Brief History of Comboni Missionaries in Uganda
The first Comboni Missionaries entered Uganda from the North and settled at Omach in 1910. Because of the affinity between the people of Southern Sudan and Northern Uganda, this move was seen as the natural extension of the missionary work that the Comboni Missionaries were already doing in the Sudan. Mgr. Geyer, Vicar Apostolic of Khartoum, led the first expedition personally. Soon the missionaries had to abandon Omach, on the eastern bank of the Victoria Nile, because of the danger of sleeping sickness. The mission was moved to Gulu. New mission stations were opened from there during the following years, in Madi (1917), West Nile (1917), Lango (1930) and Karamoja (1933). In 1923 Gulu was erected as a separate Apostolic Prefecture under Monsignor Antonio Vignato. In 1928 Bishop Angelo Negri, successor of Vignato, ordained the first two Ugandan priests of the growing Vicariate.
From the very beginning, education was one of the primary concerns of the Comboni Missionaries; in this endeavour they enjoyed the valuable cooperation of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart from the USA, who concentrated on secondary school teaching. Comboni Brothers were mostly engaged in agriculture and trade schools. Meanwhile the Comboni Sisters gave their contribution in establishing and running girls’ schools and convents for indigenous vocations. The development of these schools reached its peak during the fifties and early sixties.
With the approach of independence, the Comboni Missionaries played a leading role in enlightening the people on the Christian teaching on social and political affairs. This was done mostly through the activities of Catholic Action, the foundation of Leadership, a magazine for Christian lay leaders, and the valuable contribution of Gulu Catholic Press.
The first foundation outside the northern region was the house at Mbuya, Kampala, which was opened in 1959. Shortly afterwards the Comboni Missionaries accepted a few parishes in the Archdiocese of Kampala and in the Dioceses of Hoima and Kabale. This important step was taken for two reasons: to find an outlet for missionary personnel expelled from the Sudan, and to come out of isolation in the North and mix with other pastoral agents in the country.

Difficulties and handicaps of political origin, and the state of insecurity prevailing throughout the country, but especially in the areas served by the Comboni Missionaries, did not succeed in crippling the missionary work. As a direct result of the will to remain and suffer with the people, four missionaries lost their lives during the war of 1979, while many others risked their lives in order to be faithful to their commitments. Even in exile in the Congo, Comboni Missionary Fathers and assisted over 100,000 Ugandan Sisters in the refugee camps, living in solidarity with them
By the end of 1990, the number of confreres who met a violent death had risen to 10. This number includes also the two Fathers who gave their lives to save a boy in Kigumba Parish in 1972. In 1981 also a Comboni Sister, Sr. Rivetta Liliana, was killed in Karamoja. In 1991 a promising Ugnadan confrere, Fr. William Nyadru lost his life in Karamoja. On October 1, 2000 Fr. Raffaele Di Bari was shot dead and burned in his car by the rebels of the Lord’s Resistance Army, while going for the Sunday celebration of the Eucharist. The last to violently lose their lives were Fr. Mario Mantovani and the newly professed Ugandan brother Godfrey Kiryowa in Karamoja 2003 and Fr Luciano Fulvi in 2004 at Layibi, Gulu.
With the steady growth of the local Churches the number of Comboni Missionaries kept decreasing. In 1979 vocation recruitment was fully open to Ugandan candidates. Today there are about 31 Priests and 3 Brothers serving as missionaries in various countries in four different continents.

The Comboni Missionaries developed their evangelizing methodology inspired by the guidelines set out by Mgr. Antonio Vignato as early as 1935. They are still deeply engaged in the task of first evangelization. They are also committed in catechetical and pastoral centres. They run also the Marian shrine of Iceme, where pilgrimages are made. They have recently helped the Dioceses of Arua and Lira to set up diocesan radio stations.
The Comboni Missionaries in Uganda have a few houses of formation, where young people prepare themselves to serve the Church as missionaries of the Gospel. The postulancy in Jinja is where young Ugandans start their spiritual journey towards the consecration to God for the mission. From there, the postulant joins the novitiate at Namugongo. The Brother postulancy of Layibi trains candidates for brotherhood who have also the opportunity to qualify in their chosen trade at the Daniel Comboni Vocational Institute. They too, join the Novitiate in Namugongo. Those who are interested in becoming missionaries and share their faith with people who do not yet know Jesus Christ may contact the vocation director writing to the Vocation Director, P.O. Box 2522 Kampala, or emailing him at vpmccj@infopoint.co.ug

If you wish to support young students to become missionaries, please write to: Bursary Fund, Comboni Missionaries, P.O. Box 3872 – Kampala.