From four Canadian missionaries in 1926 to a national educational legacy in 2026, the Brothers of Christian Instruction celebrate a historic century at Kisubi
A century after four Canadian Catholic Brothers arrived in Uganda carrying a mission to educate, evangelize and form young people, Kisubi once again became the centre of a historic gathering as the Brothers of Christian Instruction, popularly known as the Brothers of Kisubi, celebrated 100 years of their presence in Uganda.
The colorful centenary celebration held at Kisubi on Saturday, 5th September 2026, brought together Catholic Church leaders, Government officials, the Buganda Kingdom, religious leaders, Brothers, retired teachers, alumni, students, parents and members of the wider community.
The celebration was held under the powerful theme, “We Remember, We Celebrate, We Believe.”
The theme captured the three dimensions of the centenary: remembering the missionaries and educators who laid the foundation, celebrating a century of achievement, and expressing confidence in the future of the Brothers’ mission.
The occasion was not simply an anniversary,It was a celebration of a century of faith, education, character formation, leadership and service to Uganda.
Contemporary reporting confirms that the Brothers arrived in Uganda in 1926 at the invitation of missionaries and subsequently played a major role in the country’s educational development, from primary education through secondary, tertiary and university education.
The Four Men Who Changed Uganda’s Educational History
The story began in 1926 on 4th August 1926 when the first four Canadian Brothers arrived in Uganda:
- Brother Charles-Jules Poitras
- Brother Joachim-Leon
- Brother Eugene Paquette
- Brother Stanislaus Taillefer
They came to Uganda following an invitation from the Missionaries of Africa, commonly known as the White Fathers, to assist with the administration and teaching of Catholic schools.
Their arrival marked the beginning of an extraordinary chapter in Uganda’s history.
The Brothers were not merely teachers.
They became educators, administrators, mentors, missionaries and builders of institutions.
Their first major responsibility was St Mary’s College Kisubi, making Kisubi the cradle of their educational mission in Uganda.
From this modest beginning grew a century-long educational movement that would influence generations of Ugandans.
Why Kisubi Matters
There was deep symbolism in choosing Kisubi as the location for the major centenary celebration.
Kisubi is where the story began.
It was here that the pioneer Brothers took responsibility for St Mary’s College Kisubi and began establishing an educational tradition that combined academic learning with Christian formation, discipline and service.
For generations, SMACK has been more than a school.
It has been a centre of formation.
It has produced students who have gone on to serve Uganda and the wider world in politics, government, education, business, religion, medicine, law, science, civil society and other professions.
Consequently, when the Brothers celebrated 100 years at Kisubi, they were returning to the historical birthplace of their Ugandan mission.
The symbolism was unmistakable:
The journey that began at Kisubi in 1926 had come full circle at Kisubi in 2026.
A Century Of Holistic Education
The greatest legacy of the Brothers cannot be measured simply by the number of classrooms constructed or students enrolled.
Their deeper contribution has been the formation of the whole person.
The Brothers’ educational philosophy has traditionally brought together:
The Association of Religious in Uganda described the centenary as a celebration of 100 years of faith, education, evangelization and service, while emphasizing that the story is also about generations of young people transformed through education and Christian formation.
Archbishop Paul Ssemogerere similarly highlighted the Brothers’ contribution to helping generations of people grow in faith and character.
This philosophy has enabled Brothers’ schools to become centres not only of academic excellence but also of moral and social formation.
From Kisubi To A National Educational Network
What began with one major educational institution eventually expanded into a wider network.
The Brothers became associated with institutions including:
- St Mary’s College Kisubi
- St Henry’s College Kitovu
- Uganda Martyrs High School Lubaga
- St Savio Junior School Kisubi
- Mugwanya Preparatory School Kabojja
- St Edward’s College Bukuumi
- St Charles Lwanga Secondary School Kasasa
- Caltec Academy Makerere
- Comboni College
- La Mennais Secondary School Kyotera
- St Leo’s College Kyegobe
- University of Kisubi, among others.
The educational ministry has grown from its original secondary-school foundation into institutions serving learners at different educational levels.
New Vision reported that the Brothers’ institutions have provided learning from nursery level to university, reaching thousands of Ugandans over the century.
The transformation is extraordinary.
1926: Four Brothers arrive.
2026: A national educational legacy celebrates 100 years.
The Church, Government And Buganda Unite At Kisubi
The 5th September celebration brought together three important pillars of Ugandan society: the Catholic Church, the State and the Buganda Kingdom.
The Thanksgiving Mass was led by Archbishop Paul Ssemogerere, Archbishop of Kampala.
Representing President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni was Vice-President Jessica Alupo.
The celebration also attracted Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga, Prince Kassim Nakibinge, bishops, priests, Brothers, ministers, retired teachers, alumni and members of the local community.
The gathering demonstrated the breadth of the Brothers’ contribution.
Their educational mission has touched religious communities, families, traditional institutions, Government and civil society.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni used the centenary occasion to recognize the contribution of the Brothers to Uganda’s development.
In a message delivered by Vice-President Jessica Alupo, the President commended the Brothers for helping shape generations of disciplined and responsible citizens.
The President also made a UGX 30 million contribution to the Brothers of Christian Instruction.
The message from the Presidency effectively recognized education as one of the most enduring forms of national development.
For 100 years, the Brothers have invested in people.
And people, more than buildings, are the ultimate infrastructure of a nation.
The Archbishop of Kampala, Paul Ssemogerere, used the occasion to recognize the educational and spiritual contribution of the Brothers.
His message emphasized that the Brothers’ schools have helped generations of Ugandans grow in both faith and character.
He prayed for God’s blessing upon those who established the legacy and those carrying it into the next century.
The Archbishop’s message underscored a fundamental principle of Catholic education:
Education is not complete when a student has acquired knowledge; it is complete when that knowledge is accompanied by character and responsibility.
Katikkiro Mayiga: “Today’s Celebration Is For All Of Us”
One of the most powerful tributes came from Buganda’s Katikkiro, Charles Peter Mayiga.
Mayiga is himself a product of the Brothers’ educational system, having studied at both St Henry’s College Kitovu & St Mary’s College Kisubi.
His presence therefore represented more than that of a political or cultural leader.
He was also an alumnus returning to honour the institution that contributed to his formation.
Mayiga praised the Brothers for educating and mentoring young people over many decades.
He described himself as a proud son of the Brothers and emphasised that the centenary celebration was not only for the Brothers but for the country as a whole.
His testimony provides an important measure of the Brothers’ influence:
The students of yesterday have become the leaders of today.
SMACK: The Sound Of A Century
Music became an important part of the celebration.
The SMACK Chamber Choir was selected to lead the liturgical music during the centenary Thanksgiving Mass.
The selection carried profound symbolism because SMACK was the first major school entrusted to the Brothers following their arrival in Uganda.
The voices of today’s students therefore became a musical bridge between 1926 and 2026.
The brass and choral traditions of the school reinforced the message that the heritage of the Brothers is not simply preserved in buildings and archives.
It lives through the current generation of students.
A Century-Long Partnership With Buganda
The centenary also brought into focus the historical relationship between the Catholic Church, the Brothers and Buganda.
Katikkiro Mayiga has previously acknowledged the Brothers’ contribution to education and the importance of Buganda’s historical support for educational institutions.
The relationship illustrates how Uganda’s educational development was built through partnerships involving:
Religious institutions + Traditional institutions + Communities + Families + Government.
The Brothers’ educational story is therefore intertwined with the broader history of Uganda.
The People Behind The Legacy
A century of education is ultimately a century of people.
Behind every school are:
- Teachers who prepared lessons;
- Brothers who sacrificed their lives to religious service;
- Parents who paid school fees;
- Alumni who supported institutions;
- Students who studied;
- Communities that welcomed schools;
- Benefactors who provided resources;
- Church leaders who sustained the mission.
The centenary is therefore a tribute to all of them.
It is especially a tribute to the Brothers who spent decades away from their countries and families to educate Ugandan children.
Their story is one of sacrifice.
THE ELDERLY BROTHERS’ HOME: A Monument To Service
One of the most significant projects arising from the centenary is the proposed Community House for Elderly and Infirm Brothers at Mount St Teresa Kisubi.
The project has a fundraising target of approximately UGX 6 billion.
The proposed facility is intended to provide dignified accommodation and care for elderly Brothers who dedicated their lives to the mission.
It is more than a construction project.
It is a moral statement:
Those who spent their lives serving others deserve to be served with dignity in their later years.
The project was launched during the centenary programme, and institutions, schools and individuals had already contributed about UGX 500 million at the launch in October 2025.
The complex is also envisioned as a physical monument to the first century of the Brothers’ presence in Uganda.
From Primary School To University
The evolution of the Brothers’ educational mission can now be seen in the presence of the University of Kisubi (UniK).
The university represents another stage in the educational journey that began at Kisubi.
The Brothers’ educational model has evolved from early and secondary education into higher education, research and professional formation.
The University of Kisubi has also linked the centenary to opportunities for students through initiatives such as its Centenary Scholarship Scheme.
This illustrates an important principle:
The best way to celebrate an educational legacy is to create opportunities for the next generation.
Across Uganda and the world, former students constitute a vast living archive of the Brothers’ contribution.
They include:
Government officials;
- Ministers;
- Members of Parliament;
- Diplomats;
- Catholic clergy;
- Religious leaders;
- Teachers;
- Academics;
- Doctors;
- Lawyers;
- Engineers;
- Entrepreneurs;
- Journalists;
- Scientists;
- Artists;
- Development practitioners;
- Business executives.
The alumni represent perhaps the most visible evidence that education produces long-term national impact.
A student may leave a school after six years.
But the values acquired there may influence the individual for 60 years.
That is the real meaning of educational legacy.
A Century Of Challenges Too
The Brothers’ centenary should not be understood as a story without difficulties.
The educational environment of 2026 is radically different from that of 1926.
Today’s institutions must confront:
- Artificial intelligence
- Digital transformation
- Changing labor markets
- Youth unemployment
- Financial pressures
- Infrastructure demands
- Global competition
- Declining religious vocations in some contexts
- Cybersecurity
- Climate change
- Mental and social pressures affecting young people.
The challenge before the Brothers is therefore not simply to preserve the past.
It is to translate their founding values into the language of the future.
THE SECOND CENTURY: What Comes Next?
The centenary should become a launching pad for the next century.
Gateway News identifies several areas that deserve strategic attention.
(1)Kisubi Brothers Heritage and Archives Centre
The history of the Brothers should be systematically preserved through:
- Photographs;
- Documents;
- School registers;
- Oral histories;
- Alumni testimonies;
- Publications;
- Audio-visual materials;
(B) Global Alumni Network
The Brothers should establish a stronger worldwide network connecting former students and mobilizing them for:
- Scholarships;
- Mentorship;
- Research;
- Investment;
- Infrastructure;
- Innovation;
- Community development.
(3) Permanent Education Endowment
A centenary endowment could support disadvantaged students, research, scholarships, teacher development and institutional infrastructure.
(4)Digital and AI-enabled education
The second century must embrace:
- Artificial intelligence;
- Robotics;
- Coding;
- Digital libraries;
- E-learning;
- Cybersecurity;
- Creative technology.
(5)Research and innovation
University of Kisubi and other institutions could become centres for research addressing Uganda’s most important social and economic challenges.
(6)Global partnerships
The Brothers could expand partnerships with Catholic institutions, universities, foundations, alumni organizations, governments and international development agencies.
The Meaning Of “We Remember, We Celebrate, We Believe”
The centenary theme deserves to be understood as more than a slogan.
We Remember
- We remember the four pioneer Brothers.
- We remember the missionaries.
- We remember the teachers.
- We remember the students.
- We remember the parents.
- We remember those who built the schools.
- We remember those who died while serving the mission.
We Believe
- We believe in young people.
- We believe in education.
- We believe in service.
- We believe in faith.
- We believe in innovation.
- We believe in Uganda.
We believe that the mission that began in 1926 can continue transforming lives in the century ahead.
After 100 years, the Brothers of Christian Instruction have left an educational footprint that cannot be reduced to a list of schools.
Their greatest monument is the human being.
- Every former student who became a responsible citizen is part of the monument.
- Every teacher who inspired a child is part of the monument.
- Every Brother who sacrificed his life for education is part of the monument.
- Every parent who believed in the mission is part of the monument.
- Every institution that continues to educate is part of the monument.
And every student currently sitting in a Brothers’ classroom represents the future of that legacy.
The centenary celebration at Kisubi on the 5th September 2026 therefore represented both an ending and a beginning.
It closed one historic chapter.
But it also opened another.
From Four Brothers To A Nation Of Learners
In 1926, four Canadian Brothers arrived in Uganda.
They could not have known how far their mission would travel.
They could not have predicted the thousands of students who would pass through their schools.
They could not have imagined that a century later, government leaders, Church leaders, Buganda Kingdom officials, alumni, teachers and students would gather at Kisubi to celebrate their legacy.
For 100 years, they have participated in the difficult but noble work of forming human beings.
As Uganda celebrates the Brothers, the country should also reflect on the value of education that produces not only graduates, but responsible human beings.
And may Kisubi remain a beacon of faith, education, discipline, creativity, leadership and service for generations to come.(By Don Edwarles MKM)
