Bishop Charles Martin Wamika the main celebrant at the commemoration of this year’s Martyrs’ Day has asked Catholic men with multi partners to emulate St. Matia Mulumba to drop them and only remain with one to be joined together in holy matrimony.
“St. Matia Mulumba first joined the Muslims, then the Protestants. When he started attending the catechism of Fr. Lourdel (a Catholic missionary), he had four or five women. On May 28th, he decided to join the Catholic Church. He was baptised, confirmed and wedded as the first wedding couple in Uganda. (He dropped the other women,” Bishop Wamika said.
“So you Catholic men who are here, who have four women. We are giving you four years. Drop one each year, so that at the end you wed one,” he says.
The Catholic Church preaches monogamy, but it is no secret that many men including prominent public figures who belong to the religion have more than one partner.
This year’s celebration marks 137 years since Kabaka Mwanga ordered the death of his subjects who refused to renounce their religions on June 3rd, 1886. They included 22 Catholics and 23 Anglican converts.
Their sacrifice became a turning point in the spread of Christianity in Uganda, and their legacy continues to inspire millions to this day.
Every 3rd June, hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world make the pilgrimage to Namugongo, the site of their martyrdom, to pay homage to the Uganda Martyrs.