Pope Francis named Bishop Paul Ssemogerere as new Archbishop of Kampala Metropolitan Archdiocese on December 9, 2021. Until that day, the designated Episcopate was the Bishop of Kasana Luwero. He had also been named apostolic administrator of Kampala Metropolitan See following the demise of Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga.
It’s a beehive of activities at Lubaga Cathedral as the
Kampala Metropolitan Archdiocese prepares for the solemn liturgical ceremony of
installation of the fourth Archbishop, Paul Ssemogerere.
Pope Francis named Bishop Paul Ssemogerere as new Archbishop
of Kampala Metropolitan Archdiocese on December 9, 2021. Until that day, the
designated Episcopate was the Bishop of Kasana Luwero. He had also been named
apostolic administrator of Kampala Metropolitan See following the demise of
Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga.
Our reporter visited the Cathedral on Monday and found
several members of different organising committees holding their final
preparatory meetings. Decorators are beautifying inside and outside the Cathedral,
every inch of the floor in and around being mopped, and a red carpet being
prepared for the dignitaries. The compound has been slashed clean and tents
have also been erected.
Inside the Cathedral, the Protocol team and ushers are
rehashing how the guest will be received with the choir fine-tuning their
voices for the big celebration.
Deo Nyanzi, a member of the central organizing committee and
a lay leader from Mitala Maria Parish in Mpigi District notes that everyone who
was given responsibilities on the function is making final touches. According
to him, by 10;00 pm, everything will be set.
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Peter Kikulwe Mukasa, one of the directors of the sacred
heart Lubaga Cathedral Choir which is going to animate the mass, says that the
choir has been training for a month and prepared several songs to give the
function colour and make it memorable. Mukasa who is witnessing a function of
this nature for the second time in his lifetime notes that he is excited ad
cannot wait for the day.
Luganda//Cue in; “Omukolo guno…
Cue out…bweyina
okutambula.”//
Rev Fr Anthony Musaala, one of the chief Organizers of the
function notes that the function will kick off at 6 a.m. with the faithful in
Kampala Archdiocese waiting to receive their new ordinary who will be coming
from his former diocese of Kasana Luweero.
Fr Musaala says that the
archbishop-elect will be received by Papal Knights and lay readers in the Archdiocese.
From there they will start the canonical procession which will end at Lubaga
Cathedral at around 9 a.m.
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Musaala says that at around 10;00
a.m. the installation ceremony for the archbishop-elect will begin with the
Papal Nuncio (or another delegate) reading the Pope’s Apostolic Letter of
appointment to the College of Consultors in the presence of the Chancellor of
the diocese and entire congregation. He
adds that the new ordinary will then be seated in the Cathedra (which is the
bishop’s chair), at which moment he formally takes possession of the
Archdiocese.
//Cue in; “The Pope’s…
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According to the sitting arrangement, all the seats inside
the Cathedral have been reserved for priests, religious leaders, the choir, and
selected guests. Musaala says that although all faithful are welcomed to join
the procession, only those who were invited will be around at the Cathedral encouraging
the faithful to remain home and follow the event on different television
stations and online platforms.
Meanwhile, Rogers Nsereko, the
Kampala metropolitan traffic commander has informed motorists and other road
users to expect traffic disruption in most routes leading to Lubaga cathedral.
According to the traffic plan
released by police, there will be normal traffic flow at Wakaliga road but
access rood to Lubaga cathedral will be restricted to guests and drivers will
park their vehicles at designated points as directed by traffic police.
“Those with blue stickers will access
the Cathedral at Stensera Road, those with red stickers will access the
cathedral via Rubaga Road. Those seeking medical attention at Lubaga Hospital
will access the facility via the maternity gate,” the traffic plan reads in
parts adding that all vehicles that will be parked at undesignated areas will
be towed to Old Kampala Police Station at the owners' cost.
