St. Joseph’s Convent - Bbuto

Uganda

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Brief History of the Community

St. Joseph’s Convent Bbuto was officially inaugurated on 16th January 2008 with Eucharistic celebration animated by Rev.Fr. Steven Murithi a Consolata Missionary the parish priest of Bweyogerere parish. It was indeed a great day of rejoicing for eight of us gathered from Nakaseke, Nattyole and Kakira communities. What seemed a dream became a reality. Coming together, we witnessed the growth of our mission on Ugandan soil. Each of the communities came with little food packages to celebrate the marvel of the Lord. Sharing in this simple meal after the Eucharistic meal gave us much joy a sign of communion and sisterly affection. Sr. the member of the community accompanied by Sr. Lincy who stayed for about a fortnight were the first members of this community. Thanks for Sr. Rosy Sequeira who loboured hard along with Mr. Francis Sserubambula to prepare and make this home a comfortable one to dwell. Like the 72 disciples, after the blessing the sisters went back to their communities in two’s rejoicing and praising the Lord.

The Consolata fathers were delighted to welcome the sisters as they handed over their primary school named after one of the Uganda Martyrs St. Ponsiano Ngondwe. They handed over the school to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Tarbes with all its property that had seven classrooms, two dormitory blocks, the administrative block and the headteacher’s house as sisters’ residence. The Consolata fathers hoped that taking over the school by the sisters would bring about a definite change for the betterment of the community around, as the sisters will work for better effective service and qualitative purposeful education of the young children. Sr. Maria Goretti Martis the Provincial Superior along with sr. rosy Sequeira the mission coordinator made an agreement with Archbishop of Kampala Dr. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga in the presence of Fr. Stephen Muruthi the parish priest of Bweyogerere parish and the diocesan administrator on 2nd November 2007. Sisters Rosy Sequeira and Alphonse D’Souza received the mandate to run the school from new academic year 2008. The Pioneer sisters were Sr. Alphonse D’souza and Sr. Celestine D’costa. Later on 1st September, 2009 Sr. Therese Pinto was transferred from Nattyole joined Bbuto as a third member of the community.

Bbuto by then one of the sub parishes of Bweyogerere Parish belong to Kampala Archdiocese. It is 8 kilometers from the capital city of Kampala. This community ia a much realized dream of our sisters in Uganda, a centralized place for our mission communities here. The headteacher’s house was offered to the sisters which was renovated and used as living quarters until a permanent residence will be constructed. 23 cents of land next to the school property was bought for this purpose registered in the name of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Tarbes.

We thank God for making this dream actualized after a long search and discernment through the Consolata Missionary fathers. We are grateful for their generosity and far sighted vision for our people especially for the children of St. Ponsiano Primary school. Bbuto sub-parish had about 100 catholic families. The people were subsistent farmers depending mostly on the seasonal rains for their crops. The children who study in St. Ponsiano school come from a radius of 3to 4 kilometers mostly disadvantaged belonging to the lower strata of the society.

Apostolates of the Community

Education Apostolate
The Major apostolate of Bbuto community is education of young children that is from nursery up to Primary seven. At the time of takeover, the school had 90 children in Primary section. It was an open area without fence. The sisters concentrated on uplifting the education of these poor children. Out of the ninety children sixty of them were sponsored by the Consolata fathers, paying for them school fees. The zeal and effort of the sisters in mission gradually uplifted the standard of the education in St. Ponsiano School and the population kept increasing. In the year 2017 a multi-storied building was put up in order to accommodate more pupils in boarding thus to strengthen the population in school and to have a modernized learning environment as Bbuto is developing.

As the motto of the school reads determination and sacrifice pays the main aim of the school is to give children a good foundation for the better future. The school is managed by the sisters of St. Joseph of Tarbes. We try to give them qualitative education apart from knowledge we emphasize guidance and counselling, spiritual journey through prayers and catechism classes for the reception of Sacraments and enkindle in them moral values. For this purpose at present four sisters are full time working in school.

Vision of the School
Our pupils who are the gift of God and future citizens of our Nation will possess indelible moral values and high degree of excellence through their discernment, right decision, courage and hard work, learning to live in unity and harmony wherever they are.

Mission
To nurture moral values in pupils, guide them to be God fearing and to acquire knowledge and skills for self-reliance.

The year 2025 St. Ponsiano School is making 17 years since the time sisters came in to take up this mission of educating the poor children of the locality. The school has 454 children from nursery to Primary seven, 15 teaching staff, 8 non-teaching staff and 4 sisters. The school is now able to manage on its own to run all the activities of the school like paying salary for teaching and non-teaching staff, feeding the entire population of the school, conduct co-curricular activities, school repairs, maintenance, and giving concession for poor children.

School building / campus

Students in classrooms

Teachers at work

Cultural/annual day activity

Sports or extracurricular event

Cultural/annual day activity

Prayer service in school

Sisters involved in catechism

Parish pastoral activities

Family visit

Community prayer gatherings

Pastoral Apostolate

Sisters are fully involved in pastoral apostolate like preparing children for liturgy mass readings and singing, catechism classes in preparation for first Holy Communion, home visits especially visiting the sick, elderly and praying with them. The superior of the community is a member of the parish council and attends the parish council meetings.

Josephites in prayer or formation

Group activities

Celebrations or gatherings

Josephites

The sister in charge of Josephites gathers all children every Wednesday in the school premises. They recite rosary to St. Joseph every Wednesday and pray the act of consecration to St. Joseph. During rosary, they pray for the vocations to our institute. They conduct various activities like Bible quiz, reading the life of saints, stories on creation, enacting the parables and reflecting on the life of Joseph and Mary. On March 19th feast of St. Joseph they animate the liturgy in the parish every year.

Boarding building with students

Study time

Recreation / games

Meal time

Prayer and value sessions

Cultural activities

Boarding Ministry

We take full responsibility to take care of the faith formation of our children in the boarding who make their home at school during their stay with us. Regular prayers morning and evening prayers, daily mass and reception of sacraments are organized to form them in catholic faith. Daily recitation of the rosary helps them to devote themselves to Mother Mary to seek her intercession. Liturgy sharing is conducted once a week that helps them to love the Word of God and put in practice the values of Christ. The sisters organize this for all the boarders irrespective of religion.