You will have challenges in school but keep trusting in God
In the minor seminary, our class of 2002 was suspended indefinitely, and how did that happen?
Well, a priest who was teaching chemistry at the time and was a very good friend of mine gave us an assignment on the blackboard and we were supposed to give him the books to grade the next day.
Now one of us students went to the higher class and got the answers, which he wrote on the blackboard.
As usual in the seminary we start every day at 6:30am with prayer and at 7am with mass, now the next day we were at morning mass, a priest named Fr. Katabi Basil RIP was going through the classes and he didn't go to mass, he usually had his own mass alone in the evening and so he came to our class and looked anxiously at the board and such an assignment with answers!
He waited until we came out of mass and turned to Fr. Joseph Musoke who taught us chemistry and asked him if he had given us an assignment with answers on the board.
Fr.Musoke was concerned and went to our class with Fr. Basil.
They agreed that our class had cheated on the assignment and therefore we deserved a suspension.
Some of us were preparing or reading at night in the library and didn't know what was going on in the class when our brother wrote the answers on the board, so we were green and blue when the Rector called us all into his office to wait for the suspension letters.
I loved my vocation to the priesthood from a young age, and I was so distraught when I saw the Rector seriously handing out letters of indefinite suspension to all of us, saying that the whole class had to leave and that they would call some of us back after a thorough investigation.
I immediately cried because my vocation was in jeopardy, unfortunately some members rejoiced because we could go home.
Some went out and got four taxis' to take us home, we got into the Taxis', I cried again with some other students, and when I reached the small road that branches off to our village, I was alone and made my way home, thoughts ran through my head, what should I tell my grandparents?
And what should I tell my uncle who had just paid my school fees?
My uncle is a priest and was teaching in the theological seminary at the time.
I met him at home and he asked me why I was back home in the middle of the semester.
He was furious when I told him we had been suspended and immediately gave me a punishment I will never forget: he ordered me to uproot trees, big trees, to clean up the big garden so he could get a tractor to prepare the land for farming.
I tell you my friend, this was the most difficult task I ever had, I was young, about 11 years old, so the next day I went out in the morning to start the punishment.
I tried to uproot the first tree, I didn't make it, but then I got the idea to call Mother Mary to come to my rescue, I'm not good at singing, but immediately I started singing songs of Mother Mary as if I was possessed.
I started talking to her, one thing I remember because I was angry, I told her, look Mary, I didn't want to become a priest to serve myself, I wanted to serve your son, now that I'm suspended, your son loses, if you want, tell your son to do something urgently.
I continued with the songs and got tired and left the garden, but I remember I was afraid to go home because a certain lady who had a quick mouth in the village had gone home to home and told everyone that I was suspended and no longer fit in the village, so I went out of the garden to the well to get water and it was now evening and I went to the well, still singing Mother Mary's songs and at the same time praying for her intercession.
I carried my jerrycan full of water on my head and went home, washed myself and because by now the whole village knew that I was suspended, I said that I could not stay around,
fortunately I heard ululation and knew that soccer was being played in the playground, I went to the playground to watch soccer.
When I arrived at the playground, someone came from behind and asked me if I knew seminarian Lugendo Matthias, and I said, "Yes sir, I know him very well," and he said, "I have his letter here with me, would you please deliver it to him?"
People, as soon as I got the letter, I left the playground, went to a quiet place and read it, it was my letter inviting me to return to the seminary the next day.
I collapsed with joy, but picked myself up and went to my grandmother to tell her the news, and she was overjoyed.
She gave me money for transportation and went back to the seminary.
Mother Mary had acted urgently, I think she went to her son and asked him to take care of my case immediately.
I went back to the seminary and it was a miracle, because out of 45 seminarians, 16 of us were recalled and 3 became priests.
And among the many spectators of the soccer game, the man with my letter chose me and gave it to me.
No one has a no to Mother Mary in Heaven, not God the Father, not God the Son and not God the Holy Spirit, she is the Queen of Heaven.
Love and trust in Mother Mary, Jesus gave her to us.
By Lugendo Matthias
Well, a priest who was teaching chemistry at the time and was a very good friend of mine gave us an assignment on the blackboard and we were supposed to give him the books to grade the next day.
Now one of us students went to the higher class and got the answers, which he wrote on the blackboard.
As usual in the seminary we start every day at 6:30am with prayer and at 7am with mass, now the next day we were at morning mass, a priest named Fr. Katabi Basil RIP was going through the classes and he didn't go to mass, he usually had his own mass alone in the evening and so he came to our class and looked anxiously at the board and such an assignment with answers!
He waited until we came out of mass and turned to Fr. Joseph Musoke who taught us chemistry and asked him if he had given us an assignment with answers on the board.
Fr.Musoke was concerned and went to our class with Fr. Basil.
They agreed that our class had cheated on the assignment and therefore we deserved a suspension.
Some of us were preparing or reading at night in the library and didn't know what was going on in the class when our brother wrote the answers on the board, so we were green and blue when the Rector called us all into his office to wait for the suspension letters.
I loved my vocation to the priesthood from a young age, and I was so distraught when I saw the Rector seriously handing out letters of indefinite suspension to all of us, saying that the whole class had to leave and that they would call some of us back after a thorough investigation.
I immediately cried because my vocation was in jeopardy, unfortunately some members rejoiced because we could go home.
Some went out and got four taxis' to take us home, we got into the Taxis', I cried again with some other students, and when I reached the small road that branches off to our village, I was alone and made my way home, thoughts ran through my head, what should I tell my grandparents?
And what should I tell my uncle who had just paid my school fees?
My uncle is a priest and was teaching in the theological seminary at the time.
I met him at home and he asked me why I was back home in the middle of the semester.
He was furious when I told him we had been suspended and immediately gave me a punishment I will never forget: he ordered me to uproot trees, big trees, to clean up the big garden so he could get a tractor to prepare the land for farming.
I tell you my friend, this was the most difficult task I ever had, I was young, about 11 years old, so the next day I went out in the morning to start the punishment.
I tried to uproot the first tree, I didn't make it, but then I got the idea to call Mother Mary to come to my rescue, I'm not good at singing, but immediately I started singing songs of Mother Mary as if I was possessed.
I started talking to her, one thing I remember because I was angry, I told her, look Mary, I didn't want to become a priest to serve myself, I wanted to serve your son, now that I'm suspended, your son loses, if you want, tell your son to do something urgently.
I continued with the songs and got tired and left the garden, but I remember I was afraid to go home because a certain lady who had a quick mouth in the village had gone home to home and told everyone that I was suspended and no longer fit in the village, so I went out of the garden to the well to get water and it was now evening and I went to the well, still singing Mother Mary's songs and at the same time praying for her intercession.
I carried my jerrycan full of water on my head and went home, washed myself and because by now the whole village knew that I was suspended, I said that I could not stay around,
fortunately I heard ululation and knew that soccer was being played in the playground, I went to the playground to watch soccer.
When I arrived at the playground, someone came from behind and asked me if I knew seminarian Lugendo Matthias, and I said, "Yes sir, I know him very well," and he said, "I have his letter here with me, would you please deliver it to him?"
People, as soon as I got the letter, I left the playground, went to a quiet place and read it, it was my letter inviting me to return to the seminary the next day.
I collapsed with joy, but picked myself up and went to my grandmother to tell her the news, and she was overjoyed.
She gave me money for transportation and went back to the seminary.
Mother Mary had acted urgently, I think she went to her son and asked him to take care of my case immediately.
I went back to the seminary and it was a miracle, because out of 45 seminarians, 16 of us were recalled and 3 became priests.
And among the many spectators of the soccer game, the man with my letter chose me and gave it to me.
No one has a no to Mother Mary in Heaven, not God the Father, not God the Son and not God the Holy Spirit, she is the Queen of Heaven.
Love and trust in Mother Mary, Jesus gave her to us.
By Lugendo Matthias
