Andre (Bugembe Parish), Brother Andre Dispensary ( Dandora Nairobi -Kenya), Lostete (St Brendan Parish Kitete Tanzania) to serve the community and uphold.
Holy Cross Family Ministries
Holy Cross Family Ministries was founded by Father Patrick Peyton, CSC commonly known as "The Rosary Priest." The organization's mission is to promote and strengthen family prayer, particularly the praying of the Rosary, as a means of fostering family unity and ensuring spiritual growth. Father Patrick Peyton is famous for the phrase, "The family that prays together stays together," which encapsulates the core belief of the ministry. He believed that regular family prayer, especially through the recitation of the Rosary, has a positive impact on family relationships and contribute to a healthier society. The ministry encourages families to pray together, particularly focusing on the Rosary, which helps us meditate on key events in the life of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary. The Current President of Holy Cross Family Ministry Fr. Fred Jenga, CSC is a member of our province.
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Languages used in our parishes.
Since our parishes are in a cross-cultural environment, Masses are celebrated in different in Languages that are indigenous to the people of the local Parish communities. In Uganda they use (Rutooro, Ruunyakole/Rukiga, Luganda, Kiswahili, Lusoga, Acholi and English), In Kenya Kiswahili and English) In Tanzania Kiraka, Kiswahili and English however our members learn the local languages of different ethnic groups of parishioners for easy communication and ministry in small Christian Communities.
Small zones of grouping choose a patron Saint of their small Christian community where they meet to share faith and support each other in living out the Gospel values in every aspect of their lives. Each group incorporates the elements of prayer, faith sharing, praying for the sick, mutual support and mission. Our men in formation/religious do a lot of ministries in these communities. The priests and CSC community members celebrate Masses Jumuyia/Migongo/Kabondo.
