Vincentian Retreat Centre, Entebbe
"I love Uganda and I want to die in Uganda," Fr. Bill often repeated and he rests here. This centre was built on the plot that he received in 2003. The Vincentian House in Entebbe was blessed and inaugurated on June 19, 2004.
Fr. Bill was very much devoted to Mother Mary and he used to distribute miraculous medals to the people and he wanted to spread the Marian devotion all over Uganda. For this purpose he built the Miraculous Medal Shrine that was blessed on September 8, 2007 and half a year later when the Lord called him, he was buried there. This shrine accommodating about 200 people served devotees for nearly ten years. Then it needed to be renovated, but because of its construction style (not enouh pillars) and poor building material the renovation was not allowed and it had to be built anew. In April 2017 construction of a new and bigger church started in the same place above the tomb of F. Bill. Though the church is under construction, the regular program of the centre is held in a tent: Eucharistic adoration, confession, counselling, rosary prayer, Divine Mercy chaplet, Holy Mass, daily preaching the Word of God and a full-day prayer service on every Saturday (the Saturday masses are offered for the intentions of the people who are registered in the Mass Bouquet). Fr. Anthony is responsible for this centre at present as well, just as he was together with other priests in 2007 - 2008.
Update May 2018
The newly built Miraculous Medal Shrine was blessed and solemnly reopened on October 21, 2017. It is a more spacious, lovely church where it is so nice to pray and encounter Jesus through the intercession of Fr. Bill! The compound was rearranged and beautified. During the 10th death anniversary commemoration of Fr. Bill on March 14, 2018 the newly built Crucifix, the Divine Mercy grotto and the Marian grotto were blessed by His Lordship the Rt. Rev. Dr. Paul Ssemogerere, Bishop of the diocese of Kasana Luweero. The annual program of the Entebbe centre is summarized here.