The mystery of Monsignor Ngobya’s life and death

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Praying at Monsignor Aloysius Ngobya’s grave. Many believe that he is a blessing, even in death Photo by Michael J. Ssali

Mystery in death
Stories abound in Masaka of barren women who have produced children after praying at the priest’s graveside. Some people, who were previously poor and could never dream of building their own houses or owning cars, now have them and attribute these achievements to the prayers they said at the grave. It is quite common to see stickers on vehicles with the inscription: “I love Monsignor Aloysius Ngobya.”

Father Edward Ssekabanja, Chancellor and Legal Custodian of the Church Archives in Masaka Diocese, says , “people used to go to him as a priest and they would pour out their hearts to him telling him about their various problems and seeking his prayers and blessings”

He had a very special devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and a strong belief in the power of the Holy Mass.He often prayed with them or advised them to say particular prayers to the Blessed Virgin. And, as they all testified, his prayers were answered; the people got most of what they prayed for with his help.

When he died the only option they had, was to go to his grave and pray and today we have a whole stream of them coming!” Ssekabanja adds, saying they now come from as far away as Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya and Sudan.

Whether during the day or at night, it seems impossible not to find people praying at Father Ngobya’s grave, all through the year. Some even believe that by putting a bottle of water next to the grave, that water becomes holy and medicinal. Others believe that a rosary that has touched the grave is a special spiritual protection against any evil and it is the item to wave about in the air perhaps to guard against an eminent dangerous hailstorm or any other such calamity. His portraits sell like hot cakes and some people are doing brisk business selling them in all sizes near his burial place.Non-Catholics have also been known to pray at Father Ngobya’s grave and are said to have obtained whatever they wanted.

One striking event is that when he died on January 9, 1986, at Rubaga Hospital. His body could not be transported to Masaka Diocese for burial because rebels fighting the government at that time had blocked the road from Kampala to Masaka. The late Cardinal Emmanuel Nsubuga therefore directed that Ngobya’s body be embalmed. But to everyone’s surprise every embalmment method proved futile. No injection could enter his body according to Sister Maria Angella Nabakooza of the Mary Repatrix Congregation, Gogonya, who is still alive and was taking care of the dead body at the time.

“At some attempts the syringes broke or the chemicals simply could not flow into his body,” the nun said. However the body did not decompose and when it was finally brought to Kitovu in Masaka for burial on February 20, 1986, about a month and half later, the doctors were surprised that the blood in his veins was flowing and had not even clotted and that the body was still intact. They were certain that the man was dead but they found it abnormal that his body had not decomposed.

Mystery in life
Among the many other wonders about his life, is the story of a mango tree. It is said that between 1944 and 1949 when Father Ngobya was the Parish Priest at Bukulula Parish in Masaka Diocese there was a mango tree in the church compound, where the children always preferred to play and make noise instead of attending Sunday service. Father Ngobya repeatedly asked the children to stop it but they did not. It is said that finally, he prayed to God that the mango tree should remain there to provide shade but that its fruits be of no use to anyone. From then onwards the mangoes on that tree reportedly became so bitter that no one could eat them, and the children deserted the tree.

“Through him, blessings and curses would come,” Father Ssekabanja said during an interview in his office.

Catholic priests in Masaka Diocese as a rule are buried in a cemetery at Bukalasa Seminary. However, just before he died, Monsignor Ngobya wrote in his will requesting the Bishop of Masaka Diocese Adrian K Ddungu, to be buried beside the Blessed Virgin Mary’s Chapel at Kitovu which, incidentally, he was instrumental in constructing when he served there as parish priest. The irony now is that more people go to pray at his grave which is along the verandah of the chapel than those who enter the chapel itself to pray to the Blessed Virgin Mary for which purpose he had it built.

Father Ssekabanja says that Monsignor Ngobya was a good man who loved his vocation, the domestic church and family. “He was the court of appeal for those whose marriage was threatening to break. He used his great devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary as a tool for his pastoral success and he lived an exemplary life. He became famous because his prayers were answered and many regarded him as a living saint. Even after his death, people still pray for his intercession and they are helped according to their own testimonies.”

Call for beatification
The Diocese of Masaka has petitioned Rome for the beatification of Monsignor Ngobya. According to Father Ssekabanja, beatification is the first step towards canonisation, and as per the new rules beatification takes place in the diocese of the Servant of God.

“It is an official recognition in the church that a person lived a holy life and is worthy of public veneration,” he said. “But for anyone to be beatified he or she must perform a miracle which must be proven and accepted by the Rome-based Congregation for the Beatification of Saints.

It should be an area such as that of health after praying through the intercession of the servant of God. Monsignor Ngobya is yet to perform such a miracle and so he has not been beatified yet. The Bishop of Masaka, John Baptist Kaggwa, has instituted a prayer which people of all faiths can use to pray for this kind of miracle to happen.”

In the meantime a team of investigators comprising of legal, medical, and historical experts from here and abroad will in the following months be visiting the places where the Late Monsignor lived, and consulting the people who lived with him and even those who were in one way or another touched by his life.

Fundraising
On March 3, fundraising for the investigations started at Ngobya’s burial ground.

Vice-President Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi was the chief guest and he testified, “before I went to university I went to Bikira Catholic Parish and asked for his blessings,” Ssekandi told the congregation. “I did well in my studies and it is at the university where I met and befriended President Yoweri Museveni in whose government I now serve as his Vice President. I owe it all to Ngobya’s blessings.” He donated two million shillings to Ngobya’s beatification cause.

If beatified, Msgr Ngobya will become a saint in the Roman Catholic church.

Msgr Ngobya
He was born in 1896 at Mulema Village, Kyannamukaaka Sub-county, in Masaka District. He became a Catholic priest on June 1 1925. He served in various parishes as parish priest and he wrote four books: Olitutumuka, Nyoko Wuuno, Wewonye Puligatoli, and Nkuluze

By Michael J. Ssali, Daily Monitor

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