On Friday, 5th June 2026, at 5:00 a.m., a group of 30 parishioners from Uganda Martyrs Parish Munyonyo departed from Entebbe International Airport for a holy pilgrimage to Italy and Poland. The pilgrims arrived in Rome on Saturday, 6th June, at 6:25 p.m. Italian time (7:25 PM EAT).

The pilgrimage, organised by the Parish Priest, Fr. Male, together with his assistant, Fr. Ronnie, was the first of its kind for the parish. It was arranged as a thanksgiving pilgrimage to mark the 10th Anniversary of Uganda Martyrs Parish Munyonyo, which will be celebrated in October this year.

According to Fr. Ronnie, the pilgrimage was an expression of gratitude to God for the parish’s ten-year journey.

“We went in gratitude to God and took the opportunity to visit the holy places at the centre of the Catholic Church. This pilgrimage was our way of thanking God for the ten years of our parish,” he said.

While in Italy, the pilgrims visited the four Major Basilicas: St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, and the Basilica of St. Mary Major, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The pilgrims also visited the Holy Stairs, traditionally believed to have been brought to Rome by St. Helena. Some members of the group climbed the stairs on their knees while meditating on the Passion of Christ.

The team later travelled to San Giovanni Rotondo, home of St. Padre Pio, the saint who bore the stigmata (the five wounds of Christ), for fifty years. They also visited Assisi, known as the City of Peace, where they prayed at the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, the Basilica of St. Clare, and St. Mary Major, where Blessed Carlo Acutis is buried.

In Assisi, the pilgrims visited the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels, which houses the Porziuncola Chapel where the first Franciscan friars lived and where St. Francis spent his final days.

The pilgrimage then continued to Poland, where the group visited the Shrine of the Black Madonna, the Basilica of St. John Paul II, the Basilica of St. Faustina Kowalska, and the Divine Mercy Sanctuary.

The pilgrims also visited the Auschwitz I concentration camp, where St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe was imprisoned and died on 14th August 1941.

Reflecting on the journey, Fr. Ronnie emphasised that the pilgrimage was not simply a tour but a profound spiritual experience.

“This was not a sightseeing trip. It was a spiritual journey that allowed pilgrims to walk in the footsteps of the saints and receive the many graces and indulgences attached to these holy places, including those associated with the Jubilee Year.”

Fr. Ronnie also expressed personal gratitude for the opportunity to return to places where he had once served as a seminarian and to celebrate Holy Mass in the same basilicas as a priest.

He explained that seeing the places where the saints lived, prayed, and died inspired pilgrims to deepen their faith and strive to imitate the virtues of the saints.

For pilgrim Rinty Kintu, one of the most moving experiences was climbing the Holy Stairs.

“Climbing the stairs on our knees was not easy, but we did so while praying and meditating on Christ’s Passion. As we looked upon His Cross and reflected on His sacrifice for us, the physical pain became part of the spiritual experience. It brought many of us closer to Christ and His suffering and was a truly beautiful experience.”

Rinty also described Assisi as one of the highlights of the pilgrimage. Learning about how St. Francis journeyed from Assisi to Rome to seek papal approval for his religious order deeply inspired her. At the Basilica of St. Clare, the pilgrims prayed before the original San Damiano Crucifix, the cross from which Christ spoke to St. Francis and called him to rebuild His Church.

In Poland, the pilgrims were delighted to meet Fr. Kajubi Marian, the first Franciscan priest to serve at Munyonyo, and Fr. Martin Ssali, who also previously served at the parish. They also met newly ordained deacons, Friar Asiimwe Francis and Friar Francis Musaanya, who recently made history as the first Ugandan natives to be ordained to the diaconate in Poland.

The pilgrims visited the Divine Mercy Sanctuary, the Basilica of St. Faustina, and the Basilica of St. John Paul II.

Sharing her experience, Rinty said:

“We first visited the beautiful Divine Mercy Sanctuary, where many of us experienced the profound presence of Christ’s mercy and love. We then visited the Basilica of St. Faustina, where she is laid to rest, and prayed for her intercession, presenting to her our personal intentions and petitions.”

Another pilgrim, Patrick Matoli, described the pilgrimage as a unique and enriching experience, especially because it brought together pilgrims from different parts of the world who were all seeking Christ.

He encouraged young people and other parishioners to participate in future pilgrimages as a way of learning more about the history and richness of the Catholic faith. He also expressed gratitude to Fr. Male and Fr. Ronnie for their leadership and vision.

“I encourage the faithful of Munyonyo Martyrs Shrine to continue organising pilgrimages like this. They help us appreciate the richness of our faith and deepen our relationship with Christ. We are blessed to have Fr. Male and Fr. Ronnie guiding us on such journeys, and we thank God for them.”

The team also visited the site where the 15-metre Divine Mercy Statue is currently being fabricated. They were pleased to witness the progress made and reported that the project is approximately 80% complete. The pilgrims expressed renewed commitment to supporting the Parish Priest in completing the project and seeing the statue erected in Munyonyo in the near future.

This pilgrimage marks the first international pilgrimage organised by the Shrine for its parishioners. It is hoped that many more such pilgrimages will be organised in the future, giving more faithful the opportunity to visit these holy sites and deepen their faith.