HISTORY
Sacred Heart Seminary was started in 1926 by the Comboni Missionaries of Italy. It operated in a small building until 1937 when the present seminary was constructed. In 1974 the Comboni Missionaries turned responsibility over to the Gulu Diocese. A civil war concentrated in Acholiland in Northern Uganda resulted in the looting of the seminary many times from 1979 through today causing the seminary to close from time to time. It has operated continuously since the last closing in 1986.
All of the necessities of the staff and students were looted by the rebels in 1992, but the seminary did not close, due to the support of our American benefactors.
On May 11th, 2003, 41 of our seminarians were abducted into the bush by the rebels and the seminary was again looted. After many prayers, 30 of them have been able to escape and return to the seminary but 11 are still missing. We continue to storm Heaven with our humble prayers for their protection and safe return home from captivity.
FACILITY
The seminary presently houses about 160 students. The buildings are in need of paint, tuck pointing, windows, roofing materials and termite damage repairs. Desks, chairs, beds, bedding and books have been in short supply and in need of repair or replacement.
REFUGEES AND ORPHANS
Sacred heart Seminary is about 5 miles away from Gulu town which is in the northern part of Uganda near southern Sudan. Due to a civil war which began in 1986, it is an area of intense rebel activity. Thousands of people have been victims of rebel raids and abductions where many family members have been brutally murdered. Those who have survived have had their huts burned and their storehouse of food destroyed. There are over 1,500,000 people living in refugee camps out of total population of nearly 2,000,000. We live in an agrarian economy and the refugees must now depend on charity for their sustenance. The seminary and other Catholic Institutions are now a harborage of many of the refugees and orphans. Much help is needed to support them. Our goal is to provide the necessities for the refugees and orphans that come to us. Will you help us?
OUR GOALS
1. to provide integral spiritual formation for the students who aspire to become priests.
2. to provide an environment of spirituality through daily Eucharistic celebration, spiritual readings, meditation on the word of God and a monthly day of recollection.
3. to nurture priestly vocations.
4. to educate priests for the Universal Church.
5. to give the seminary students a moral and social doctrine that will assist in helping youth, the elderly and the poor.
6. to give hope, through assistance to the victims of the war.
7. to facilitate the resettlement of the victims of war and to help them to again be self sufficient.
8. to assist the Gulu Archdiocesan Bishop, the priests and other pastoral agents in ministering to their parishioners.
How can you help???
Be an "Adunu Maleng" Sponsor. Support a seminarian for only $30.00 each month.