Letter from Fr Sean Dempsey

14 November 2011

Burunga Sub Parish
PO Box 9
Rushere
Kiruhura District
Uganda

Dear Principal and students of St Patrick’s

I hope all goes well with you and your studies in spite of the economic hardships.  I thank you all for your generous support in helping to build the Primary school up to class 4 in Kakinga.  This is a great service to the people who are very much cut off and especially now with the wet season which happens to be too wet this year.  I’m often stuck in mud and water with the pick-up which has a tendency to puncturing.

I am now sending a receipt with photos to let you know how far we have got.  They have now five classrooms.  So far there are 120 pupils.  It is a remote area and it is not easy for small children to travel far.  We have another full primary school (Kawiti) approximately 3 miles away and those of class 5, 6 and 7 can go there.  We have yet to put in a floor (not so important) and find desks and tables and books – important.

The teachers are doing good work.  The parents and Christians are so grateful to you for thinking about them and coming to their rescue.  As you can see too with your money we are building 3 rooms for teachers as well as a canteen for the pupils.  I gave the wording for a plaque to remember you for your generous support.  It will be put up on the wall. 

Life is never dull here.  I am now busy going around the 27 centres and schools preparing our Christians and children for Christmas, Baptising, Confessions, Retreats, Mass and meeting the leaders.  Pray that I can get rid of typhoid which I can’t shake for 2 years.

We wish you all a very happy Christmas and many blessings and a special intention for you all in the midnight Mass.

Slán agus blanneact

Fr Sean Dempsey and Parish Kakinga Children


The toilets first built for the school.


Three classrooms, one that is also used as a chapel for the Sunday service.
They are still to be completed.


Three rooms being built for our teachers, teaching in Kakinga school.  They are not completed but the money has been given to finish them.