My Story of Two Rosaries

“This is my story, this is my song, praising my Saviour all the day long.” This song echoes in my heart as I begin to write my story at the request of Dr. Tapti, whom I have come to know through a wonderful couple, Joseph and Mary, who I met, by divine design, recently in St. Peter’s Square- Rome, while bidding farewell to Pope Francis, after God had called him back to himself.

It was on my ordination day on July 7 2018, that I realised the design of God in calling me to be a priest. This came about when I asked my parents, Mr. Alfred Ruhuruza and Mrs Teopista Besigire, to write a message in the booklet for  liturgical hymns for the Mass during  Thanksgiving in my home in Mayanga, Nyakishojwa Parish, Mbarara Archdiocese, Uganda. Daddy and Mummy’s timeless and golden words are: “We praise the Almighty for choosing his servant from amongst us. Alleluia Alleluia. You were delivered on earth in a simple home of God’s servant Rev. J. W. Barya of West Ankole Diocese, where an old lady, Dementiria, in her advanced age, his in-law, continually recited a rosary, for she belonged to our faith. Right then, your conduct and devotion have been no wonder symbolic to our family. (Read Is 44:1-2).” It has just been a few days since Canon John Wilosn Barya was called to be with the Lord. His wife, Mrs Grace, a senior and still passionate midwife, who first held the little newly born Albert in her hands, is alive.

Nine months after my ordination, my Archbishop H. G. Paul K. Bakyenga, of happy memories (he died onJuly 18, 2023), and my Current Archbishop H. G. Lambert Bainomugisha sent me to Rome for a three-month Latin course, a language that I have cherished from the first day I stepped into the Seminary, Kitabi—Bushenyi, Uganda, being taught by Magister (Teacher) Abraham Batsigwaho, a formidable teacher for whom I cherish great respect.

My three months stay in Rome could not have been better – from the moment when on the 26 June 2019, our group of 14 students from various countries, like Uganda, South Africa, Taiwan, Canada, Guam, Switzerland, Japan, Burkina Faso, Bangladesh and Pakistan, was blessed to greet Pope Francis. At that memorable Wednesday General Papal Audience, the Pope greeted us in his address and gave his blessings to us and to our people back home. The parallelism to my mind is of the two situation: after 9 months in my mother’s womb, I was born while the heaven sent Angel, elderly Dementiria to continually recite a Rosary; it was also after nine months in the womb of the Church as a priest that the holy Father Pope Francis (whom I first saw at Namugongo, Uganda Martyrs shrine on 28 November 2015 when we were seminarians), gave me a beautiful white Rosary in St. Peter’s Square.

Later after three years, I have been sent back to Rome for studies. I was also among the thousands in St. Peter’s when on Easter Sunday, the Holy Father, on the day before he was called back to God, gave us the Urbi et Orbi blessing (literally meaning “to the city of Rome and to the world”, a papal blessing that is extended to the whole world on different occasions, especially on Easter, Christmas), and passed around in his Pope mobile greeting the faithful, hiding from us the fact that it as his last goodbye to us.

I was attracted to join the Seminary by the Brass Band. I write this on the Sunday for the Jubilee year of Marching Bands, taking place in Rome. As a young boy of 7 years, I had recently joined Primary school, but on that beautiful independence Day, while at home, I heard from far, an extraordinary music. I yearned to see what that wonder was. It was the young boys of the Kitabi Seminary Brass Band playing the melodious musical instruments in Bushenyi Town.  The Band conductor did, what appeared to me, magical things with the conductor’s stick (Baton), while the crowds  put money on the ground for the boys in appreciation. I wondered, “Are these boys like us? Or did they fall from heaven?” From that day, I chose to join the Seminary, not necessarily to be a priest, but in order to play the Band. I joined the Band Group and played the French horn.  And having entered the Seminary, seminarium, “seed bed” (understood as a seedbed of priests), it was only a step from training for priesthood; the rest is as they say history.

This jubilee year 2025, my other eleven colleagues and I, complete 7 years in priesthood, having been ordained on July 7 2018. Here, the figure 7, has deep significance: 7X7 equals to 49, reechoes my theme of ordination besides the Magnificat (Luke 1:46), and this is Isaiah 49:1, “Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: Before I was born the Lord called me; from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name”. As I pen off, I have been blessed to witness the appearance of our new Pope (Pope Leo XIV) at the central Loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, and to celebrate with millions of people both in the Eternal City and the whole world, and to receive an Urbi et Orbi blessing and a plenary indulgence.

My life dream was to go to Lourdes, after I watched the movie of St. Bernadette Soubirous in my first year of Philosophy at St. Thomas National Major Seminary, Katigondo. A brother priest (Fr. Augustine Munyandamutsya) sent me a picture in August 2024, as he was at Lourdes. I told him, “Tell Mother Mary that I, too, want to come”. It was after 7 days that I received a phone call from  Sr. Marta, a Sister of the Congregation of Sisters of the Immaculate Conception that their group needed a priest to accompany them on pilgrimage to Lourdes. The dream came true and I was among the pilgrims at Lourdes from 12th to 15th September 2024. Because of the Rosary, my eyes have seen marvels and my ears have heard the beautiful music scripted by God himself, as the marvels in his world. This is my story which I believe to be written by God. And so like the Blessed Virgin Mary said in her Fiat, “Let it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).