Association of Religious in Uganda Milestones & Achievements

NO. DATE MILESTONE
1.  12/1957 Founded the Association and title – ‘Associatio Religiosarum Ugandae’ approved by the Uganda Episcopal Conference (Women).
Subscription of 200/= per annum
Purposes: To promote the Religious life in the Country, better communication and fuller co-operation between the various Sisterhood in Uganda for the good of the Church and of the Nation.
i. To help individual Institutes to fulfil their ideals and their specific mission in the Church.
ii. To study and help to implement the directives of the Holy See
iii. To collaborate with other organisations in the cause of service and charity, especially with the Hierarchy in the field of the apostolate
iv. To represent the interests of Religious Institutes before the ecclesiastical and civil authorities. 
2.  15/1/1963 Wednesday

The Executive Committee
 
Chairperson            Rev. Mother Veronica C.S.A.
Vice-chairperson   Rev. Mother Bernadine L.S.O.S.F
Members:                Sister Columbana P.M.N.
                                  Mother de Montfort M.M.S.
                                  Mother Columbanus M.M.M.
                                  Mother Antoinette  Bannabikira, DM
                                  Sister Cecilia of Rome W.S.(MOSLA)
                                  Rev. Mother Mary Hilda L.oM
                                  Rev. Mother Leo Elizabeth O.S.F
Secretary                 Mother St. Robert

                                                The Council
Chairperson             Rev. Mother Veronica C.S.A
Vice-chairperson    Rev. Mother Bernadine L.S.O.S.F
Treasurer                  Rev. Mother Miriam W.S
Members                  All Senior Superiors
Secretary                  Mother St. Robert                                            

 3. 4/1963 Launch activity – meeting
 4. 24th-25th/4/1963 Formation of the Association (written by Archbishop  Joseph Kiwanuka- Rubaga to Rev. Mother St. Robert – Nabingo
 5. 1966 First renewal seminar
 6. 1967 i. Sociology Centre with upgrading courses for older Sisters at Butale, Mytiana – Mityana Jinja
ii. A Catechetical Centre at Ibanda
iii. Permission was obtained to use the Protestant Bible in Luganda
 7. 1968 Religious Men’s Institutes also formed their own Association known then as COMSIU.
 8. 1970 Initial construction building at ARU Secretariat started at Nsambya
 9. 1972 The Secretary General and her Staff moved into the premises
 10. 1972 Approved by the Holy See
 11. 1988 Official blessing of ARU Secretariat
 12. 1993 Silver Jubilee Cerebrations
 13. 1995 The two Associations of Men and Women Religious merger to form one Association and got the approval of the Holy See.  This came to be known as the Association of Religious in Uganda (ARU)
 14. 1998/9 Creating an opportunity for the Major Superiors to meet with the Bishops’ Conference and to share points of interest and concern with them.
 15. 2018 Golden Jubilee  Cerebrations
 16.    
 17.    
 18.   Congregation of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, based in Rome
 19.   Association of Consecrated Women of Eastern and Central Africa (ACWECA), based in Nairobi-Kenya
 20.   Confederation of Conferences of Major Superiors of Africa and Madagascar (COMSAM), based in Cameroon.
 21.   International Union of Superiors General (UISG), based in Rome: Individual Major Superiors of member Institutes in the Association register directly with the UISG, although proceedings from the meetings are shared during the ARU meetings.
 22. 1993 The Foundation Stone for the Administration Block was blessed by Pope John Paul II
 23. 1995 Merging of the Women and Men’s Associations of Major Superiors to form ARU
 24. 2000 Starting construction of Uganda Spiritual Formation Centre (USFC) at Namugongo
 25.    
 26. 2002 Re-location of Courses in Leadership Skills and Spiritual/retreat Direction from Kisubi to Namugongo
 27. 2004 Revision of ARU Statutes/Constitutions – operative until 2014
 28. 2005 Introduced Short Courses at ARU Secretariat and USFC Namugongo, i.e. Community Animators, Midlife Transition, Second Year Novices, Junior Professed Religious and finally professed Religious
 29. 2005 Purchase of Pajero UAG 844E
 30. 2007 • Management Courses of Finance and Administration initiated by African Sisters Education Collaborative – Sisters Leadership Development Initiative (ASEC/SLDI at Jinja then at ARU Secretariat. Sponsored by Religious Sisters from America and Conrad Hilton Fund for Sisters.
• Certificate, Diploma and Degree courses in Counselling initiated by All Africa Conference Sister to Sister (AACSS) started at Kisubi Brothers University; sponsored by the Religious Sisters of Mercy in USA.
• Construction of Holy Family Hostel at ARU Secretariat.
 31. 2008 Blessing of Holy Family building at ARU Secretariat by His Excellency Paul Tschang In-Nam, Apostolic Nuncio to Uganda
 32. 2009 • Nine months course to train Formators began at USFC Namugongo and a new course in leadership.
• Drafting the Office Operational and Finance Manuals for the Association
• Drafting of the Association’s Strategic Plan 2012/2014 began.
 33. 2009 Meeting of the Major Superiors.  Work on the manuals started.
 34. 2010 • Introduction of the Formators Course In USFC Namugongo
• Courses in Chapter Facilitation and Exploring General Chapters in Religious Institutes were facilitated by Gloir Staff from Ireland.
• Construction of Bernardine House at ARU Secretariat.
 35. 2011 • In August ARU hosted the general meeting of the Association of Consecrated Women in Eastern and Central Africa (ACWECA).
• Blessing of Bernardine House at ARU Secretariat by His Eminence Emmanuel Cardinal Wamala, Archbishop Emeritus of Kampala Archdiocese.
• Transformative, Spiritual, Leadership, Faith Development (TSLFD) course started and was hosted at Mother Kevin Spiritual Centre Jinja. It was initiated by All Africa Conference Sister to Sister (AACSS) and sponsored by a group of Religious Congregations in USA.
 36. 2012 • In February ARU hosted the general meeting of the Confederation of Conferences of Major Superiors of Africa and Madagascar (COMSAM)
• The Organizational Assessment exercise of the forty-four (44) years existence of the Association of Religious in Uganda was carried out professionally.
 37. 2013 • Inauguration of the Office Operations Manual and Manual of Finance Policies and Procedures during the November Annual
• ARU Organogram was updated due to the introduction of a Trustee Board
• Transfer of Transformative, Spiritual, Leadership, Faith Development (TSLFD) course to Uganda Spiritual Formation Centre
• Review of ARU Manual of Formation and Training
• Fifteen new computers were added to make a total of thirty, and were installed in a well- furnished Lab.
• Birth of the idea of starting an ARU College of Higher Learning
• Publishing of the new Manuals of Office Operations and Finance Policies and Procedures
 38. 11/2013 Annual Programme of activities (drawn up yearly by Secretary General in consultation with the Executive • Annual Programme of activities (drawn up yearly by Secretary General in consultation with the Executive Committee
• Inaugurated Office Operations Manual
• Inaugurated Finance Policies and Procedures Manual
 39. 2012 /2014 The Three Years Strategic plan was inaugurated.
 40. 2014 • Hosting Apostolic Nuncio His Excellency Archbishop Michael August Blume to open the new extension to the dining room
• Revision of ARU/AMSRIU Statutes/Constitutions and sending the same to Rome for approval of changes
• Revision of ARU Manual of Formation and Capacity Building and its approval by the General Assembly
 41. 2014 Statutes/Constitution (Under review) Strategic Plan (2011-2014 – Under review)
 42. 2015-2017 Approval of ARU Strategic Plan
 43. 2015 • Embarking on negotiations to initiate the Catholic Care for Children in Uganda (CCCU) in partnership with GHR Foundation.
• Survey of Institutes engaged in the care of orphans and other vulnerable children (OVCs) on the kind of care given in the Homes and identifying gaps, sponsored by GHR Foundation.
• Embarking on negotiations to initiate the Formation Ministry of the Religious in Uganda (ForMRU) in partnership with Porticus.
• Survey among 15 Religious Institutes on the state of formation in Religious Institutes and identifying gaps: sponsored by Porticus.
 44. 2015 Institutes about the findings of the survey on formation
 45. 2016

• Submission of ARU’s curriculum for the Diploma Programme of Transformative Education and Faith (TEF) to Uganda Martyrs University (UMU) for acceptance into the University and later for approval by the National Council for Higher Education
• Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between ARU and UMU re: TEF

Further Steps in CCCU
• GHR and Superiors establishing working relationship
• Appointment of CCCU Programme Coordinator and other Assisting staff
• Training of Home/Programmes Administrators in Child Protection Policy

Further Steps in ForMRU
• Superiors and Formators receive the Survey Report
• Appointment of ForMRU Coordinator
• First steps towards a ForMRU Strategic Plan and Budget in partnership with Porticus
• Working on a Programme design assisted by a Porticus sponsored Programme Designer
• Purchase of a car for the work of ForMRU financed by Porticus
. Submission of the ARU TEF Curriculum to the National Council of Higher Education by the University

 46. 2017

Further Work by CCCU
• Orientation Course for Home Administrators in the Mission, Vision, and Values of CCCU
• Three weeks Computer Technology course for scholars due to take the Diploma and Degree courses in Social Work and Social Administration
• Beginning the training of Home Administrators in Diploma and Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and Social Administration
• Purchase of a car for the work of CCCU financed by GHR Foundation
• Training of care-givers in Child Protection, Alternative Care and Legal Frameworks for care givers in Homes/Programmes of OVCs
• Visiting Homes/Programmes of OVCs by Coordination office Staff
• Sensitization sessions for Superiors, Bishops/clergy, and community leaders and the community
• Submitting a budget for the second phase of the Child care project to the GHR partners
• ARU Secretary General and the CCCU Coordinating team preparing to go to USA to meet the GHR Board of Directors, at the latter ’s invitation

Further work on ForMRU
• Continuing with designing the General Plan of Formation
• Religious Institutes working on their Identity and Charism description before they receive the General Plan of Formation from ARU
• FoMRU continues to work on the new curriculum for the Formators Course
• FoMRU team continuing with briefing members in Religious

 47.   • Beginning of negotiations with engineer for the construction of the extension for the hostel and new Chapel ( Jubilee House)
• Construction of Chapel takes off in May
 48. 2017 Purchase of Toyota Pajero UBA 613A
 49. 2017 Purchase of a Van for the work of the Secretariat Toyota Hiace UBA 736B
 50. 3/2018 Looking to the completion of the ARU Golden Jubilee Monument by end of MarchPlanning for the celebration of the ARU Golden Jubilee
 51. 11/ 2018 Celebration of Golden Jubilee
 52. 11/ 2018 His Eminence Cardinal Joao Braz Cardinal De Aviz – Cardinal Prefect for Golden Jubilee celebration
 53. 2/2020 Sister Led Youth Initiative in Uganda, SLYIU
 54. 1/2021 Remodelling of 37 unit rooms in USFCN
 55. 10/2021 Toyota Hilux double cabin UBH 888V
 56. 9/2021 Repair Benadina close and its drainage
 57. 27/9/2021 Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between ARU and Kisubi Unik.
 58. 2022

Networks Fiscal Angents

1. ARU Anti-Human Trafficking Sisters of the Holy Cross, CSC
2. Consecrated Catholic Women Daughters of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, DST
Healthcare Initiative Uganda
3. ARU Communication Missionary Sisters of Mary Mother of the Church, MSMMC
4. ARU Care For the Elderly Sisters of Immaculate Heart of Mary Reparatrix, IHMR

 59. 10/10/2023 Installation of RENU Internet in the whole compound
 60.   Partnerships
1. Missio Munich – Germany
2. Aid to the Church in Need – Germany
3. Porticus in Holland
4. All Africa Conference of Sister to Sister (AACSS) in USA
5. African Sisters Education Collaborative (ASEC) in USA
6. Rottenburg diocese – Germany
7. GHR Foundation – USA
8. Hilton Foundation – USA

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