By Immaculate Tusingwire – MMS……………
At 99 years old, with a clear and determined voice, Sr. Maria Angelica Nabakooza, a sister of the Immaculate Heart Reparatrix (IHMR), renewed her vows on 4th January 2026 as she marked her 75th Diamond Jubilee at the Mother House in Ggogonya, alongside three sisters making their perpetual vows and four sisters celebrating their Silver Jubilee.
The ARU Communication Office reached out to Sr. Maria days after the Jubilee to share about her 75-year journey of consecration, and we are glad to present this one-on-one conversation with her.
Who is Sr. Maria Angelica Nabakooza?
I am a member of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Reparatrix-Gogonya (IHMR). Before I became the only Angelica in the congregation, I was named Matilda Nabakooza Bibiana.
I was born on 6th October 1926 in Masaka to the late Mr. Dominico Ssaaka from the Nte (Cow) Clan and Mrs. Bibiana Nantume from the Mbogo (Buffalo) Clan. My paternal grandparents are Milia Mwemalansi (Kkobe Clan) and Maurice Luganda.
This year, 6th October 2026, I will become 100 years old
I am the firstborn of my mother, who died while giving birth to my sibling. So I remained with my grandmother, Milia Mwemalansi, and my aunt, Victor Nabakooza, who loved me so much, took good care of me, and taught me how to pray. They became mother and elder sister to me. I come from the Diocese of Masaka in Kabuwoko Parish. Currently, I am a parishioner of Kkindu.
Can you take us back to the moment you first heard the call to religious life and your early life as a Gogonya Sister?
I believe the call to become a religious came from God before I was born, perhaps when I was still in my mother’s womb.
I used to see the Sisters of Bwanda (DM) and silently make a sign of a veil on my head. But God had planned a different congregation for me. After Fr. Timothy Ssermogerere, the parish priest, learned of my desire to become a religious, he took me to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Reparatrix. I stayed, and after completing Junior One before joining Junior Two in 1942, I was sent home to bid farewell to my parents. My biological father, who had just returned from war a week earlier, was happy to hand me over completely to become a sister.
During my early years, I was diagnosed with trachoma (a contagious condition that affects the eyes and can lead to blindness), together with many of my colleagues. My eyes were treated at the convent, while my colleagues were sent back home, which I saw as God’s grace. I was very delicate, and somehow, I was given special attention.
After two years at the IHMR convent, I became a postulant, where I spent one year. I was then promoted to become a novice. I became even sicker during the novitiate and spent two years instead of one. I professed in 1951.
Over the years, what have you liked most about being a Ggogonya Sister?
All these 75 years of consecration have been possible because of my deep love for the Blessed Sacrament and for Mother Mary. Every time I encountered challenges, I would go and pray before the Sacrament and seek the intercession of Mother Mary. I have never regretted being a member of the Institute of IHMR.
My greatest happiness has been seeing young sisters with the desire to come and be with us, the elderly, and we become happier together. It is a sign that God has brought us together so that elders can become children and children can become elders without segregation. It is also a sign that the congregation is growing and continuing every time I see new life.
What ministries or missions have been closest to your heart since your first profession of vows?
I carried out many ministries and did them all with love. These included treating patients, teaching children the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and counseling women in marriage. I also worked in a seminary for a long time. The people I worked with loved me, and I loved them in return. I enjoyed being a member of the Central Organizing Committee at St. Mary’s Lubaga Cathedral.
Seventy-five years is a long journey. How have you seen religious life change over time?
The major change has been growth in the number of institutes. Before, there were very few institutes, but over time many have emerged, with diverse charisms founded both locally and internationally. I thank God for this blessing. Young people can now join institutes of their choice according to their unique calling.
Were there moments when you struggled or doubted your vocation? How did you persevere?
There will always be challenges, and one can never be perfect. I also encountered challenges, but I did not give them much attention or dwell on why they came my way.
One challenge, especially in my later years, was when some sisters said I could not be in leadership because I was less educated than them. This pierced my heart at one point, but I remembered that even if I was not highly educated, I was following God in my Institute. Even though I was not educated enough to lead the Institute, God had still called me to other missions which I had to fulfill. I remained steadfast in my faith and service.
What would you say to the young ones who are just starting this journey?
What I would advise young people who are aspiring to or just starting religious life is that education should not take precedence over vocation. Please study, but with God at heart. Education is not bad, but faith should lead everything. They should remain faithful to the teachings of the Church, and this will help them live according to their call.
