Saint André KAGGWA

Saint André KAGGWA

Nom: KAGGWA

Prénom: André

Pays: Ouganda

Naissance: 1856

Mort: 26.05.1886 à Numyanyo

Etat: Laïc - Martyr du Groupe des 22 martyrs de l’Ouganda

Note: Ami du prince. Baptisé le 27.05.1882. Décapité.

Béatification: 06.06.1920 à Rome par Benoît XV

Canonisation: 18.10.1964 à Rome par Paul VI

Fête: 3 juin

Réf. dans l’Osservatore Romano:

Réf. dans la Documentation Catholique: 1964 col.1345-1352

Kaggwa was a Munyoro from Kkoki, Bukuumi Parish in Bugangaizi county. His father was Kahwa Kibijenge of the Kiwere clan. About 1869 Kaggwa was captured by the Baganda raiders, brought to Buganda as one King Muteesa’s pages.

He was smart, clever, and obedient and soon became a skilled carpenter. Kaggwa became the Bands-master General (Mugoowa). He converted to Catholicism mainly because the Catholic missionaries had a sacrifice of celibacy to their God.

Kaggwa because a zealous and pious Catholic. He was properly married to Clare Batudde Nakazibwe, a muganda.

Andrew Kaggwa had a very strong faith. Proof :Kaggwa and his friend Balikuddembe were constant at the parish and the missionaries had much confidence in them . But the Arabs through the mission boys managed to steal a lot of property from the parish secretly. The missionaries jumped to a conclusion that it was no none other than Andrew and Joseph Mukasa. On learning of this Andrew and Joseph mukasa devoted themselves to prayer and put themselves into God’s providence. Some of their friends advised them to abandon the religion of the Whiteman .

“If it were a religion of the White man we would have abandoned it by now”, they replied.”But it is the religion of God. The White man just brought this religion of God, we cannot therefore abandon God “ they continued.

Andrew died a Martyr at the age of about thirty, Wednesday May 26,1886. His hands were first cut off as ordered by the chancellor and his body chopped to pieces at Munyonyo.

Andrew is the patron of teachers, catechists and families